anxiety Archives - Epidemic Answers

What is Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)?

“EMDR induces a fundamental change in brain circuitry similar to what happens in REM sleep — that allows the person undergoing treatment to more effectively process and incorporate traumatic memories into general association networks in the brain. This helps the individual integrate and understand the memories within the larger context of his or her life experience.” Robert Stickgold, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School Numerous research articles have established EMDR’s efficacy for emotional and physical trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And more recently, researchers are beginning to find EMDR to also be useful for those on the autism spectrum. [i] EMDR is a blend of psychotherapy and bilateral brain stimulation which is highly successful in treating a range of mental health, intellectual and developmental disorders when modified or adapted to the client’s developmental level of functioning. During this procedure, patients tend to “process” the memory in a way that leads to a peaceful resolution. This often results in increased insight regarding…

What Is EFT?

by Robin Friedman EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, and it is sometimes also called Meridian Tapping. EFT is a simple-to-learn, powerful technique where you tap on meridian points of the face and body while saying affirmations about something that bothers you. This clears the energy system of the block and often the issue that bothered you will no longer have an emotional intensity. How Does EFT Work? EFT works by calming the fight-or-flight response in the brain, and reducing the stress hormone cortisol. What this means for us, in practical daily life, is that we have a simple way to change how we feel about an emotionally charged situation. The ancient Chinese mapped out the energy meridians about 5,000 years ago. This is what is used in acupuncture. The meridians are pathways of energy that run throughout the body, kind of like rivers or highways. There is a system of 14 different meridians that are all connected. This combination…

Neurofeedback Applications and Benefits

Three years ago Jake’s parents sought out a clinic offering neurofeedback, a form of biofeedback that involves displaying a person’s brain waves on a computer screen and helping him control them. Jake would sit at a monitor with a sensor on his scalp, and whenever his brain achieved the calm, steady rhythms that normally eluded him, a Pac-Man would start gobbling black dots and beeping. Soon he was controlling the screen action at will, by recognizing the way it feels when the Pac-Man goes to work, and his brain was growing more stable. “It took care of his teeth grinding and sleep problems in two sessions,” says his mother. Within a week Jake was using scissors and developing a range of other fine motor skills. The number of seizures dropped, and his schoolwork improved dramatically. Benefits of Neurofeedback Called neurofeedback (or EEG feedback, because it uses an electroencephalogram), researchers in clinics, universities and even NASA are now working to refine…

Recovery from Sensory Processing Disorder, Reflux, Asthma, Eczema

Maria Rickert Hong‘s Children: Recovered from Sensory Processing Disorder, Acid Reflux, Asthma and Eczema, and getting healthier everyday! Let me tell you about my sons’ recovery from sensory processing disorder, acid reflux, asthma and eczema. I used to wonder a long time ago if these issues were related to each other and to their developmental delays, anxiety, failure to thrive and mitochondrial dysfunction, and now I know that they are. All of these issues are related to gut dysbiosis (in their case, a system Candida infection) and toxicity. They are both full of heavy metals (mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium). My older son is at the 97th percentile for heavy-metal toxicity; my younger one at the 90th. They both got it from me when I was pregnant with them. I didn’t find out until after my older son was over 4 years old that we were all full of heavy metals. My concerns about my sons’ problems were dismissed by all…