We all inherited some hard-to-shake programming from our ancient ancestors, including our response to stress. Their stress involved coping with life-or-death situations from sabertooth tigers and other such threats, which thankfully they survived (or we wouldn’t be here!).
Our stress mostly does not.
But there’s a reason we still perceive the daily stressors in our lives as being just as threatening, and why so many of us have such high levels of anxiety…
Maybe you’ve felt it – the sense that things are about to fall apart, or that your mind is too crowded with distressing thoughts that prevent you from breathing, relaxing, and sleeping…
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population.
Luckily, we’ve come a long way in our understanding of how our ancestors’ fight-or-flight mechanism remained with us, and even more importantly, what we can do to fix it.
Did you know that Tapping has been scientifically proven to rewire the brain and body to bring it back into balance? Read on to see what this means to you and your anxiety…
You may have heard of the amygdala in your brain. That’s where your survival instincts live.
When you’re truly in a dangerous situation, the amygdala perceives the threat and releases biochemicals that flood your body with the mental and physical energy you need to fight or flee it.
But what about when you’re not truly in danger?
Unfortunately for many people, that ancient survival instinct kicks in anyway. Everyday stressors are all it takes and their anxiety is off and running.
Sometimes it doesn’t take much – like a traffic jam, a rude barista at the coffee shop, or just being too busy. But there are also big ones, which may not be life-threatening, but can seriously trigger our anxiety. These include things like:
When your body constantly goes into fight-or-flight mode, you lose your sense of control. You lack the peace of mind to deal with a situation as effectively as you might. You become exhausted, distracted, and at some point, unhealthy.
In fact, according to Harvard Medical School, “Evidence suggests that people with anxiety disorders are at greater risk for developing a number of chronic medical conditions.” They state that these include gastrointestinal disorders, chronic respiratory disorders, and heart disease.
This is no secret. That’s why the market is booming with individuals and organizations doing their best to help you alleviate your anxiety. They know how important it is in the scheme of your overall health.
Maybe you’ve already tried some of their (and your own) techniques such as:
Those are all wonderful ways to temporarily relieve your anxiety. If you do practice any of them, I want to congratulate you for taking an active role in your own health and wellbeing!
But what if you practice one (or all) of them faithfully, and you still suffer from anxiety more often than you think you should?
This is where Tapping does what other techniques can’t do.
Tapping rewires your brain, which means it short-circuits the amygdala’s response so you don’t have to continue feeling like a victim to your programming anymore.
In other words, Tapping helps you get to the root of the problem, which is the only place where you can truly eliminate it.
Anxiety is brought to life at particularly stressful moments. Without our prehistoric programming, we’d be able to more easily recognize each event’s actual level of threat, deal with it at the moment, and file it away in the knowledge and wisdom part of our being.
But when your nervous system has become overly sensitized due to past events and emotions, your programming kicks in, and new anxiety gets added to your already overloaded system. You feel ambushed, again, and again.
[Just for fun, do you know what a group of (sabertooth) tigers is called? An ambush!] 🙂
Not to make light of anxiety. I don’t wish that feeling on anyone. But there is a proven solution, and I think by now you know it’s called Tapping.
What Tapping does is send a calming signal to the amygdala, allowing your brain and body to feel safe, and thus, dissipate your anxiety.
The combination of tapping on the meridian points of your body and speaking to the reason(s) for your anxiety brings your mind and body into alignment. It reduces the automatic flow of anxious feelings when those memories get triggered by everyday life until it stops them altogether.
And though it may take a few rounds of tapping to clear particularly intense emotions, you can feel when it happens. Then one day you realize that you just don’t react to things the way you always did.
“Since the Tapping World Summit in February, the last of my anxiety has gone and along with it my fear of heights apparently although I hadn’t got around to tapping on that yet.”
Alex, Melbourne, Australia
“Things I thought were hard-wired into me have dissolved and I’m doing things I would never have believed possible.”
Alice, South Africa
“I am noticing shifts after repeated use of tapping videos such as less worry, fear, stress, nervousness, and anxiety – virtually disappeared which feels amazing and such a relief to be able to move through the world in a state of grace, peace, love, joy, and happiness.”
Michelle, Ireland
Used by traditional psychologists, therapists, coaches, and everyday people, Tapping has been successfully applied around the world. It is also used by some of the leading physicians in the holistic health world:
“EFT studies have shown that after treatment, when subjects recall the events that used to trigger big emotional reactions, they are now calm. The memory appears to have been reconsolidated with the self-soothing emotional tags generated by tapping.”
