What is EFT? This treatment, also known as the emotional freedom technique (EFT), involves tapping acupressure points on the head and hands to treat emotional distress, depression and anxiety. Tapping can be used to boost performance in pressurised situations, and once it has been learnt, patients can treat themselves at home whenever they need it.
EFT Tapping And The NHS.
Several researchers believe the NHS (National Health Service) should now use it. Experts are calling on the NHS to start using a new self-help technique, called tapping, after its effectiveness in treating a number of conditions were proved. This means that NHS could start using tapping for anxiety and depression, and other mental health problems soon.
What Do The Experts Say?
Researchers at Staffordshire University are leading research into the effectiveness of EFT in the UK. Professor Tony Stewart, who led a trial of the treatment in the Birmingham area, said:
“EFT is a new and emerging therapy that can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions. Patients gently tap with their fingertips on acupressure points, mainly on the head and hands, and relate this to the voicing of specific statements. A growing number of studies suggest EFT is an effective and safe treatment. With the predicted sharp increase in the demand for mental health services – and a corresponding decrease in NHS resources – we feel that the use of EFT should now be extended.”
The researchers studied 39 patients during the trial and say that most improved significantly as a result of the treatment.
Dr Ian Walton, GP and mental health lead for Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, said:
“The effective use of EFT demonstrated in this study has not only influenced counsellors and therapists in Sandwell to be trained to use this method of treatment, but also local mental health charities are seeing the value in being trained to use EFT in the work that they do.”
