Train Your Brain with the Rubber Band "Snap" Technique

Anxiety? Panic Attacks? Negative Thoughts?

Everyone experiences anxiety, stress, self- doubt, panic, unwanted thoughts or actions. There are many natural techniques that one can use to help calm these feelings and re-route your mind.

One simple aversion technique is the elastic band snap technique. When thinking or feeling panic, anxiety, self doubt you can utilize behavior modification on your own by pulling and snapping your AcuSnap band on your wrist. You can also add an affirmation with the snap of the band saying a word or phrase like "stop!" or "breathe". The idea is to get your mind off of the panic, anxiety, addiction when the feeling occurs. Snapping the band will sting a little. Consistency with this technique is key to success in calming unwanted feelings or actions.

A Little History-

Origins and Principles

The technique is based on the work of Ivan Pavlov and the concept of classical conditioning, which suggests that behaviors can be learned and unlearned through association. In the case of the rubber band method, a mild negative stimulus (the sting of the rubber band snap) is paired with an unwanted behavior or negative thought (e.g., nail-biting, smoking, obsessive thoughts). The goal is to create an aversion to the undesirable behavior over time.

Therapeutic Application

Mental health professionals in the latter half of the 20th century began incorporating this method into practice. A 1974 paper in Behavior Therapy described the "new use for the old rubber band" in self-administered aversion therapy, indicating its adoption in clinical settings around that time. It was considered a simple, low-cost approach that could be applied in everyday life to help individuals manage habits and compulsions.

Common Applications

The rubber band snap technique has been applied to various issues:

*Breaking Habits: Assisting with habits like nail-biting, hair-pulling (trichotillomania), or skin-picking by providing a physical interruption.

*Managing Negative Thoughts: Used as a "thought-stopping" technique to interrupt self-critical thinking or obsessive thoughts.

*Anxiety and Stress Management: The physical sensation can redirect attention during moments of distraction or stress.

Directions

When experiencing unwanted behaviors or thoughts simply pull band away from wrist and let go to "snap" it onto your wrist. The sensation of the slight "sting" will refocus your mind and help to create healthy habits-it is a proven behavior modification technique.