Everyone has experienced anxiety and stress. Anxiety, as the body’s natural response to stress, has the benefit of helping us to be more cautious and alert to contributing factors. Stress, on the other hand, is the body’s natural response to threatening or stressful situations.
Stress can cause physical and emotional changes, which can affect the way we think, feel and behave. Stress and anxiety experienced can make the individual unhealthy. This condition occurs when it repeatedly appears excessively, is difficult to control, and even interferes with daily activities in life or work.
Factors that can cause anxiety can be grouped into two, namely internal factors and external factors. Internal factors cause anxiety from within, while external factors cause anxiety from outside.
Internal factors include:
- Genetic factors: People who have a family history of anxiety disorders have a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders as well.
- Changes in brain chemistry: An imbalance of hormones and electrical signals in the brain can cause anxiety.
- Stress can trigger the release of the hormone cortisol, which can increase anxiety.
- Other mental disorders: Other mental disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder and personality disorders, can cause anxiety symptoms.
External factors include:
- Traumatic events: Traumatic events, such as accidents, natural disasters, or abuse, can lead to anxiety disorders.
- Significant life changes: Significant life changes, such as moving house, losing a job, or divorce, can cause anxiety.
- Medical conditions: Some medical conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease and thyroid disease, can cause anxiety symptoms.
- Medications: Some medications, such as medications for heart disease, medications for mental illness, and medications for cancer, can cause anxiety symptoms.
Stress symptoms may present differently in each person. Some people may experience only a few symptoms, while others may experience all the symptoms.
Physical stress symptoms include: increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, rapid breathing, cold sweat, trembling, muscle pain, indigestion, sleep disturbances, headaches, weight changes, stomach problems, excessive sweating, skin disorders, heart problems, decreased immunity, breathing, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to pain, sexual disorders.
Emotional stress symptoms include: feeling anxious or worried, feeling angry or irritated, feeling tired or weak, feeling difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, feeling hopeless or pessimistic, feeling a loss of control.
Behavioural symptoms include: avoiding stressful situations or people, taking alcohol or drugs, smoking, overeating or under-eating, withdrawing from others, becoming aggressive or irritable, having sleep problems, having digestive problems.
There are many ways to overcome anxiety caused by stress. One of them is the clapping technique. The clapping technique is one of the main techniques in Creative Trauma Cleansing (CTC) created by Jumala Multazam. This technique is done by tapping the lower part of the neck which is believed to be a physiological storage place for emotions. This patting can help reduce tension and increase blood flow to the area.
To perform the clapping technique, you can follow these steps:
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
- Place one hand on the neck, just below the ear to under the chin in a crosswise manner. The right hand is placed next to the left chin, or the left hand is placed next to the right chin. The area starts from under the ear to the tip of the chin. Take turns.
- Clap repeatedly in a comfortable manner to cause vibration. For about 10 minutes.
- Focus on the emotion you want to release, until you feel it has been released.
- If the disturbing emotion remains or is still present, then do the same process, until it is cleared.
- This process can be repeated daily
Here are some things to note when performing the clapping technique:
– Do not clap too hard, as this may cause pain.
– If you experience pain or discomfort, stop doing the technique.
– You can do this technique as often as you need to.
The clapping technique can help release negative emotions, such as anger, sadness and fear. It can also help boost self-confidence and self-esteem.
Here are some of the benefits of clapping:
– Helps release negative emotions
– Improves self-confidence and self-esteem
– Helps with anxiety and stress
– Improves focus and concentration
– Increases creativity and productivity
The clapping technique is simple and easy to perform. However, if you are experiencing severe trauma or it is interfering with your daily activities, you should consult a trained CTC therapist. A CTC therapist can help you perform the clapping technique correctly and safely. Contact me at sbalgies@gmail.com