Maxed Out? 5 Signs You Need Stress Relief

Stress can be sneaky. Small irritations build until you suddenly realize you're overwhelmed.

Stress can be hard to identify. So many symptoms of stress are associated with other issues that it can be difficult to recognize that stress is the problem.

Stress can be embarrassing. Acknowledging that something or someone is stressing us out can feel like admitting a weakness.

But stress is completely normal, and if managed early and often, will not prevent us from living full, happy lives.

To help you figure out when you're maxed out on stress, here are five telltale signs of stress overload:

1. You're in physical pain
• An upset stomach, IBS, chronic muscle tension, neck and shoulder pain, hip tightness, chest tightness, jaw pain, back pain ... any medically inexplicable physical pain could be associated with stress.*
2. You can't sleep
• It's become a weekly or daily problem: you can't fall to sleep until the early morning, or you go to sleep quickly but wake up too early. You unwillingly pull all-nighters. Your sleep isn't restful because it's filled with vivid, disturbing and/or recurring dreams. When our fight or flight instincts are in overdrive, sleep is one of the first things to be disturbed.
3. You're irritable with your loved ones
• We feel safe at home with our family. Unfortunately, that sometimes means that after keeping our emotions in check all day, we express them at home in ways that hurt the people we love. 
4. You're self-medicating
• You're drinking more alcohol and/or eating more (or less). You're gaining weight. Or losing too much weight. You've started to take drugs, prescription or otherwise. 
5. Weird stuff is happening
• Twitchy eye? Irregular periods? Losing your hair? Going gray fast? Getting sick? These may all be associated with stress overload.*

Learning how to manage your stress is a sign of strength. If you need more info, talk to your healthcare provider or contact me to schedule a free, confidential consultation session. Take care of yourself. Visit www.mindbodyglobal.com and find joy through stress relief.  

*Always consult with your healthcare provider to rule out primary or secondary medical causes of stress symptoms. 

EFT in Action: A Personal Testimonial

Sometimes, it's even hard for me to believe how quickly EFT works.

For example, yesterday morning was frustrating for me. I do not have childcare on Tuesday mornings, but there was a meeting I wanted to attend. It was foolish of me to think that it was reasonable to expect a 22 month old to cooperate with my schedule, much less enjoy going to an adult meeting, but sometimes I have unreasonable expectations. Needless to say, about a half hour before the meeting time it was clear that we weren't leaving the house, and I had strong feelings about that. (Unreasonable expectations have that effect.)

I felt myself getting caught up in these emotions, despite the reasonable half of my brain trying to talk me out of it. I did not want to let my emotional reaction carry me away, which would ruin my morning with my son. So, I took a couple of minutes and did a round of EFT. And it worked.

After only one round of tapping, my anxiety and stress about missing the meeting had reduced enough so that I could think clearly, realize that missing the meeting was not a big deal, and decide what to do next. I was calmer, happier, and better able to take care of my son--and my self. All this after only one round of EFT tapping.

EFT works, and it works fast. If you'd like to learn how to use this technique to help you quickly diffuse strong emotions, please contact me at www.mindbodyglobal.com. I look forward to talking with you!

EFT in the News

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping works, but if you're skeptical, I don't blame you. Eastern healing concepts such as acupressure are still relatively new to Westerners, and research proving EFT's effectiveness is still building. However, EFT is the most effective and fastest form of anxiety/stress relief and preventative self-care I have ever experienced, and, once learned, can be practiced without a partner, making it extremely accessible.

I invite you to download my free e-book, "EFT for Self-Care: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners," learn the basics of EFT, and see for yourself. Try using EFT the next time you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, and I bet that you will feel calmer, more focused, and better able to tackle your challenges after just one session. 

Need more info? Read about EFT in the news!

Women's Heath Magazine: Do This With Your Hands to Relieve Stress

The Dr. Oz Show: Introduction to Emotional Freedom Technique

Huffington Post: Tapping Away Trauma and The Tipping Point for Tapping: EFT Goes Mainstream

Efficacy research published by the NIH in 2009

Interested in learning more about how to use EFT for self-care and healing? Contact me at www.mindbodyglobal.com to ask questions or schedule your free consultation!

Basic EFT Instructions

The following is an excerpt from my e-book, "EFT for Self-Care: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners," available for FREE at www.mindbodyglobal.com. 

