How does EFT tapping help relieve stress and anxiety?

Emotional freedom technique (EFT) is often described as 'acupuncture without needles' but I feel in many ways that doesn't do it justice. EFT is so much more than that, even though it does use the same acupressure points.

EFT uses the body’s energy pathways or meridians to rebalance the flow of energy that gets disrupted by negative emotions. This is done by tapping through a sequence of points on the body.

The benefits of EFT

I'm going to share the top 10 benefits of EFT tapping and why it is so effective.

1. You can self-administer EFT 

You can quickly and easily administer EFT for yourself. It only requires you to have hands and a body. You don't even have to worry about where you tap because the order of moving around the body, which hand you use or how many taps on each point, doesn't matter at all. 

2. You can practise EFT anywhere

You can do it whenever you need to without making an appointment. I've sometimes helped a friend over a chat on WhatsApp, I can share a video online and talk it through. There are plenty of tapping apps, tapping videos on YouTube and tapping scripts in books or downloadable from websites. It's extremely accessible.

3. Young children can do EFT for themselves

So if for example, they can't get to sleep, are worried about being alone or in the dark, or are frightened of monsters under the bed,  young children can tap and feel calm enough to get back to sleep.

For children taking exams, it's something they can do before and even during the exam to calm them in anxious moments.

4. It doesn't matter if you don't believe in it!

You can think it's a load of rubbish, it will still work because it works on your tapping, not on your conscious mind. Your tapping and breathing move the energy around the body, clearing the heavy anxious energy so that you feel calm and free of worries. 

5. EFT is free!

Yes, because you do EFT for yourself whenever you need it - you don't need to make an appointment or pay anyone to administer it.

It can be amazing how your body has such a language of colour and image. It's the language of your subconscious mind. 

6. EFT is self-care

You're not getting someone to fix you or make you feel better. You are self-treating so when you feel better, you can feel good about yourself and feel proud that you were able to self-soothe.

This is really helpful for young people as it helps to build their self-esteem rather than rely on parents or teachers to fix their problem.

7. EFT relieves stress and anxiety

Both stress and anxiety result in the amygdala being triggered into a flight/fright response when sometimes there is no need because you aren't in a life or death situation. Tapping calms the amygdala down and enables you to pause and process what's happening so you can make good choices. 

8. It can quickly change your mood

The fastest way to change state (mood) is by changing your breathing by say, yoga, exercise, laughter, singing etc. The breathing and tapping process will change your state to a more resourceful one. 

9. You accept your feelings

Before you start the tapping process, you prepare your body by acknowledging what it is you are working on. For example; "Even though I feel really stressed and anxious, I love and accept myself anyway" or for anger; "Even though I feel so angry I love and accept myself anyway". So instead of trying to pretend everything is fine, you accept those negative feelings and yourself for having them. 

10. EFT helps you tune into your emotions

As you tap around the body, you sense what the emotions are and where they are being experienced in the body, what colour they are, how intense. As you tap around the points and breathe, you can monitor what's changing. Sometimes new emotions come up, others fade, colours change.

It can be amazing how your body has such a language of colour and image. It's the language of your subconscious mind.