Your Nervous System, Survival Mode, and Why Tapping May Help: Part 2
Written by Nicole Nielsen, MSeD, Psy, LAC
Part 2 of a 3-part series. New here? Start with Part 1: What Is EFT Tapping?
A big idea running through the book Rewired by Nick, Jessica, and Alex Ortner, is that many of us are living in survival mode. Our bodies are built to respond to danger quickly. When we sense a threat, the brain sounds an alarm, stress hormones rise, our heart speeds up, and our muscles get ready to act. That response is helpful when there is a real emergency. The trouble is that the same alarm can go off over an email, a hard conversation, a bill, or a thought that keeps looping at 2 a.m.
When survival mode starts to feel normal
When that alarm rings often enough, it can start to feel like our normal. We might notice it as constant tension, trouble sleeping, snapping at the people we love, or a mind that won't slow down. Many people I talk with don't describe themselves as anxious so much as simply tired of feeling on edge.
How tapping may help your nervous system
This is where tapping comes in. The thinking is that when you name a stressful feeling while tapping, you are pairing that stressor with a physical signal of calm. Over time, this may help the body learn that the thing you're thinking about isn't an immediate danger. In other words, you are helping your nervous system update its old response. That is the rewiring the book's title points to.
Does EFT tapping work? What the research says
The research on tapping is still growing, but it has become more serious over the years. Studies have looked at EFT tapping for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and cravings, and several reviews have found meaningful reductions in symptoms. Some studies have also found drops in cortisol, one of the body's main stress hormones, after tapping sessions. It is fair to say that researchers are still working out exactly why it works and how it compares to other approaches, and I think that honesty matters. Tapping isn't magic, and it isn't a replacement for therapy or medical care. But there is enough evidence to take it seriously as a tool.
Bringing the body into the conversation
What I find most meaningful here is the connection between mind and body. So often we try to think our way out of feelings that live in our shoulders, our stomachs, and our breath. Tapping offers a way to include the body in the process instead of leaving it out.
If you've been running on high alert long enough that it's started to feel like your personality, therapy can help you find your way out of survival mode, and tapping is one of the tools I use in session. I see teens (12+) and adults in Phoenix and virtually across Arizona, and the first step is a [free 20-minute consultation]
Stay tuned for Part 3!