How to tap into drug-free depression and anxiety relief

All of us feel good when things are going well.

However, when you find yourself with feelings of frustration, anger, worry or despair, it’s time to intervene ASAP.

It’s easy to take the pills your doctor can prescribe to mask your symptoms and help you “feel” better. But I’m sure you’ve read about the potential problems with antidepressants and anxiety medications.

That’s why I prefer to try other options first, like this simple tapping technique that’s been proven effective, safe, and inexpensive for pain, depression, and anxiety (see the video testimonial below!)…

It works for depression

Prescription anti-depressant medications are your mainstream doctor’s primary treatment. for mood difficulties such as depression or anxiety. While these medicines often work well, they can also be costly and have potential adverse effects.

Let me share with you about EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also referred to as “tapping.”  EFT is the most widely practiced “energy psychology” therapy for mood disorders. What does EFT look like? It is essentially a method of tapping on acupuncture points (acupoints) along with focused meditation to “reset” your emotional state.  I think of it as boosting your serotonin manually while calming the chemicals of stress such as epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Related: The fatal problem with antidepressants drug makers don’t share

Let’s look at a large meta-analysis of studies on EFT for depression which shows its effectiveness:

In a meta-analysis of studies from 2005 to 2015, 20 studies qualified: 12 randomized clinical trials and 8 outcome studies. The researchers used psychometric questionnaires at initial post-treatment, follow-up evaluations of progress less than 90 days later, and then more than 90 days later. There were 398 participants who were treated with EFT in randomized clinical trials and 461 where were treated in outcome studies.

Overall, the researchers found a 41 percent reduction in symptoms across all studies and concluded that the Emotional Freedom Technique is a “highly effective” treatment for depressive symptoms. It was equal or even better than “treatment as usual” (antidepressant drugs and/or psychotherapy).

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It works for anxiety

EFT is also effective in treating anxiety. In one meta-analysis researchers looked at randomized controlled trials retrieved through an online literature search and 14 studies (658 total participants) qualified for analysis as determined by the American Psychological Association’s Division 12 Task Force.

The researchers found that “Emotional freedom technique treatment demonstrated a significant decrease in anxiety scores.”  When they attempted to compare EFT directly to other standard-of-care treatment methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, there was too little data available.

It works for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In a smaller analysis of six studies of adults with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety, researchers showed that the acupressure component of EFT was an active ingredient in getting its results, apart from placebo or other non-acupressure aspects of the therapy.

Here’s what EFT looks like

In brief, the EFT looks like this: tap the various (9 total) tapping points on your body while repeating the phrase, “Even though I have this (insert name of health condition here), I deeply and completely accept myself.” You can watch the basic EFT protocol by its founder, Gary Craig below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wG2FA4vfLQ]

I think you will understand even better if you watch this short segment that was presented on Megyn Kelly on Today approximately two years ago:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbTTZlfvjkQ]

Why not consider learning about this and trying this as a first-line treatment for emotional or even physical health conditions?

To easy treatment options,
Michael Cutler, M.D.

Sources:

  1. Nelms JA, Castel L. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized and Nonrandomized Trials of Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for the Treatment of DepressionExplore (NY). 2016 Nov – Dec;12(6):416-426. Review. PubMed PMID: 27843054
  2. Clond M. “Emotional Freedom Techniques for Anxiety: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis” — J Nerv Ment Dis. 2016 May;204(5):388-95. Review. PubMed PMID: 26894319.
  3. Church D, Stapleton P, Yang A, Gallo F. “Is Tapping on Acupuncture Points an Active Ingredient in Emotional Freedom Techniques? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies” — J Nerv Ment Dis. 2018 Oct;206(10):783-793. PubMed PMID: 30273275.
Dr. Michael Cutler

By Dr. Michael Cutler

Dr. Michael Cutler is a graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine and is a board-certified family physician with more than 20 years of experience. He serves as a medical liaison to alternative and traditional practicing physicians. His practice focuses on an integrative solution to health problems. Dr. Cutler is a sought-after speaker and lecturer on experiencing optimum health through natural medicines and founder of the original Easy Health Options™ newsletter — an advisory on natural healing therapies and nutrients. His current practice is San Diego Integrative Medicine, near San Diego, California.

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