Does Tapping Really Work For Anxiety?

You’re sitting at your desk, heart pounding. Your thoughts are racing faster than you can catch them. It feels like the walls are closing in. In moments like these, people often tell you to "take a deep breath" or "go for a walk." But lately, you might have heard a new piece of advice: "Have you tried tapping?"

It sounds almost too simple to be true. Can tapping your fingers on your face really calm a panic attack or soothe chronic worry?

This technique, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), has moved from the fringes of alternative therapy into mainstream conversation. While it looks unusual, thousands of people swear by its ability to dial down emotional distress. But does it actually work, or is it just another wellness fad?

Let's dive into the science, the method, and the reality of using tapping for anxiety.

What Exactly Is Tapping (EFT)?

EFT, commonly called tapping, is a therapeutic tool that combines elements of ancient Chinese acupressure with modern psychology. Think of it as acupuncture without the needles. Instead of piercing the skin, you use your fingertips to stimulate specific meridian points on the body while focusing on a distressing emotion or memory.

The Origins of EFT

The roots of tapping go back to the 1980s. Dr. Roger Callahan, a psychologist, was treating a patient with a severe water phobia. Traditional talk therapy wasn’t working. On a hunch, he had her tap under her eye—a location connected to the stomach meridian in Chinese medicine—while thinking about her fear. Her anxiety vanished almost instantly.

Inspired by this success, Callahan developed Thought Field Therapy (TFT). Later, in the 1990s, one of his students, Gary Craig, simplified the complex algorithms of TFT into a single, universal sequence that anyone could learn. He called it Emotional Freedom Techniques.

How Tapping Works: The Mechanism

The core idea behind EFT is that negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body's energy system. When you experience trauma or stress, your body’s energy gets blocked or scrambled.

Tapping aims to restore balance. Here is the basic process:

1. Identify the Issue: You focus on what is bothering you (e.g., "this tightness in my chest" or "my fear of public speaking").

2. Rate the Intensity: You give the feeling a score from 1 to 10.

3. The Setup: You tap on the side of your hand while repeating a self-acceptance phrase like, "Even though I have this anxiety, I deeply and completely accept myself."

4. The Sequence: You tap on specific points on the face and body (eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under arm and top of head) while repeating a reminder phrase about the issue.

5. Re-evaluate: After a couple rounds, you check your intensity score again to see if it has dropped.

   
   

The Biological Connection

While the "energy blockage" theory is rooted in Eastern medicine, Western science offers a different explanation. Studies suggest that tapping affects the amygdala—the almond-shaped part of your brain responsible for the fight-or-flight response.

When you are anxious, your amygdala is firing alarm bells, flooding your body with cortisol (the stress hormone). Tapping on these acupoints sends a calming signal to the amygdala. It tells your brain, "You are safe. The danger is over." This physical intervention disrupts the stress response, allowing your body to relax even while you are thinking about the stressful trigger. That, combined with Cognitive Therapy, and Exposure Therapy, EFT is a powerhouse of healing.

The Evidence: What Science Says About Tapping

For a long time, the scientific community viewed EFT with skepticism. However, over the last two decades, a growing body of research has started to support its efficacy.

Significant Reductions in Cortisol

One of the most compelling studies was published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. Researchers looked at 83 subjects and measured their cortisol levels. The participants were divided into three groups: one received an hour of EFT tapping, one received an hour of talk therapy, and one received no treatment.

The results were striking. The group that did talk therapy saw a 14% drop in cortisol. The tapping group? Their cortisol levels dropped by an average of 24%, with some participants seeing a decrease of up to 50%. This suggests tapping creates a physiological change in the body, not just a placebo effect.

Impact on Anxiety and Depression

A large-scale meta-analysis published in 2016 examined 14 different studies involving EFT. The conclusion was that tapping led to a significant decrease in anxiety scores. The researchers noted that the results were not only statistically significant but also clinically meaningful—meaning patients actually felt a difference in their daily lives.

Another study focused on veterans with PTSD found that after six one-hour sessions of EFT, 90% of the participants no longer met the clinical criteria for PTSD. These results held up when researchers checked in with the veterans months later.

Comparison to Standard Treatments

Is it better than Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? Some research suggests it might be faster. While CBT is the gold standard for anxiety treatment, it relies heavily on cognitive processing, which can be difficult when you are in a state of high emotional arousal. Tapping addresses the somatic (physical) aspect of anxiety first, calming the body so the mind can follow. I'm a clinical counsellor, I love CBT but EFT has given my clients relief faster.

Criticisms and Limitations

Despite the promising studies, EFT is not a magic bullet, and it has its critics.

The "Placebo" Argument: Skeptics argue that the benefits of tapping come from the distraction, the breathing, or the therapeutic relationship, rather than the tapping itself. While studies controlling for "sham tapping" (tapping on fake points) have shown that real points work better, the debate continues in some academic circles.

Looking "Weird": Let’s be honest—tapping looks strange. This barrier prevents many people from trying it, especially in public. It can feel awkward to tap on your face when you are stressed at work or in a social setting.

Complexity of Trauma: While EFT is excellent for general anxiety and specific phobias, deep-seated trauma or complex mental health conditions (like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) require professional management. Tapping can be a powerful adjunct therapy, but it should not replace professional psychiatric care for severe conditions.

Should You Try Tapping?

If you struggle with racing thoughts, physical symptoms of stress, or general anxiety, tapping is a low-risk, high-reward tool to add to your toolkit. It is free, requires no equipment, and has no negative side effects.

How to Get Started

If you are curious, you don't need to dive into the deep end immediately.

1. Start Small: Don't try to tap away your biggest life trauma on day one. Start with something minor, like annoyance at traffic or nervousness about an email.

2. Use Guided Resources: I create guided tapping sessions so you can learn how to tap, what to say while tapping and you can follow along with my Universal scripts.

3. Be Consistent: Like meditation or exercise, EFT works best with consistency. Tapping for even five minutes a day can help keep your baseline stress levels lower.

   
   

The Bottom Line

Does tapping really work for anxiety? The science points to yes, it's evidence-based according to the AMA. By bridging the gap between the mind and the body, EFT offers a unique way to interrupt the stress response and rewire how your brain reacts to triggers.

And if you need a little more convincing... I used to be agoraphobic (as in I couldn't leave the house because my anxiety was so out of control) and I'm not now. Panic attacks used to be an everyday occurrence and I can't tell you the last time I had one. I love to combine modalities, but EFT is at the heart of it all.

It might look a little funny, but when you are in the grip of anxiety, relief is what matters most. Next time you feel the panic rising, give it a try. I created an Emergency Calm Down guided tapping session (just in case someone found a tapping session too emotionally intense) I think this session would help calm a panic attack too, if you'd like to give it a try. The video will show you the tapping locations, or you can watch Where To Tap, and I'll tell you each acupoint before the tapping script.  You literally have the solution at your fingertips.