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Imagine a life where you were not fearful or worrying about the future? Where you could live life fully and safely in the present, this is the place where anxiety does not exist!
This haven is possible when we feel safe enough to let go and stop resisting, coming back into our bodies, being with our emotions, gaining a deeper level of understanding of the causation. This process is called Emotional Freedom Techniques...
“Whatever you resist not only persists but grows in size”.
What is anxiety?
It is part of the fear response and it is a vital response. Imagine that we went back in time to be a hunter gatherer and we saw a lion in the distance, I am sure we agree that this is when we need this necessary fear response to survive. This response is controlled by our amygdala in the limbic system of the reptilian brain. Over time if this response is being ignited regularly, anxiousness can develop. When we are anxious it means that we are in a reactionary state, hypervigilance sets in and the world can feel like a dangerous place, it is about surviving. Our brain is just doing its job, which is its’ drive to keep us alive. Unfortunately, this response is now being used for situations which are not life threatening, however, our body has learned these messages and is now primed to react not respond.
Anxiety may originate in childhood and perhaps a time in our lives when we became separated from our attachment figures and in the absence of a caregiver to self-soothe, this alarm can become stored in our bodies1. As Bessel Van Der Kolk says “the body keeps the score”. Over time this alarm system can become stuck in this sympathetic state and show up later in life, in adulthood.
“The body keeps the score”.
So, what can we do about it? ABRA
Understanding the root cause of anxiety can help us lesson the effect and hold the anxiety has over us, and can allow us to become more present and empowered, life doesn’t happen to us, it happens through us. The feeling of safety in our bodies which may initially feel alien to us, may develop over time through a daily practice. To allow healing to begin, a safe place and environment is necessary. It is a journey and not a quick fix, it takes time to tune into and listen to our bodies again and be curious. The ABRA technique identified below may help us manage anxiety along our journey towards showing up in life more authentically.
STEP 1 – Awareness – create greater awareness about what thoughts, feelings, emotions, images or memories you are having on a daily basis which are causing anxiety.
STEP 2 – Being with your emotions – when you have an anxious moment, bring the uncomfortable thought, feeling, memory or emotion to mind and tap through the points until you have a greater sense of calm, breathing into your diaphragm simultaneously can help the body to come back to a sense of calm more quickly.
STEP 3 – Releasing and Accepting your emotions – understand those thoughts, feelings, memories, emotions and be curious about the origins, you hold the keys to this doorway, accept them and let go of them, as Carl Yung said, “whatever you resist persists and grows in size”
EFT has been shown to be an effective treatment in lessoning anxiety2. Feeling safe during this process may heighten the effectiveness of this process, which is where an EFT Therapist is beneficial, as a safe and non-judgemental space is provided.
Are you curious about trying EFT to support your anxiety? Let us discover together…
References
1 Kennedy, R MD (2020) Anxiety RX. A new prescription for anxiety relief from the doctor who created it
2 Church, D et al. (2022) Clinical EFT as an evidence based practice for the treatment of psychological and physiological conditions: A Systematic review. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.951451/full