What Is Depression? How Does EFT Tapping For Depression Help To Overcome It?

EFT Tapping For Depression

This article talks about what depression is, and how to overcome it with the help of EFT Tapping for Depression.

The EFT Tapping for Depression has proven to be an effective alternative therapy to help individuals overcome depression and heal the root cause.

It was the middle of the night and all I could think of was, how life wasn't worth living. It took every ounce of energy I had, to resist harming myself.

Sitting in the corner of my bathroom with my knees close to my chest, it felt like everything was closing in on me and nothing could save me from the dark cloud of sadness that just never seemed to let go of me.

I kept asking myself, "Why am I the only one going through this? Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?". These thoughts had been keeping me up almost every night now.

I'd found a new job at a large organisation just a day before this sudden breakdown. Everything was going perfectly, everything was just fine (or at least I thought it was) … and this happened out of nowhere.

I was falling apart and it felt like I was looking for a way to escape, but there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I just... couldn't help myself anymore.

But there was nothing I could do about it. I had to get back to bed since I had to wake up the next day and put on the "happy" mask again.

It's been five months since this episode and there haven't been any more of these yet.

It felt like a nightmare, but I soon realised that I wasn't the only one going through this terrifying feeling called Depression.

Has there ever been a time when you knew someone or you were going through it yourself? It's quite exhausting, isn't it?

Depression is a dark space. It can drain you of your physical and emotional energies - an emotional black hole. Once the spiralling begins, it can seem never-ending.

I won't lie, it takes quite a lot of motivation and relapses to get out of this intense, scary feeling.

But as they say, "after a hurricane, comes a rainbow", and the moment you get out of this storm and feel the joy, you'll realise that the work you put into your recovery was completely worth it.

According to the World Health Organization,

"Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. More women are affected by depression than men (1)."

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

Depression is a disorder that eats you up from the inside; not literally, but it makes you feel hopeless and tries to convince you that you don't matter.

Someone suffering from depression undergoes persistent sadness that gets exhausting over time.

This intense, negative feeling can lead to a variety of emotional and physical issues which can affect your personal as well as professional life.

Some of the symptoms of depression are as follows:

Restlessness or lack of interest
Changes in appetite and weight
Loss of sleep or sleeping too much
Agitation and irritability
Loss of energy and fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
Recurring thoughts of suicide
Difficulty making decisions and/or focusing on a task.

But how do you know when you need to consult a professional?

The symptoms of depression must last for at least two weeks and there needs to be a change in behaviour as compared to previous levels of functioning, to be diagnosed for depression.

The earlier you notice these signs, the sooner you must consider consulting a professional to determine the cause, and what you can do to overcome it.

How To Self-Heal & Become An EFT Practitioner

Discover how EFT Tapping can help you to self-heal or to become professionally qualified as a Certified EFT Practitioner. Emotional Freedom Techniques (Tapping) is clinically proven to lower stress, tension, anxiety, past trauma to enable health, happiness and vitality.

BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL

The American Psychological Association says,

"Depression affects an estimated 1 in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life.

Depression can occur at any time, but on an average, it first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression.

Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime.

There is a high degree of heritability (approximately 40%) when first-degree relatives (parents/children/siblings) have depression (2)."

WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?

Even though the symptoms of depression might be similar for anyone going through it, its cause may differ from person to person.

So, what are the factors that cause depression?

Family history
Early childhood trauma
Substance use and/or abuse
Abuse
Death or loss
Chronic illness
Stress
Disturbances in the circadian rhythm

No matter what the cause of depression is, there is always something that you can do about it.

HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME DEPRESSION?

Depression is a complicated and scary illness that can be life-threatening to people who are unable to manage it or take care of themselves during this phase.

Here are some techniques that can help you overcome depression:

Regular Exercise

Exercise is known to improve moods and boosts the "feel good" chemicals released by the body; albeit temporarily, it does distract you from negative emotions and can give you a feeling of purpose when you see physical changes taking place due to the constant activity.

Have A To-Do List

Depression can strip you off of any sense of purpose and can make you feel exhausted. Having a to-do list will allow you to schedule your day in a way that helps you accomplish small tasks like watering your plants, cooking and even going for a walk. This will help you feel productive and good about yourself.

Maintain A Healthy Diet

You tend to overeat in order to repress your emotions or even starve because you just don't have the energy to eat. However, getting in control of your diet will help you feel better and more in control of yourself.

Connect With Your Loved Ones

Depression tends to make you feel lonely and isolate yourself, which will only make you feel worse about yourself.

To avoid this, you could spend time with your friends and family. You don't necessarily have to smile and pretend to be fine. Just staying in their presence and listening to music or watching a movie with them, can uplift your mood.

Positive Self-Talk

A lot of times, negative thoughts are going to cloud your mind because of the depression. Make sure to tune in on your inner chatter and change it if it isn't positive.

Whenever you call yourself "worthless" or a "waste of space", ask yourself if you'd ever talk to your friends or relatives that way.

If not, change the way you talk to yourself. Carve out time every day, to speak to yourself gently and lovingly; it will help you improve your mental health.

Depression is an ongoing problem and not a passing one, which means it can last for several days, months or even years.

It can also affect anyone. In many cases, it goes undiagnosed and even accomplished celebrities have been fighting depression. Some notable examples include:

Hollywood actor Robin Williams committed suicide and reportedly suffered from depression.
Renowned author of the best-selling Harry Potter series J. K. Rowling used her past experiences of depression as the inspiration for the Dementors - the hooded creatures that feed off the happiness of humans and wizards.
Pop music sensation, Lady Gaga shares “I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety my entire life.”
Selena Gomez has been quite open about her diagnosis of both anxiety as well as depression. “I found out I do suffer from mental health issues. And, honestly, that was such a relief,” she explained. “I realised that there was a way to get help and to find people that you trust. I got on the right medication, and my life has been completely changed (3).”

“Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say “My tooth is aching” than to say “My heart is broken.”

C. S. LEWIS

WRITER

The first step towards recovery is to accept that you are going through something and you need help. Once you realise you require professional help, go for it. After all, overcoming depression is only going to improve your lifestyle and will help you maximise your mental health.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) can help get to the root cause of an issue and eliminate the symptoms of depression with ease. EFT is so powerful that it can also eliminate the symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

What’s more, the effect of EFT treatments is quick and long-lasting.

For those new to EFT, also known as Tapping Therapy, it combines tapping on acupressure points while saying statements out loud to accept situations. For more details, you can download a free booklet on EFT below.

New to EFT? Learn How EFT Tapping Heals, Including Depression

Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) is clinically proven to lower stress, tension, anxiety, past trauma to enable health, happiness and vitality.

CLAIM MY FREE E-BOOKLET

EFT TAPPING FOR DEPRESSION

EFT Tapping for Depression is an alternative therapeutic method which has proven to be long lasting and effective.

The sample procedure of EFT Tapping for Depression is as follows:

Step 1

Take A Quick Temperature Check

Identify and explore more about what triggers your depression, by asking the following questions:

What or who it is that makes you depressed?
What triggers depression?
What has to happen for you to feel better?

Step 2

Identify The Physical Sensations

Identify physical sensations that are associated with depression. You can explore by asking questions such as:

How are you feeling?
Where in the body are you experiencing this feeling?
What is the colour, texture, size, and shape of depression?

Measure the level of the depression by asking: "On a scale of 1 to 10, what number is the depression at, where 10 is high and 1 is not high at all."

Step 3

Start Tapping On The Side Of Your Hand (Karate Chop)

Tap on The Karate Chop using the setup statement, for example:

“Even though I feel depressed about losing my job and I can feel it in my stomach, it’s at a number 8, blue in colour, and it makes me feel suffocated, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.” (Repeat 3 times)

Step 4

Then Tap On The Facial And Upper Body EFT Tapping Points

Use the identified phrases to tap on the facial, upper body, and finger EFT Tapping Points:

Eyebrow: I am depressed about …..
Temple: I feel it in my …..
Under eye: It’s at a number …..
Under nose: It makes me feel …..
Chin: It’s in my ….. at a number …..
Collarbone: It makes me feel …..
Under the arm: So …..
Thumb: So …..
Index Finger: Depressed because …..
Middle Finger: I feel it in my …..
Little finger: So …..

Step 5

Close The Sequence By Tapping On The Side Of Your Hand Again

Close the sequence by coming back to the EFT Karate Chop Tapping Points and repeating the setup statement once:

Step 6

Breathe And Relax

Take a gentle breath in and out, and have a sip of water.

Step 7

Test Yourself

Test the intensity of the depression. Ask yourself the following questions:

What number is the depression at now?
What changed after you did the tapping?
How does it make you feel now?

If the depression has reduced to a level that you’re happy about, you can stop and close with positive tapping. If you feel it's the same or worse than before, explore and clear the memories.

Note: You can also tap on memories and associated emotions that come up.

Step 8

Positive Tapping For Emotions

Identify positive tapping sequences to close the EFT Tapping for depression:

You can close with the following sequence,

“Even though I have this depression due to losing my job, that was then and this is now, I am open to the possibility of feeling relaxed now.”

Repeat as often as needed and you can stop when you feel relaxed.

You can also use the Jin Shin Jyutsu finger hold process to gain relief from depression.

A CERTIFIED EFT PRACTITIONER CAN USE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO DEAL WITH LESS SEVERE FORMS OF DEPRESSION

Clear The Associated Surface Emotions

Identify the surface emotions associated with the label 'depression', for example, "It makes me feel stuck" or "I get angry and then sad" or "I feel out of control" and use the EFT Tapping process to clear the negative charge.

Explore And Eliminate The Past Root Cause

Once you have identified the feelings associated with depression, ask the question, "When have you felt like this before?" Notice the memories or past events that become uncovered. Use the tapping technique to clear negativity and the emotions associated with these past experiences.

At times there can be a series of memories or just one negative situation.

When working with any form of trauma, it is better to use the gentler methods of trauma release taught during Inner Child Matrix Training or during EFT Practitioner Training in the form of Tearless Trauma.

Identify Any Limiting Beliefs Associated With The Label

Use the limiting beliefs process to identify disempowering thoughts and clear them. Some examples of beliefs are, "I do not deserve happiness."

Install New Positive Beliefs For The Future

Once the old beliefs are eliminated, ask the client what new beliefs would they like. For example, "With every breath, I am getting healthier and healthier" or "I choose Happiness." Finally, create a compelling future by visualising what it feels like to be free from the depression label and install this new condition or state into the body-mind.

Have A Daily Practice To Stay Clear And Clean

Situations will happen on a daily basis that can cause discomfort. Use EFT as a daily self-help tool. Just like you brush your teeth daily, also have the practice to clear the emotional build-up routinely.

Note: For cases of clinical depression, or more severe or complicated cases, the Inner Child Matrix & EFT Advanced Practitioner skills are needed. You can share the clinical data for this label and also let your clients know that results can vary from case to case.

DOES EFT TAPPING FOR DEPRESSION REALLY WORK?

Emotional Freedom Technique is an intervention that helps people overcome physical and mental problems that they go through.

It has proven to be effective and long-lasting; at the same time, this technique does not take much time to administer as well.

EFT Tapping for anxiety stimulates the body's ability to let go or release any sort of anxiety which may have been created during any sort of trauma that we faced previously.

EFT Tapping for anxiety relief has also been proven to be useful and long-lasting for individuals who have experienced high levels of anxiety, but don't anymore because of the usage of EFT.

New to EFT? Learn How EFT Tapping Heals, Including Depression

Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) is clinically proven to lower stress, tension, anxiety, past trauma to enable health, happiness and vitality.

CLAIM MY FREE E-BOOKLET

There has been evidence of the use of EFT for Depression, for instance:

"I recall a case with a client who attended EFT Training with Inner Child Matrix in Delhi.

Throughout the training, she went back to one event, which was the death of her brother, which she had held herself responsible for. On the last day of training, she finally let go of the self-blame and forgave herself.

Dr. Rangana Rupavi Choudhuri mentioned, that three months later, the client attended a post-course EFT support group meeting where she reported, with the supervision of her mental health therapists, that she had stopped 75% of her medication, under the supervision of her doctor, as a result of her experience in the training."

EFT Practitioner Jane Nash found with her client that "After 15 years of therapy, including shock therapy, EFT helps release depression" (4).

There are different stages of depression and the symptoms can be treated with 8 to 20 sessions of psychotherapy and 8-12 weeks with antidepressants (5).

In the case of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), the clinical studies showed that it was a superior treatment as compared to traditional methods where the technique reduced the depressive symptoms within 1-10 sessions (6).

If you are a counsellor, a coach, or a healer of another sort, EFT can complement your practice and help you achieve rapid and easy breakthroughs with your clients.

If you suffer from depression yourself, EFT can help you restore yourself to health and find your happiness.

Kaiser Permanente - one of the largest hospital systems in the US, taking care of more than 10 million patients each year - claims that EFT treats PTSD and depression successfully in 10 sessions or less (6).

There is also clinical proof that EFT is a safe treatment intervention for many trauma-based issues including depression (7).

Love,

Dr. Rangana Rupavi Choudhuri (PhD)

P.S. Want to discover if EFT is right for you? Book a Complimentary Discovery Call.

How To Self-Heal & Become An EFT Practitioner

BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL

In summary, while it may seem that depression is an endless dark tunnel that is easy to slip into, it is possible to come out of it and live a life filled with health, wealth, and vitality using EFT. Happiness is possible! EFT for Depression will allow you to get rid of the distressing thoughts that you are going through. However, you don't need to rush the process. Take your own time and do what you feel is right for you, as and when you feel comfortable.

References:

Disclaimer: The information on this website is purely for educational purposes and does not in any way replace the requirement for medical and psychological diagnosis and treatment. Please seek professional medical and psychological diagnosis and advice for all medical and mental health conditions. It is advised to always book any consultations with qualified professionals.

Learn Emotional Freedom Techniques for self-healing or to become professionally qualified - More

Our other seminars: