Eagle-eyed viewers of I’m A Celeb... may have noticed Boy George tapping his face and neck in the jungle in a bid to stay calm.
It’s thought he’s using ‘tapping’, a technique used to help manage symptoms of anxiety that’s favoured by many on TikTok.
The singer has previously spoken about his experience of anxiety, revealing that in the 90s it got so bad he’d frequently visit hospital in the midst of panic attacks.
“I used to go to the Royal Free Hospital and freak out. There was nothing wrong with me. I thought, ‘I’m dying!’” he told Loose Women.
“It wasn’t chest pains... just panic. It’s not logical. Sometimes there’s no symptoms, you’re just like, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ You just lose it.”
What is tapping?
Tapping is a mindful technique used by some people experiencing symptoms of anxiety, explains Kate Bithell, a mental health nurse at Delamere.
Though it’s found popularity on social media in recent months, it’s nothing new. In fact, it’s recommended by the NHS as a distraction technique when dealing with anxiety-induced breathlessness.
“This anxiety-reducing method, which involves repeatedly tapping yourself on the face and neck – what is believed to be an emotional freedom technique (EFT) – is used to help relieve feelings of stress, depression and anxiety, by altering the body’s energy to restore balance,” says Bithell.
“Tapping begins at the top of the head before working down the side of the face and neck all the way to the underarm. This physical action of tapping certain points helps to relax our nervous system by disrupting our ‘fight or flight’ response, therefore increasing the number of endorphins in our body.
“The tapping also aims to help distract a person from their feelings of stress and allows them to focus on their body and regulate their breathing instead. This is a process used to help control anxiety and improve a person’s ability of self-awareness.”
If tapping doesn’t work for you, Bithell provides these recommendations for reducing feelings of unease or anxiety:
1. Practice your breathing
The body’s natural response to fear is to get as much oxygen into our systems as possible, which forces us to take rapid, shallow breaths.
Focus on slowing down your breathing, taking long, deep breaths in through your nose and out of your mouth.
Delamere uses focused breath work and grounding techniques to help guests overcome anxiety with support from their peers.
2. Do regular exercise
Exercise has multiple physical and mental benefits. Yoga can help to calm the mind and focus your energy elsewhere. While aerobic exercise is especially good for managing stress levels, relieving tension and boosting your mood.
3. Retrain your brain
While your anxiety attack is happening, try to continue with normal activities. Tell yourself that this moment will pass and focus on something else.
Some people with anxiety use the 3-3-3 technique where you name three things you can see, three things you can hear and move three parts of your body.
4. Look after your body
Stress can cause low blood sugar which increases feelings of panic. Eating regular, well-balanced meals helps to stabilise your blood sugar and reduce symptoms.
It’s also important to avoid substances that can make panic attacks worse, such as caffeine, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.