Tapping, also known as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is a combination of Ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology that works to physically alter your brain, energy system, and body all at once. The practice consists of tapping with your fingertips on specific meridian points on your body, while talking through traumatic memories, repeating positive affirmations, discussing your current emotions, or reciting your goals for the day. However you choose to implement tapping into your life, it is guaranteed that you will restore your energy balance and detoxify yourself of pain and negative emotions.
Here is a brief explanation of how tapping works:
- EFT tapping uses the tapping of your fingertips to apply pressure to specific points of the body. Based on Chinese medicine, these meridian points are understood as the areas of the body that your energy flows through. These pathways help balance your overall energy flow to help maintain your health. An imbalance in your energy can influence disease or sickness. Therefore, tapping assists in returning your energy’s balance if you are sick or in pain.
- Proponents of tapping say that the tapping helps you not only access your body’s energy, but also send signals to the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls stress. Stimulating the meridian points through EFT helps reduce stress and negativity with a technique that is quick, painless, and free.
Here are some conditions that EFT tapping may benefit:
- Anxiety: A recent study showed that tapping may be a beneficial coping mechanism for those who have anxiety. Researchers reported that participants experienced significant reductions in anxiety symptoms, as well as pain levels and cravings. In addition, they also reported improvements in happiness, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. EFT is a great resource to make you feel calm and relaxed while distracting your mind and focusing on your breath.
- Depression: EFT is a great resource for treating depression. A study showed that there was not only an average reduction in depression symptoms by 41%, but also showed a comparison of tapping versus psychiatric medication and therapy studies. Researchers discovered that tapping reduced depression symptoms at a much higher rate than either of the other treatments.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Tapping involves energy psychology that can provide great results, such as immediate relief and the long term ability to extinguish conditioned responses towards trauma. EFT helps alleviate emotional pain and mental distress. Studies show that over 85% of military veterans who have participated in EFT have resolved most of their PTSD symptoms (insomnia, anger, grief, hyper-vigilance) and confirm that the benefits are lasting. Tapping assists in overcoming complex psychological problems and promoting optimal functioning for people with PTSD.
If you are interested in trying the tapping technique, here is a video tutorial:
