Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

One of the most common reasons people come to see me for psychotherapy is to eliminate fears. Fear of flying is one of the most widespread. Fear of needles keeps many people from going to the doctor or dentist, and many women avoid mammograms.

Nevertheless, ever since 9/11 I have been counseling people who are terrified by the state of the world. Recently a woman who had been a teen during WW II told me that she was worried sick that the Blackwater mercenaries might turn into a new type of Gestapo. The Gestapo was the secret police force in Nazi Germany that was noted for its brutality.

Many people are fearful that terrorists will hide bombs on planes and blow them up after hearing that the screening at many airports is still inadequate. One of my neighbors cancelled a trip last summer due to her inability to shake this fear. The threat of global warming coupled with the terrible weather all over the globe keep some in a constant state of alarm.

What these frightened people have in common is a state of helplessness. No single person is able to prevent a tsunami, root out a terrorist, or stop global warming. Although my clients worry and shake, they don’t know how to create safety and they don’t know who will help or where to turn for comfort.

It is true that there are many dangers in the world. There are unreliable people who do not feel remorse at killing others. There are politicians who care more about their own greed and pleasure than about preserving our constitution and serving the people they represent. So, what’s a person to do?

I teach my clients to use a simple acupressure method called Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to defuse unpleasant feelings of anger and fear. Although there may not be a solution that will bring peace on earth tomorrow, using EFT each of us can learn to come to terms with what we see as major threats and decide what we are capable of doing to bring about a solution.

As we tap to stimulate only eight acupuncture points, mostly on the face, the serotonin in the brain rises. Serotonin is a brain chemical that calms us. When we are in a state of fear while applying EFT, the part of the brain that creates alarm when it perceives threat is flooded with serotonin. The fear loop is disconnected, and we feel more at peace. As panic recedes, the thinking part of the brain is able to evaluate the problem from a new point of view and make new decisions. This can happen in a matter of minutes.

Worriers sometimes have trouble sleeping because of their incessant fear. Thoughts go round and round such as: I am afraid that we will all die in a few years and I will never be able to see my family grow. I don’t trust our leaders to look out for my welfare and the safety of the earth. I worry so much that I become terrified and can’t calm myself down,

As worriers use EFT they notice how the intensity of their fears diminish. New thoughts and new ideas for action that are practical and make sense come to mind. Some of the empowering solutions these people have come up with are:

• I can take classes or read books to give me the facts about what I fear will happen.
• I can write or email my Senators and Representatives as well as the President to make my voice heard.
• I can join organizations and meet with others to discuss the power that a group has to make changes.
• I can donate money to the groups I think will bring about change.
• I can spend some time in prayer and meditation to calm my troubled feelings and put things in a more spiritual context.
• I can discuss my fears of disaster, death and destruction and my fear that God is punishing us with my spiritual teacher.
• I can change my job or career to work in a field that will help the world.

 Change is up to you. Freedom from terror is at your fingertips. Learn to treat yourself with EFT every day to remove all the anxieties that creep in. Take action now.

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