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Massage Therapy and Anxiety

Anxiety is an internal reaction to an external source. Most people confuse anxiety with stress when, in reality, they are not the same thing. Stress can be a positive thing; it can tell the body when it is hungry, cold, or tired. Anxiety is a reaction to the stress in an individual’s life. Most people would assume that anxiety disorders are simply just a mental illness, but they are also known to cause severe physical pain as well. People without anxiety disorders may experience a small degree of physical pain in a particular situation, whereas a person with an anxiety disorder in the same situation will probably experience more pain. This is not necessarily because of the difference in mental states of both individuals, (although that may be the case) but it also has to do with the imbalance of hormones in the individual with the anxiety disorder.

When a person is anxious, the “flight or fight” hormones called Epinephrine and Cortisol kick in. To calm oneself down, the “feel good” hormones called Serotonin, Dopamine, and Endorphins are used to counteract the “flight or fight” hormones and bring anxiety and pain levels down. A person who is constantly anxious is producing way too much Epinephrine and Cortisol and their “feel good” hormones are being all used up. Sleep is the key ingredient in replenishing much needed hormones that are necessary to bring the body back to a balance, but most people who suffer from Anxiety are not capable of having the peaceful, deep sleep that is needed.

Massage therapy is able to enhance conventional therapies (medication and counseling sessions), reduce anxiety, and give psychological benefits to these individuals who are suffering. Massage helps relax clients by allowing the release of hormones to reduce anxiety. It helps inhibit pain receptors as well as take the client out of the “flight or fight” mentality and allows their parasympathetic system to start to recover and rest the body. This allows more “feel good” hormones to be produced. Massage also gives a sense of caring through touch because the human brain is naturally wired to believe that nurturing touch will help to heal the state of anxiety.

If you suffer from Anxiety, book a Massage Therapy appointment today. Get started on the road to recovery!