DR. DAWSON CHURCH
“Studies show that people who use Tapping recover very quickly from whatever ails them, often in just a few sessions. Whether you use it to reduce physical symptoms or for changing limiting beliefs, Tapping has the effect of releasing the emotional memories associated with your symptoms or beliefs.”
DR. CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP
“Nothing comes closer to ‘magic’ than the positive results I have personally witnessed using EFT on thousands of my patients who suffered from physical and emotional pain and illness. EFT can lead you to incredible breakthroughs on your healing journey, and it can help you in your daily life.”
DR. JOSEPH MERCOLA
If you’re new to Tapping, you might still be wondering how something so simple can really make you feel safer and calmer, and even eliminate your anxiety. Or maybe you’ve done enough Tapping to know it works, but you’re still curious to know the hard science behind why it works.
If so, this is for you.
In a nutshell, the Tapping Solution Foundation helped fund a study that was published in the May 2016 edition of The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease titled, “Emotional Freedom Techniques for Anxiety: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.”
We wanted an objective review and documented evidence of what Tapping achieves.
This analysis applied the most stringent study selection using the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force on Empirically Validated Treatments.
This meta-analysis analyzed the results of 14 randomized controlled trials that included an assessment for anxiety and involved a total of 658 participants.
It found a “large” treatment effect and a significant decrease in anxiety.
Critical analysis of the findings of these studies is both clinically important and timely, as the practice of EFT continues to gain adoption into the psychotherapy community.
And because of its efficacy and ease of use, EFT may possess significant practical advantages to public health outcomes compared with resource-intensive approaches including Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
Would you like to experience a feeling of safety flooding your body right now? Then take a minute to do some tapping!
All you have to do is download The Tapping Solution App, where you’ll find a (FREE) Releasing Anxiety Tapping Meditation.
Follow along as Jessica leads you through the tapping points and statements. You’ll even be able to rate your anxiety at the start of the tapping session, and again at the end to see your results.
Go ahead and try it! You’re just a few minutes away from feeling calmer and breathing easier.
We developed The Tapping Solution App to put this powerful tool in your hands at all times. We wanted to be just a click and a swipe away when you need help getting through a stressful moment.
In time, we’ll have hundreds of Tapping topics available when you need help. But for now, we already have many to choose from – with FREE meditations available from each category.
You can also learn to do Tapping on your own. If you’re new to Tapping, you can watch a video on how to tap here.
Try our Releasing Anxiety Tapping Meditation from the App Now!
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After listening, let me know in the comments below what you think of this meditation.
Why wait another minute?
Getting relief from the misery of anxiety is absolutely possible. We want you to know how that feels and to begin changing your life into one that is full of more joy, more peace, and more fulfillment. It’s really up to you, but we’re here to help.
You know how they say you should never wake a sleeping tiger? Well, here at The Tapping Solution, we don’t agree.
We say WAKE IT UP AND TAP ON IT! It’s the only way to make it go away for good.
Until next time,
Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner
I have tried tapping a few times a few months ago, but I actually noticed an increase in anxiety so didn’t stick with it. Now, as I am working through Jack Canfield’s Sobriety Solutions, tapping is recommended to try again to deal with anxiety and limiting beliefs. For some reason the same thing is happening again. I’ve tried numerous rounds, adding in some positive choice tapping to see if that changes things. I decided to really observe the physical anxiety and it seems to flare up when I tap under my nose and at my chin and I feel the tension warm my shoulders and neck. EMotionally I don’t feel increased anxiety, it just registers physically, which makes my mind think something is wrong. I don’t have any physical conditions (around my nose or mouth) that would explain it, so I’m wondering if anyone has knowledge on how/why some points could show sensitivity and how to proceed if anxiety is increasing. Thanks for any help!
