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Relaxation
(This thread is part of the CBT support group found here )
I'm currently working through the Anxiety and Phobia handbook by Edmund Bourne.Bourne's book recommends that people should work on achieving deep relaxation as part of their treatment to overcome anxiety. He lists many other possible benefits of deep relaxation, such as increased energy and reduction in panic attacks. I've started this thread to detail some of the strategies Bourne describes, but also if people have any other relaxation techniques please do post them as well Bourne describes four ways of achieving deep relaxation, which I'll outine below (might not get it all typed tonight though so you may have to wait for all four ) 1. abdominal breathing 2. Progressive muscle 3. Peaceful scene 4. Meditation |
#2
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Re: Relaxation
1. Abdominal breathing
Abdominal breathing exercise Place one hand on the bottom of your ribcage - breath in slowly and deeply through your nose to the bottom of your lungs - send the breath down your body. Your hand should rise, but chest shouldn't move much. Pause, then breath out all the air slowly. As you exhale let your body go (visualise going limp) Do ten of these keeping the breath slow and regular, pausing briefly between each breath. Calming breath Breath from your abdomen from through nose whilst counting to five. hold for the count of five. breath out slowly for five or longer if necessary making sure you exhale fully. Take two normal breaths then do another slow abdominal breath. Complete at least 10 cycles for 3-5 mins taking two normal breaths between each cycle. These two abdominal breathing exercises can help change your breathing pattern. Practicing them can put you into a deep relaxation. Bourne believes you can use these techniques to stop a panic attack from progressing. He also states they can alieviate anticipatory anxiety. |
#3
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Re: Relaxation
Ok, as breathing is integral to any relaxation i think this link may be good for some, if having trouble with breathlessness is the cause of any stress, regardless of weather you have asthma or not.
http://www.smilingbackmethod.com/articles/asthma.htm With the breathing sorted i have found mindfullness meditation to be very good and easy to pick up. If you have 72 mins spare i recommend you watch this video. It's a talk by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is a leading (if not the leader) teacher of mindfullness, given to Google employees a few years back. He exaplins the methodology and then leads a 30 min session. I highly recommend it! With relaxtion and especially meditation its best not to eat for a couple of hours before hand.... |