* EFT is not appropriate for use with mental health disorders and is not a substitute for mental health treatment from a licensed professional. If you have any concerns or are experiencing symptoms of a mental health disorder, please consult with your healthcare provider before engaging in this or any other self-care program.* 

How to practice Emotional Freedom Technique 

Keep a pencil and paper handy for each tapping session. 

Step 1 - Identify the Problem

Select a problem you want to work on and a feeling that accompanies the problem. For example, if you are having trouble at work, your problem might be: “I am angry at my co-worker.” 

Step 2 - Flesh out the Problem (Optional)

Dig a little deeper to get into the specific aspects of the issue. Perhaps you are angry because your co-worker did not do his or her share of the work on a joint project. If other feelings or thoughts come up, record them as well. 

Step 3 - Establish a Baseline

Rate the intensity or level of distress associated with each thought and feeling on a scale of 0-10, zero indicating no distress at all and ten being the highest distress you can imagine. This is a SUDS scale (Subjective Units of Distress Scale). 

For example, for this problem, you might feel frustration, fear of negative feedback, and anger.  Record your level of distress next to each aspect.

Anger: 7

Frustration: 8

Fear: 6   

Step 4

Prepare the statements you will use while tapping. Each statement should include an acknowledgement of a distressing thought or feeling you identified and an affirmation. 

For example:

“Even though I am angry at my co-worker, I deeply and completely accept myself.”  

For your affirmation you may also use phrases such as “I choose ...,” “I trust ...,” “I understand ...” and “I can learn to ....” Any positive statement that encourages health and self-acceptance is appropriate. You can address three separate aspects of your distress in three different statements, or repeat the same statement three times in your setup.

Step 5 Perform the Tapping sequence:

Your fingertips are an acupressure point, so make sure you are tapping with the tips of 3 or 4 of your fingers. Tap gently, quickly, and approximately seven times on each spot. Refer to the “Diagram of Tapping Points” found below:

Diagram of Tapping Points

               

   

Setup: 

KC - karate chop. While repeating your statements, tap the sides of your fingers against the side of your hand. Either hand is fine, but stick with the same hand once you begin.

     

Then tap in the following order:

1. EB - eyebrow
2. SE - side of the same eye
3. UE - under the same eye
4. UN - under the nose
5. CH - chin
6. CB - collarbone
7. UA - under the arm, just under the armpit 
8. TH - top of the head in a circle

While tapping on each point, highlight a specific aspect of your stress, such as “this anger,” “this fear,” “this frustration.” These are called “reminder phrases.” Go with the flow, tapping on what comes up. Let your instincts guide you. Complete at least one full sequence before pausing, and you may want to do two or three rounds of tapping before pausing.

Step 6: Pause and Reflect

When you pause, stop and ask yourself if anything new has come up. If yes, record these new thoughts and feelings and prepare new statements if needed. Don’t forget to take SUDS ratings for the new aspects of your stress. 

Step 7: Continue Tapping

Tap a few more rounds, and when you feel you have made progress or it feels like it is an appropriate place to stop, go back to your statements and take SUDS ratings for each of them. 

If your distress is decreasing, great! You may choose to continue working or decide that your stress is now at a manageable level.

If it is increasing, don’t worry or give up. Sometimes stress initially increases during EFT because we are giving a voice to our distressing thoughts and feelings. Although they are always lurking in the back of our minds, it can be unpleasant to acknowledge these thoughts and feelings. If you feel comfortable doing so, keep tapping! If you need to stop, use a debriefing tool such as five minutes of diaphragmatic breathing to decrease your level of distress before returning to your normal activities. 

If you have been practicing EFT for a long time and your SUDS rating is not decreasing, there may be an underlying issue feeding the presenting problem, such as a previous experience or another layer of the problem. Ask yourself, “When have I experienced this before?” Or, “What else could this be about?” Go with whatever comes up, and begin tapping on that.

Remember that although EFT is safe to use on your own, it can be very powerful, especially if you uncover underlying issues or memories that are feeding your stress. It is very important to practice EFT in a safe place, perhaps with someone you trust, and that you have debriefing strategies you can use to calm yourself. If you feel uncertain about beginning this practice on your own, I invite you to contact me at www.mindbodyglobal.com for more information about 1:1 stress relief coaching with EFT.