From: lady@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Lee Lady)
Subject: Fast Anxiety Cure (was Re: Phobias, NLP, etc (was Re: Xanax)
Followup-To: sci.psychology
Summary: A simple kinesthetic tranquillizer.  
Keywords:   NLP   NeuroLinguistic Programming
Organization: University of Hawaii (Mathematics Dept)
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 00:51:54 GMT


WARNING AND DISCLAIMER:  The following anxiety cure is not supported by
any empirical data.  No controlled clinical trials have been done.  I
don't even have good anecdotal evidence, merely hearsay.  Physicians,
clinical psychologists, and those who consider themselves scientists
should not read this article.  The purported cure described here is
undoubtedly a form of quackery designed to bilk people of their money by
inveigling them into buying rubber balls.  


This cure was developed by Nelson Zinc who runs NLP Santa Fe.  It was
published in the July(?) issue of Anchor Point, an NLP magazine.  Forgive
me for not quoting his article more precisely and at length but I am
trying to avoid being too flagrant in violating the copyright.  


The purported cure seems to be designed primarily for people with severe
anxiety, especially with panic disorder.  However it might also be useful
before taking an important exam or giving a public speech or performance.
In this case, I suspect that four or five minutes would be quite long
enough.  (I don't have personal experience with this, however.)  

Basically what the cure involves is juggling, but only with one ball.
(Juggling for idiots, I suppose you might say.) A ball with a weight of
about 100 grams is recommended.  This is about twice as heavy as a
tennis ball.  My guess is that the important thing is that the ball be
light enough to be tossed easily but heavy enough to have a good solid
feel when you catch it.  The feeling of catching it is probably as
important as the motion of throwing.

Stand in a juggler's stance, feet about shoulder width apart, hands
about level with your waist.  Toss the ball from one hand to the other
with a nice slow rythmn (a rate of about 50 tosses per minute is
recommended).  Slowly look toward the ceiling, close your eyes, then
return your head to its normal position (with eyes still closed).
*Don't let your hands cross the midline of your body.* Continue for
about twenty minutes.  If you drop the ball, just pick it up and
continue.  ("Occasional dropping appears to be part of the process.")

It's probably better to experiment and find what works for you rather
than worrying about following the instructions exactly.  

Steve Andreas told us about this cure during my NLP training this past
summer, but I don't remember him saying anything about closing the
eyes.  But Zinc claims that having closed eyes is very important.  

It is not claimed that this is a permanent cure for anxiety.  It's simply
a little kinesthetic tranquilizer to be used when you need it.  

A friend of mine this summer who claimed to be very shy about talking in
front of crowds stood up in front of the class on "skit night" and tossed
the ball for about five minutes and then delivered an extremely funny
monologue.  ("Training for Clients of NLP Therapists").  I have no way of
knowing, though, whether she might have done just as well without the
ball.  


Zinc's article gives a supposed rationale for the technique.  Since this
rationale has to do with the two hemispheres of the brain I am sure that
most people in sci.med or sci.psychology will consider it
pseudo-science, so I won't give it here.  In any case, additional
information can be obtained by contacting Nelson Zinc, NLP Santa Fe, PO
Box 9910, Santa Fe, NM 87504, (505)986-3922.

The address for Anchor Point magazine is Anchor Point, PO Box 286, 
Franktown, CO 80116.  

--
It is a poor sort of skepticism which merely delights in challenging
those claims which conflict with one's own belief system.  
                                                          --Bogus quote 
lady@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu         lady@uhunix.bitnet
Newsgroups: sci.med