How To Stop Panic Attacks Using The EFT Tapping Technique
It's quick and effective!
getty Are you one of the over 6 million people who suffer from panic attacks at some point in their lives?
A panic attack is an occurrence of paralyzing fear and anxiety that comes out of the blue, for no apparent reason. Living through a panic attack is like being hit with a tidal wave. That's why learning how to deal with anxiety and panic attacks is so important.
That tidal wave sensation is exactly what happened to me one evening as I drove home on a busy freeway, one I had driving on for years.
As I was about to go down a steep grade, I suddenly couldn't breathe and felt as if I were about to pass out. My body felt cold and clammy and I was terrified I might be having a heart attack.
Somehow, I managed to find a way to pull over and calm myself until I was able to get home.
Soon after this horrendous experience, I developed intense anxiety driving near my home where the freeway expanded from three to five lanes. I was so terrified of having another attack and not being able to drive across those lanes to safety that I began to exit before that spot. I finished my journey on local streets, because of this growing agoraphobia (fear of open spaces).
These increasing terrors and breathing difficulties finally forced me to see my doctor, who explained that I was simply experiencing panic attacks. Easy for him to say.
He taught me a simple breathing technique to calm myself, and although I was still pretty anxious while driving, I managed to get on with my life.
Shortly after that, I discovered how to stop panic attacks and deal with anxiety by doing an amazing (and simple!) acupressure technique called EFT Tapping that zaps panic in minutes, and I have been free of this misery for over 20 years.
You will know you are experiencing a panic attack if you have most of these symptoms:
- Racing or pounding heart
- Chest pains
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea
- Difficulty breathing
- Tingling or numbness in hands
- Flushes or chills
- Terror, a feeling that something horrible is about to occur and you are powerless to prevent it
- Fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing
Panic attacks tend to occur randomly, so the sufferer never knows when they will materialize. The randomness of my episodes made me even more distraught.
I later learned that panic attacks could be triggered by major life stress or physical illness. Mine started within weeks of my mother's death. I realize now that I was suppressing my sorrow and trying to make believe I was ok when I wasn't.
Panic disorder often leads to other fears, like the fear of having more attacks, fear of being crazy, and fear of experiencing situations that might trigger an attack. When you use EFT Tapping, an easy-to-learn acupressure method that anyone can use anywhere to eradicate panic and fear, you will stop panic attacks forever.
Here's how to give yourself an EFT treatment:
Step 1
Using your index and middle fingers, gently tap or press each of the following spots for about 3 seconds in order to stimulate your energy points:
- Crown of the head
- Eyebrow: the beginning of the eyebrow nearest to the nose
- Side of eye on the bone outside the outer corner of the eye socket
- Under the eye above the cheekbone
- Under the nose
- Under the lower lip
- Under the collarbone
- 4 inches under the armpit on the side of the body
Step 2
Use either hand to touch one or both sides of your face and body. Begin by tapping on the fleshy part of the outside edge of your hand below the little finger as you focus on your problem and feel the fear and anxiety.
Next, tap on these spots as you continue to remember your panic experience or fearful thoughts.
Healing a memory of a previous panic attack means eradicating the uncomfortable feelings that arise when you recollect it. You will be able to bring the past to mind and not react.
If you feel anxious, your heart races, or you have a lump in your throat as you remember what happened, it means that the memory is still raw, like a wound that hasn't healed.
Use EFT Tapping as you think of that panic attack until the memory loses its emotional charge and you can say, "It happened. It's over. I survived. I am fine." Once you banish your panic attacks, you will be able to enjoy life again, too.
Gloria Arenson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in anxiety issues, addiction, wellness, and trauma. Visit her website for more information.