Butterfly hug: acute help for stress or anxiety
Sweating, a racing heart, dizziness, an acute feeling of being overwhelmed: there are always situations in everyday life or at work that can trigger enormous feelings of stress or anxiety. With the butterfly hug, we show you a simple and effective first aid exercise for acute situations.
Summary: What Is the Butterfly Hug?
The butterfly hug is a simple self-calming exercise for times of acute tension, stress, or anxiety. To perform it, cross your arms in front of your chest and gently tap the opposite shoulders one at a time. This exercise can help you refocus your attention on your own body and the present moment.
The Butterfly Hug is a simple self-help exercise. It is not a substitute for medical or psychotherapeutic treatment. If this exercise intensifies your anxiety or triggers distressing memories, please stop.
Our 5-minute exercises give you ideas for more relaxation, balance, activity and feel-good moments in your everyday work and private life. They are not a substitute for professional help from counselors and psychologists. Please seek professional advice, for example from pmeLebenslagencoaching, if you feel permanently depressed, have persistent excessive stress or deeper mental problems.
Butterfly hug: Acute help for stress and panic
Whether it's the panic before an important pitch presentation, a termination without notice, an enormously stressful day without time for a break, the sudden death of a loved one, a severe thunderstorm during a flight - the list of triggers is long and most of us have been at that one point where nothing works anymore.
How can you quickly get these panic attacks—triggered by acute stressful situations —under control ? The butterfly hug, also known as a self-hug, is an effective self-help exercise that you can use quickly and effectively in panic situations and that can help you calm yourself down fast.
How the butterfly hug works
- Find a quiet place.
- Sit in a relaxed position on a chair or stand comfortably.
- Place your hands crosswise on your chest so that it feels comfortable for you. Your fingers should always point towards your neck.
- If you like, close your eyes now.
- Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly.
- Now tap the opposite shoulder with each hand in turn. The frequency doesn't matter; tap as fast or as slow as you feel comfortable.
- Accept negative feelings and emotions. But try to gradually focus on yourself. Tell yourself that your feelings are okay for now. This will help you increase your self-love and self-acceptance.
- Lower your arms when your body signals that it is enough.
Where does the Butterfly Hug come from?
The butterfly hug was first used by trauma therapists Lucina Artigas and Ignacio Jarero. They had cared for the survivors of Hurricane Pauline in Mexico in 1997 and used the exercise to emotionally stabilize and psychologically support the traumatized people.
Since then, it has been used effectively by many therapists, especially in dealing with trauma and anxiety disorders. As the exercise is very easy to implement without professional guidance, it can be easily integrated into everyday and professional life.
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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the Butterfly Hug
Does the "butterfly hug" help with panic attacks?
It can help some people calm down during a strong feeling of anxiety or panic and reconnect more deeply with the present moment. However, in cases of recurring panic attacks or severe stress, this exercise is no substitute for professional help.
How long should I hold the butterfly hug?
There is no set duration. Continue the exercise as long as it feels comfortable and stabilizing. If you start to feel uncomfortable, stop.
Do I have to close my eyes?
No. You can keep your eyes open. Especially in a highly stressful situation, it can be helpful to consciously take in your surroundings.
Is the "butterfly hug" a form of EMDR therapy?
No. The "butterfly hug" is a single self-help exercise described in the context of EMDR. A full course of EMDR therapy is conducted under professional supervision.
Sources
Artigas, L., & Jarero, I. (2010). The butterfly hug. In M. Luber (Ed.), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Scripted Protocols: Special Populations (pp. 5–7). Springer Publishing Company.
