How I tapped like a monkey to soothe my anxiety

Photo Credit Teddy Kelly

It was new years eve 2010 and I couldn't take any more. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think properly, I couldn't get out of bed for very long and when I managed to venture outside I would get horrible anxiety attacks. I was 21 years old, supposed to be in my prime but I felt like I was 101. It was the first time I realised there was something seriously wrong that I had to pay attention to. For the previous months, I had been feeling worse and worse, with every day being a struggle; but it was only on the Christmas break that I realised I would not be able to continue my university course and I would have to give it all up.

Turns out this was the beginning of a long journey of healing from ME/CFS.

I sat in the doctor's room trying to get answers but all they would offer me was anti-depressants. I knew depression wasn't my problem and that anti-depressants weren't going to solve my problems. I asked the doctor what if I was suffering from ME, and his reply was, 'you might be if you are still the same in 5 years time.' Thanks, doctor, really helpful! Needless to say, I felt like conventional medicine had no real solutions for me, I felt totally alone with my problems.

Luckily I was raised in a way that allowed me to be open to the other options out there, the so-called 'alternative medicine'.

I messaged my herbalist friend on facebook and told her my symptoms as best I could. The first thing she said was 'You're stuck in fight or flight mode'. I had a vague memory of studying that at psychology A-level classes. I remembered it had something to do with our natural instinct to run or fight for our lives when we get the sense we are in danger; but I wanted to know more so I googled 'stuck in fight or flight.'

I came across a video of a lady telling me to tap on my head and chest to relieve my anxiety. I thought this is the weirdest thing I've ever seen but I had nothing to loose so I tried it out anyway. I followed her steps, tapping on my head for a bit, then my chest and breathing deeply. I wasn't prepared for what would happen next- after about two minutes of tapping on different parts of my head and chest, I felt completely calm and relaxed for the first time since I could remember! The relief I felt was outstanding and I could not have imagined in a million years that this would actually work, but it did and I had to find out more!

The technique is called body-talk and here is the video that helped me so much:

This led me to study EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), Donna Eden's energy medicine, modern shamanism and other innovative healing techniques that bit by bit helped me heal completely from what many deem as a chronic and incurable illness.

What I have learned in my healing journey is that conventional medicine, whilst amazing in many ways, leaves many with no solutions at all. Often it is only when you find yourself with one of those illnesses that many doctors just shrug their shoulders at, that you eventually find out that incurable can actually mean curable from within. Is that why they call it IN-CURABLE?

This blog is going to be the start of a series that will explore the techniques that I discovered that helped me heal and recover from chronic illness. If you're interested in my journey follow me here, and if you have something to add please do!