By Paul Gray

Dear Sir [QuackWatch],

I found your site through searching on Google for opinions on Energy therapy. I agree with your comment that there are way too many sites pushing the benefits of alternative medicine/ therapy and not many that expose the down sides/ charlatans. I am glad your site exists. I am in no way informed enough or qualified enough to debate any comments made on your site.

However, in case you might be interested. I believe self administered EFT has cured me of a 15 year panic disorder.

Since first experiencing 'out of the blue' anxiety attacks with subsequent high levels of general anxiety and agoraphobia, I have tried standard talk therapy with a trained psychotherapist, talk therapy with a clinical psychologist, hypnotherapy, counseling, Transcendental Meditation, muscle relaxation techniques and breathing exercises. I have also used two herbs: valerian and kava kava. The only thing that ever helped me with the panic attacks was kava. Oh and my GP sent me to a local clinic when they first started where I was given a brief rundown of the fight or flight response and wished the best of luck.

Over the years, I have purchased books that are often written by Doctors, psychologist etc. that claim to stop panic attacks. I have visited therapists that clearly know a lot less about the disorder and various advances/treatments than I myself do. I have learned to be wary.

So when I heard about EFT, the only reason I tried it was that it was free. I figured that if the inventor will let you download the full manual for free then a) it's worth a go and b) he may not be another get rich quick charlatan.

I studied the manual and started applying EFT for my current anxiety and my past anxiety. Also, any old memories that do or may hold negative emotions. Within a day it was as if all the power of the attacks had gone and my general anxiety was at a zero. I have been testing myself by doing things that I have avoided for years. Like going to the gym. Using trains. Driving on motorways. My mind is sometime still on these problems. I have not been distracted. Its just that the anxiety doesn't come. I can even consciously worry a bit that it might, and it still doesn't come. Its as if it has been cut off at source.

If this is the power of suggestion. I wonder why other more conventional and expensive therapies didn't "suggest" it to me.

If it is placebo effect. Then I'll take it! It's about time a placebo worked for me.

Paul Gray

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Questions and Answers regarding Paul's methods

Dear Gary.

Paul here from the UK. I hope you are well. I just wanted to let you know I have had numerous requests for advice regarding beating panic attacks with EFT. I have put together some info on what I did and used and am sending you a copy

Paul.

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Hi everyone. Since Gary's newsletter came out last week regarding my success using EFT for my anxiety issues. I have had many, many emails from well wishers and people struggling with anxiety/panic disorder. The questions range from asking for setup statements to a general how did you do it. I thought it would be best to answer the questions as I go along and then give an example of what I did and still do.

The first thing I would say is that whilst the free manual is an excellent resource to get one started on using EFT and whilst panic attacks and anxiety disorder are often a complicated sets of issues, I would advise where possible to obtain the videos of Gary's course. These will give you a much better practical insight into dealing with many different aspects and the skill in being specific. However great results have come from using just the manual.

Those that haven't actually read the manual. Download it, read it all. And print and keep pages 20-28 for quick reference.

Lorraine asked: What series of tapping sequences did you use to rid yourself of anxiety & panic? Such as, did you start with the tapping under the eyebrow, then under the eye, side of head, etc?

Answer : Yes. Exactly. The normal sequence as set out in the free manual. However I sometimes just tapped on a couple of points when doing my EFT anxiety work 'out in the field' so to speak. Under eye and collarbone point seems to work well to release tension for a quick fix.

Did you tap before the panic or during?

Answer: Others might disagree but with my dealing with EFT and anxiety. I have kind of split my self-therapy into two types. One is where I sit at home nice and relaxed with a notepad. ( to jot down any ideas and aspects that pop into my head whilst I'm tapping on an issue. I don't have much emotional feeling for any of my memories so everyday I do 10 minutes on whatever seems relevant. The other is where I put myself into situations that make me anxious/panic. Then of course I get emotional intensity and by tapping on that. I find I can get better-hidden aspects to surface. Now if you're in a panicky situation you don't always want to be tapping on an old memory. So I tap on the generally feeling of anxiety. I feel that this is still being specific as the emotional intensity is so strong that I am specifically tapping on that dread feeling we get. But also in that specific situation. In fact a few weeks ago I was sitting watching TV and started to feel just little bit anxious. I could only describe it as feeling a bit UGGHH! So I tapped on. Even though I feel a bit UGGHH .

Teri asked: I was wondering if you went to a therapist doing EFT or did it yourself?

I did it myself. I certainly would see a therapist. But I would have to be sure of their experience and or credentials dealing with both panic disorder and EFT.

I still have anxiety and agoraphobia. Any suggestions????

Yes stick with it. I hope this info will help.

