09-12-20, 06:57 PM | |
Join Date: Nov 2008
|
I've incorporated two different versions of it into my arsenal for the management of anxiety and depression symptoms. These last two years I've been adapting to life since my father died, and had a simply terrible time trying to find a sense of equilibrium, constantly feeling as though my nerves were on high alert, overwhelmed by distress at every turn.
The counselor I've been seeing (a licensed clinical social worker) introduced me to the whole idea of tapping, and her opinion is that the simplest version is overall most effective. My rather limited experience with this tends to agree with her, but I continue to use both techniques just to make sure I don't backslide. We use other techniques in our sessions (Some EMDR, but mostly talk since the pandemic began.) The first tapping technique, the very simplest, is literally just tapping yourself. It was described to me as a technique to help manage anxiety, so when I feel my thoughts begin to race or my feelings begin to seem overwhelming, I do it for a few minutes. It's so simple I really struggled to understand that's all there was to it. I kept thinking I'd missed the point, or that I should have a specific mindset or breathing pattern or something, but nope, it's just very simple. Technique-wise I usually pat my thighs, left hand/left thigh, right hand/right thigh, but if you're in the car you can simply tap the steering wheel with a fingertip, left, right, left, right. If you're in public (remember being able to do that?) you can tap a fingertip, for example with your arms crossed, so that what you're doing is barely visible. You do this technique very, very very slowly. Left, right, left right, left, right, etc, etc, etc.. No need for any sort of meditative ritual, setting intentions, breath regulation or anything. Just very slowly tapping yourself, one side, then the other. Do it for a few minutes, then stop. I generally check back in with my emotions or with myself to see if my mind is quieter or my emotions are calmer once I've tapped for a few minutes. That's it. I do think this technique, it's something that's helpful over time. It seems like you've not really 'done something to help yourself' but for me, there's a pretty clear demarcation in my memory of the time before I started, and the time since. It seems to have helped disrupt the cycle of constant distress I'd been trapped in. Was it the only beneficial thing I was doing at the time? No, I was also working on developing habits of self care/mindfulness/meditation/exercise, etc. that also seem to help. The tapping does seem to have helped me break the cycle. I'd been trying all that other stuff for a while without much difference, so it does seem as though it's helped. With that technique, I think part of it has something to do with the left brain/right brain of it all. Input stimulus from the left, then the right, then the left, slowly, slowly. I'm not sure why it works, but I'd guess the pace of it helps slow things down? The other sort, where you have a bit of a script, tap various places, etc. has been useful too. I've got copies of a few of Jessica Ortner's books, and have simply worked my way through them one script at a time. I've had so many issues to cope with they pretty much all speak to my problems, regardless of the focus of any one of them. Here's a link to her introduction in a Youtube video, for those who are curious. I've explored a bit elsewhere, but keep coming back to her work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPqGjcxoPS8&t=2s They sell 'Tapping Solution' stuff, but there are lots of free things on their site, and on Youtube, so there's no need to get spendy. (I got used books a while ago.) HTH!
__________________
Anna Last edited by BunnyHop; 09-12-20 at 07:00 PM. Reason: clarity |
09-17-20, 10:54 PM | |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Denver, CO
|
When I was working as a hypnotherapist, I would use this on occasion. It is an effective 'pattern interrupt' technique. It's like doing breathwork. It works in the moment and, used over a long period of time, can have an accumulate affect. I use it for myself when I feel anxiety and don't know where it's coming from.
It doesn't hurt to try it out and see if it is something that works for you. |
09-17-20, 11:39 PM | |
Exchange Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: PalmTreeVille
|
when my son was 5 YO, we looked into this for his ADHD, along with other modalities. we ended up going with neurofeedback with great success. the tapping therapist we went to was also a licensed psychologist, and was a great professional. it's just that the neurofeedback psychologist worked better for our schedule.
__________________
~jeannine Miyagi: Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important. [walks away, still making circular motions with hands] ~ Pat Morita, The Karate Kid, 1984 disclosure: in the years 2002-2004 i had a professional relationship with a distributor of fitness videos; see profile. |
09-20-20, 01:22 PM | ||
Join Date: Nov 2008
|
Quote:
I'm truly feeling much better these days. The self-care stuff I do really helps, but I've also been learning about using journaling techniques to get my thoughts and plans organized, and that's also done a lot to help me regulate the constant feeling of overwhelm and distress I've been living with. I rotate between various breathwork and meditation techniques, having a few details to hold my attention helps me get started, which is the hardest bit for me. Doing the same exact thing seems to be a recipe for wandering away from the practice altogether, so I switch it up. I do the simpler tapping form every morning, because even though I'm resting better now I do still wake up suddenly from intense dreams, with a racing heart. The tapping is a simple way to just get started on the stuff I know I need to do, plus I can actually manage to DO IT even when I'm half awake. I do that, then get up and stand in mountain pose for a few moments, then get on with the rest of it. Simple enough that I don't bother avoiding it.
__________________
Anna |
|
09-20-20, 07:10 PM | |
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago burb
|
I hadn't heard anything about tapping before, and then this email from Women's Health Network showed up in my inbox right around the time this thread was started. It seems like an interesting concept. This article says tapping can help with sleep/insomnia.
https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/...tm_content=all
__________________
Wendy |
09-22-20, 11:21 AM | ||
Join Date: Nov 2008
|
Quote:
Putting it back on the agenda. For me, I do think I get the most out of certain things if I do them fairly early in the day so I can work my way through the intense emotions before bedtime. I think that's why I stopped, since some of the stuff I was thinking about was likely too intense for that time of day.
__________________
Anna |
|
Tags |
tapping |
|
|