This article is part of the EFT 101: What is EFT? series.

That depends.

I have seen Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) provide relief for 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 months, and forever.

No two problems are alike.  A cut finger and a torn muscle are going to heal in different ways at different rates, just like your partner saying horrible things about you is not going have the same impact as a total stranger saying the same thing.

The amount of healing that is provided by EFT is in direct proportion to how much of the problem we can tune into at any given time.  Some issue has many aspects to them.  At this moment we might only be aware of one or two of these aspects. This is where we can do work at this time.  At a later date we might find other aspects of the same issue.  

This does not EFT didn't work.  It just means there is still more work to do.

Also, it is important to remember if it has taken a lifetime to build a problem, it is unlike to go away with a round or two of tapping.

EFT is a great tool for providing temporary relief.  Every time we create relief in the moment, we are making progress on the issue as a whole and how it will affect us in the future.

An analogy I use a lot is of weeding the yard.  We can cut the heads off of dandelions and the yard will look good, but they will grow back.  If we also get the leaves, they will still grow back, but it will take much more time.  But, if we get the roots they will never grow back.

Sometimes when we do work on an issue we get the heads, sometimes the leave, and sometimes the roots.  This will determine how long the progress sticks.

Just remember, all progress we make, no matter how small, is progress to a healthier self.  With EFT we are doing this in a way that does not require any surgery or for us to put any drugs in our bodies.