Breaking the Trauma=Anxiety=Anger  PTSD Loop

You have read all about it in the tabloids, newspapers and on-line news and entertainment sources… Celebrity relationship melt-downs due to their inability to respond to repeated trauma-related anxiety that suddenly looms up from the past. While we “look up” to celebrities in many areas of life, such as sports, entertainment, politics and other public venues, they are just “regular people” on the inside, dealing with the lessons of life, current and from the past.

What eventually comes out, sometimes years after an “event” is that these celebrities have suffered from various types of trauma; physical, emotional, sexual and even spiritual in nature. Step back and look around at your family and friends, sometime. Really look at their behaviors and try to evaluate whether that is just “me, being me” or if they are putting on a show for the benefit of others, while they are really weighed down with unresolved trauma, which is unrelenting until it is healed.

In childhood, when we are meant to be nurtured, loved and treated with great care, many people have suffered unspeakably indifferent, callous and outright abusive experiences that leave a deep emotional scar that never heals, if left unattended. Despite many people’s efforts to “forget about it” or take their minds off of a past event, recalled or not, the trauma lies nearly dormant, but still active enough to be triggered by a like-kind experience, years later. It can be startling to suddenly be faced with an unconscious reaction to someone/something familiar or to have an anxiety attack, seemingly coming from nowhere and without warning. These reactions are the way that the mind-body, which has stored the trauma away, brings it back to the surface for re-examination and healing, if possible.

The response pattern follows a distinct loop of sudden reactive anger, followed by a sense of anxiety about their inability to contain their anger/rage. Their actions often create trauma for others in their sphere of influence, which ripples out within the family or community group, which in turn create anxiety about the possibility of future episodes, then anger towards that person/group that set it all in motion. And round and round it goes… Until someone/something puts a stop to it all. The solution options include therapy, medication, self-medication (anxiety-driven choices), self-examination, introspection, calming exercises and active anxiety-reduction (energy medicine) actions, like EFT, EMDR, TIR, etc.

One of the most recognized self-healing techniques is called EFT (emotional freedom technique), which is initiated by focusing on a specific unhealed thought/feeling, creating a phrase that recognizes the thought/feeling and then actively “tapping” specific acupressure meridian points on the face, hands and upper torso, which correspond to various “organ” meridian points, identified in Oriental medicine practices.

EFT is often called “emotional acupuncture,” but without the needles. Readily apparent changes in the thought/feeling can be noted within a minute or two, during/after a “round” of EFT tapping. Often the entire thought/feeling dissipates to the extent that the client can no longer even recall what was being addressed moments before. EFT sessions do not “erase” the brain memory, but seem to move it away from the long-standing proximity to somewhere “away from me,” where it is no longer threatening or a major concern.  With long-standing concerns and major life traumas, a few more rounds may be necessary for the whole thought pattern to collapse on itself. Once the issue has been neutralized, it does NOT come back again. Often, there are “aspects” of the original issue that come to the surface for  treatment, which are tied to the original issue, but they are just dying roots of the decapitated plant above the emotional surface and are easily cleared out with a few rounds of tapping. Clients are often surprised at the speed of the release of the thoughts/feelings, as well as some of the aspects that rise to the surface after the initial issue is addressed. These are the “Ah-Ha” moments that come up so often during EFT sessions.  Various reactions occur after these stages of the session, ranging from sadness/tears to sudden laughter and a feeling of really being free of the emotional burden of the past.

With the effective use of the EFT tool, the cycle of repressed anger/anxiety is broken. PTSD-related symptoms diminish into the distance, when evaluated in the mind’s eye and peace is especially felt in the heart. Post-treatment responses are typically a great sense of peace, physical relaxation, often leading to a deeply restful night’s sleep, later that evening. When major issues have been neutralized and resolved, a period of 24-48 hours of redefining oneself takes place. A new perspective is created where new ideas and feelings are free to emerge and blossom into fruition.  The old cycle of trauma, anger, anxiety is permanently broken and the spirit is released to experience joy and a new-found sense of self-esteem.

I would urge anyone who has experienced traumas which have not be resolved to investigate the potentials in this powerful, rapid and highly effective healing modality.

William Silver www.back2balance.com