Addictions of any kind fulfil a deep seated need. They are often used as a way of coping with a deep underlying anxiety and there are often secondary gains associated with their use. The list of addictions or activities that can fill those needs are numerous. They include:-
•Smoking
•Alcohol
•Illegal and legal drugs
•Chocolate
•Over eating
•Over working
•Over spending on material goods
•Over exercising
•Sex
•Internet chat rooms
•Gambling
There are many levels of applying EFT to help deal with addictions. At the basic level EFT can be used very effectively to deal with cravings. However there can often be a deep seated internal opposition to giving up the addiction. The prospect of living without that comfort can seem too difficult and require significant life changes.
Using EFT to help with Addictions
“The true cause of all addictions is anxiety …an uneasy feeling that is temporarily masked, or tranquillised, by some substance or behaviour” Dr Roger Callaghan
Through tapping, the underlying anxieties can usually be identified and the ‘charge’ taken away. So often, many of these anxieties originate from childhood. Once they are identified and systematically dealt with, using EFT, it is then much easier to control the addiction.
Another benefit from this treatment is that it becomes much less likely to simply swap one addiction or addictive behaviour for another, because the underlying anxiety has been addressed.