Hi Lauren! Having one or more meridian points that are more sensitive than others is actually not that uncommon. I think some points may be just more receptive to the tapping and because the meridian endpoints are all associated with different parts of the body, it could be resonating more powerfully with those if we have certain traumas or limiting beliefs trapped in those areas of the body. 🙂
I’ve been doing the extended sessions for fear and worry. And it has reduced my anxiety greatly along with meditation. I know I still have a long way too go but I’ve had 4 brilliant results in 9 days. I tap 3 times daily. After years I think EFT is the answer. Don’t let anxiety periods stop you tapping. It is the cure. Robert
That’s wonderful, Robert! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Suffering from generalized anxiety, panic disorder and phobias for decades. Recent events had me stuck in fight or flight mode all day and all night, for days, my (only when absolutely necessary) medicine wasn’t even handling it. I remembered something about tapping, I was totally unable to deep breathe, heart just racing, trembling and tense as could be, I felt a drastic reduction of symptoms while doing several tapping sessions, but when I stopped tapping, the symptoms returned, after about 20 minutes more of repeated tapping, anxiety levels were reduced. It totally works! I may not have been specific, I was all over the place in what I was concentrating on, but it worked!
That’s wonderful to hear, C.Marie! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Tapping is great! It’s been such a miracle…I love it. I tell all those around me with stress and anxiety about it..most are so skeptical, but it works and fast! Jessica, just like others have said before me, your voice is very soothing and your pace is perfect. Should we tap on days when we don’t have stresses or just when feeling anxious?
Thank you!
Hi Sheri! You can actually tap whenever you want. Certainly, it’s great to use when we have a distressing issue. But tapping is also great for boosting happiness, increasing productivity, invoking the feelings of gratitude, etc. 🙂
I felt better, gonna try to get back into it, I have your book about tapping and weight loss but got away from it. I’m gonna to start back up for anxiety.
That’s great, Cathi! With the new year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to begin tapping again. 🙂
Childhood horror. Need to rid body, mind and spirit —-permanently!!??????
Hi there! For traumatic events like what you may have experienced, I would recommend seeking out an EFT practitioner to help. They are highly skilled at navigating through the many emotional aspects of trauma that we ourselves may find difficult to do on our own. 🙂
I would like to learn tapping for insomnia and
anxiety.
Your replies only say ‘ get the app”
Please be simple, and teach me a sentence to use at each point
Hi Hilary! There is actually a tapping meditation audio at the bottom of the post that you can listen to and follow along with. 🙂
I am LOVING your approach to EFT. I have used several approaches, and yours is the most empowering, enabling me to make great strides tapping on my own, without needing frequent professional intervention (though I do continue to consult with health care professionals, just not as often).
For example, I was tapping just now, and when I had transformed my Limiting Beliefs into positive affirmations, I forgot why I started tapping! Thank you!
That’s wonderful, Grace! I’m so happy you found us. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Am going to start tapping again as I am tapering of a medication and have anxiety and that scared feeling for no reason
That’s great, Kathy! Tapping works wonders for anxiety relief. 🙂
Thank you so much, Jessica. Hope is back. I’m no longer victim of my anxiety. I can help myself of overcoming my biggest anxieties. And enjoy life!!!
Love it! Thanks for sharing, Monika. 🙂
After a mishap happened with a new sleep apnea machine for my elderly mother, I was unable to enjoy my special alone time to relax after caring for her during the day and evening. The anxiety became intense.
After speaking to a respiratory therapist and following instructions, I used the anxiety tapping sequence twice. I was amazed to feel a remarkable difference in my body! My body relaxed incredibly. I could feel a huge difference in the back of my legs as well which had carried great tension.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful exercise! I am truly impressed and very grateful!
Warmly,
Gloriana
That’s so wonderful to hear, Gloriana. thanks for sharing! 🙂
Wonderful help and beautifully delivered
Thank you
You’re welcome, Annemarie. 🙂
I just want to know how often I should tap if I have anxiety. Is it a daily practice???
Well, Susan, the short answer is that tapping could be used anytime you have anxiety. But in reality, if anxiety is a big problem for you, I’d recommend tapping on it as often as you can while trying to find the root cause of the anxiety. Making a daily habit of tapping is very beneficial. 🙂
Android pls 🙂
I have found tapping very useful for relieving anxiety. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Harry. 🙂
I’ve been successfully tapping for my self and with clients including court mandated anger management and parents. See about my work and testimonial: http://www.balanceandpower.com
Thanks so much for all you do!
Is this anxiety tapping available for a desktop computer please?
Hi Helen! You can play or download the meditation mp3 right from the blog page to listen to on your pc. 🙂
Available for android yet?
Do you have this application available for Android mobile phones as well?
When will the android version be ready?
Very soon, Sue. We’re shooting for this week! Exciting! 😀