Download - “Tapping can boost mental health of the elderly …...The charity Emotional Freedom Techniques International, which is based in the UK, is keen to promote the benefits of tapping,

PRESSRELEASE

Forimmediaterelease20.5.2020

“Tappingcanboostmentalhealthoftheelderlyduring

Covid-19pandemic”

Relieffromcoronavirusstress–literallyatyourfingertips–thankstoEFT

MentalHealthAwarenessWeek18th–24thMay2020

Aself-helptechniqueknownas‘tapping’couldhelpelderlypeoplestrugglingwithanxietycausedbyCoronavirus.Thereisgrowingconcernaboutthementalhealthandwellbeingofolderpeople,whomaybecontinuingtoself-isolatedespitetheeasingoflockdownconditions.ThecharityEmotionalFreedomTechniquesInternational,whichisbasedintheUK,iskeentopromotethebenefitsoftapping,orEFT,tohelpolderresidentsmanageCOVID-19anxiety.TheirconcernscomeasTheMentalHealthFoundationishostingMentalHealthAwarenessWeek,from18th–24thMay,urgingpeopletoshowextrakindnessandsupporttotheirfriendsandneighboursduringthecurrentcrisis.EFTusesfingertiptappingonacupuncturepoints,particularlyonthefaceandupperbody.Thiscanhelprestoreemotionalandphysicalbalance.Itdrawsontheancienttechniqueofacupunctureandcombinesthiswithmodernpsychology,workingonthemindandbodyconnection.Eighty-eight-year-oldJoyceMunden,fromBedford,hasbeenusingtappingtohelpreduceherfeelingsofanxiety.Shelivesaloneandhasbeenself-isolatingsincethestartofthelockdown.Shehassufferedinthepastfromrespiratoryissuesanddoesnotfeelconfidentthatshecanleaveherflat,despitetheeasingoflockdownrules.“Itisadifficulttime,andIhavebeenfeelingworried.Mybiggestconcernisnotknowingwhenthiswillend,andwhenthingswillreturntonormal.Whetheritwillbeweeksormonths.Iamworriedtogoout,becauseIwasrecentlyinhospitalwithrespiratoryproblems,soIammoreatriskfromthevirus.So,Iamstayingindoors.Imisshumancontact,myfriends,andhugsfrommyfamily.ButIhavefoundoneofthethingsthatishelpingisdoingEFTwithmydaughterKateoverthephone.Wespendabouthalfanhourtappingtogether,severaltimesaweek,andthismakesmefeelcalmerandmorepositive.”KateMunden,wholivesinKent,isanEFTMentorandExecutiveBoardmemberofEFTi.ShehastaughthermotherhowtouseEFTandthinksitishelpingtomanageherstress.“Tappingissomethinganyonecanlearn,anditcanbeeasilydoneathome.Itis‘emotionalfirstaidatyourfingertips’.

TheWorld’sLeadingProfessionalEFTAssociation

Tappingtoboostmentalhealthpressreleasecont.page2“Mymotherhashadnofacetofacecontactwithanyonefortwoandahalfmonthsnow.MysisterandIhaveonlybeenabletotalktoherthroughthewindow.Shedoeswanttoleavethehouseyetandsheisfindingthatlonelinessisabigproblem,asshepreviouslyhadabusysociallife.Sheisamongthegenerationthatarenotcomfortableusingmobilephonesandsocialmedia,sosheonlyhasthetelephoneasameansofkeepingintouchwithfriendsandfamily.“Sheiscertainlymissingthebenefitsofphysicalcontact.Thisissometimescalled‘skinhunger’or‘touchdeprivation’.Thereisalotofresearchnowshowingtheconnectionbetweentouchandwellness.Touchcanboostserotoninlevels,(the‘happyhormone’),andimproveyourmood.”ConcernsaboutlonelinessduetoCoronaviruswerehighlightedbyrecentresearchontheeffectsofthepandemicledbyTheMentalHealthFoundation.TheirUK-wideongoingstudy-Coronavirus:MentalHealthandthePandemic-showedasignificantriseinpeopleworriedaboutlonelinesssincethestartofthelockdown.InitialdataindicatedthatinMarchoneintenadults(10%)wereconcernedaboutloneliness.ByearlyAprilthatfigurehadrisentooneinfouradults(24%).Theresearchisongoing,withtheaimofhelpingtoinformpoliciestotackleanyriseinmentalhealthproblemsduetothepandemic.Furtherresearch,alsopublishedearlierthisyear,hasconfirmedthatEFTcanbeausefultoolinthemanagementofstressandanxiety.ThestudycarriedoutbyBondUniversityinQueensland,Australia,showedthatusingEFTcouldlowerthestresshormonecortisol.Levelsofcortisolwerecomparedinthreegroupsofpatients,onehavingEFT,thesecondhavingPE(‘psychoeducation’suchassupportiveinterviews)andthethirdhavingnotreatment.TheresultsshowedthosehavingEFThada43%decreaseincortisollevelscomparedto19%forthePEgroup.Thethirdgroupshoweda2%rise.AnyonewantingtolearnhowtodoEFTcanseedemonstrationvideosandfindfurtherinformationontheEFTiwebsite.Userscanalsojoinonlinetappinggroups.Pleasevisitwww.eftinternational.org

Editors’notes

1. Picturesattached:1.JoyceMundeninherflat.2.Handsdoingtapping.2. Moreinformationfromwww.eftinternational.org.OrcontactEFTiExecutiveBoardmember

KateMunden07710261921. 3. MoredetailsaboutMentalHealthAwarenessWeekareavailableat:

www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week4. ‘Coronavirus:MentalHealthandthePandemic’,isaUK-widestudyledbyTheMentalHealth

Foundation,inpartnershipwithUniversityofCambridge,SwanseaUniversity,UniversityofStrathclydeandQueen’sUniversity,Belfast.TheaimofthestudyistotracktheUK’smentalhealthduringtheCoronavirusoutbreak.

5. EFTInternationalisaUK-registeredCharitableIncorporatedOrganisation(CIO),charitynumber1176538.EFTiwasformerlyknownasAAMET(theAssociationfortheAdvancementofMeridianEnergyTechniques).

6. EFTwasoriginallydevelopedintheUSbyGaryCraig,inthe1990s.7. TheBondUniversityresearchisentitled‘Re-examiningtheEffectofEmotionalFreedom

TechniquesonStressBiochemistry:ARandomizedControlledTrial’.Itwaspublishedon12thMarch2020bytheAmericanPsychologicalAssociationandisavailableattheUSNationalLibraryofMedicine,theNationalCenterforBiotechnologyInformation.

8. Pressreleasebywww.ndmedia.co.uk9. Ends