Javier asked:

I tried EFT previously approximately for a period of one month on and off, but did not see any results. I was just wondering if you have any information or advice in regards to how you helped yourself through EFT.

Answer: Hopefully some of the points raised here will be of benefit to you.

Julie asked:

I've tried eft but maybe Im doing it wrong. Can you help?

Answer: I've spoken to Julie directly via email as she is in the UK we are going to do some EFT together on the phone.

Tim asked:

Can you tell me what your setup statement was (or were)? Did you have? Specific statements for specific situations (e.g. "Trains", 'Motorways' etc.)? Any insights?

Answer:

Yes. I do have specific statements for specific situations. When working on past issues I might say. "Even though I was scared stiff when I crashed my blue escort". I tap on that and see what feelings come up. If any, I write them down, change my statement and deal with the next one. But not till I have done a few rounds on other negative emotions regarding the first one. I.e. "even though I felt guilty about crashing my blue escort" or felt embarrassed etc. As I don't get much emotion. I stomp all over the issue in the hope that it clears.

When working on the here and now anxiety triggers. I focus on something that I know might have caused me anxiety. E.g.: driving on motorways. I might say. "Even though I feel anxious driving on motorways.","Even though when I get tense on motorways I think I will pass out.","Even though I am scared ill have a heart attack on the motorway."

Now some might well raise an eyebrow at my methods here. Because EFT is all about getting rid of the fear before you expose yourself to it. Which is great if you can do it. Or can feel it. However the huge amount of mails I got from panic disorder sufferers made me think that we might just have to go that extra mile. So and this is what worked for me:

You could say I combined EFT with exposure therapy for some of my anxiety triggers. For example. Driving on motorway always a problem for me. So as my general anxiety came down with EFTand my confidence grew I decided to test it out. First, at home. I would stomp all over the whole anxiety/ motorway issue. Then I checked a section of motorway near me on the map. With a couple of close together exits got in the car and drove on to it. I did feel tense and a little panicky but much better than before. So I'm kind of happy and kind of disappointed. But lets remember I just got up and went on it for no reason. Something I couldn't have done before.

So now I come back home and tap on the anxiety feelings I had tried to remember in the car. HELLO in pops a memory of my father putting his foot down on a motorway in our old grey Audi and my older brother egging him on. Me in the back aged about 9. Not happy at all but pretending I loved it. HELLO In pops a memory of me driving on a motorway after my anxiety disorder began and very scared and just holding it together. So I jot these down. Keep tapping on the feeling of anxiety/panic/tension whatever. Till I'm nice and calm. Then I STOMP all over the issues that that little drive brought up and that I had just jotted down.

The memory of me driving in a state of panic I feel might be important to mention here. We have all heard that many of us have the fear of fear and that our anxiety is self feeding. Well u just might have to tap on past panic attack memories. Because they might have become as big an issue as whatever your original trigger was. You might never find that and it probably wont matter, as you are now an entirely different person.

Mitch asked:

I suffer from panic attacks and have unsuccessfully tried EFT. Perhaps I am using it wrong as I am self-taught?

Answer

I would suggest if funds permit getting the DVD course from Gary's site. It will give you the confidence to know you are doing it exactly correctly and loads of examples of the sort of self-detective work I mentioned above.

Suzanne wrote:

I have been doing EFT with my therapist for a while now and can't seem to get rid of my panic attacks. How did you do it? I have studied Gary's free manual and am familiar with the setup, basic recipe, gamut procedure, etc. Can't seem to make headway. Did you work on your issues daily until cleared?

Answer:

As you've probably just read. I did indeed work on it daily. I now sometimes go a few days doing no EFT but never a whole week. I love EFT. Does your therapist have a lot of EFT experience? Make sure you are satisfied that any therapist you use knows their stuff. Have they studied it? Who was the course with?

Wendy wrote:

Hi Paul,

I have tried using EFT for the anxiety and it seems to help al ittle but not much and the anxiety always comes back when I'm in the situation that caused the attack initially. I was wondering if you could write a bit more detailed description of how you used EFT for your anxiety, how many rounds did you have to do, did you have to EFT each individual trigger or did you just tap for general panic, etc.

Answer: See above for some of that. However. At times you might need to just calm yourself down as quickly as you can. I know I have. So I tap for general anxiety but am specific on the symptoms. For some sufferers you might get so good at relaxing anxious feelings as they come that they no longer come. Bit like an easy form of CBT.

In my rambling way I hope I have got over that IN MY OPINION. Anxiety disorder can be very complicated and EFT can do wonders but if you are not making headway you have to hammer it from all angles. All memories. All symptoms. All triggers. Past present and future.

It sounds like a lot of effort but it only took about 6 weeks about half hour a day for me to be doing loads of things that I have avoided for years and to have general peace of mind.

All the best Paul

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