Eft And Tapping

[MomOfTwo]

Today my new therapist has suggested EFT. She has said it will help with dissociation. I kind of think it is hokey but do think that pressure points do make a difference at times for pain so maybe it can work with emotional stuff because pain is usually behind all of that anyway.

I do find that I am not 'buying' into it so much or feel a bit a bit negative in general and irritated as of late. I have not tried it though so perhaps will keep an open mind about it.

I don't even know or am aware I am dissociating. I am not aware in many ways of where I exist in space. I shut the car door on my leg the other day while doing my grounding work. Getting out the car, feeling the snow, the crunch etc. Shut the door hard and managed to shut the door on my leg pinning it. Lots of swelling and major broken bruising. The therapist told me I was dissociating. I guess my grounding work does not work that well for some things. Being completely present in your physical and emotional self is not easy work.

I am in a very negative headspace right now and am trying to not be so irritable but it just seems I am stuck in it. I have been walking and trying to feel and hear and see everything around me. It is draining and tiring and makes me feel heavy.

Has anyone tried EFT and found it helped with dissociation?

 

[VDWngr1355]

I dissociate and I had my hypnotherapist show me EFT. It helps but I don't find it helping for dissociation. It helps to lower the anxiety a little bit, but by no means a substantial amount. I have to use a lot of other coping mechanism to stay functional- talk therapy, daily exercise, eating healthy, vitamins, getting sleep, relaxation techniques. If I get really depressed I find 5-HTP helps.

Actually, what I found that helped to reduce the dissociation and for some reason helps me come back from a dissociated state is hypnotherapy. Since adding that in, I dissociate far less.

If you therapist is recommending EFT for dissociation- it can't help try it out for a little bit. Even if it doesn't help with the dissociation it might help in some other area. Worst case it doesn't help at all and you move onto something else.

 

[MomOfTwo]

Thanks for the reply and the suggestions. :)

 

[safenow]

If I get really depressed I find 5-HTP helps.

Can you please explain what "5-HTP" is? I have heard this word before, but have no clue what it is.

Thank you.

 

[VDWngr1355]

There are a couple of other threads on here. About it. 5-HTP is found in the vitamin section at most grocery stores. It can help to fight depression, sleeplessness, and anxiety.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

5-HTP is a naturally found amino-acid,and metabolic pathway. It affects the body's ability to produce serotonin and melatonin. Therefore affecting moods, migraines, eating and sleep among a lot more.

 

[safenow]

Thank you.

 

[pumpkinpie]

But what the heck is "EFT"?! lol :confused:

 

[MomOfTwo]

Pumpkin Pie,
It is a form of 'tapping therapy'. If you google either you will find loads of information. You can also use the search function on this site and put in the 'key words' of EFT and you will bring up many posts. The acronym is short for Emotional Freedom Technique. :)

 

[VDWngr1355]

You can learn how to do it on Youtube. It took my therapist less than five minutes to explain it and teach it to me. You can do it as much or as little as you want.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

My therapist does it. She talked to me about it for quite awhile before I let her try it on me. I was the rare case she had who didn't experience a significant improvement. I think being unwilling to let go of whatever is trying to be tapped off is important.

I think there is something that therapists who do tapping don't think about. When you're dealing with a person who's had PTSD and symptoms for many years and you start talking about tapping something off of you and it's gone forever that can be scary. Not that I want PTSD and anxiety and depression. But it's all I've known for more than 3 decades. That's like telling me to drop my armor when I feel like I'm at war.

Tapping didn't do much for me the first time. And I was hesitant too. Now I think I might be more open to it. My therapist is going to do it again and maybe it will make a difference. If it doesn't work then at least I tried it a couple of times. If it works I'll be running to her every time anything unpleasant happens telling her to tap it off me!

I figure you might consider being willing and try it. The worse that's going to happen is that it doesn't work. But what if it does?