Progressive Relaxation

[Samsara]

http://cas.umkc.edu/casww/relaxatn.htm

RELAXATION

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Progressive Relaxation: a deep muscle relaxation technique developed and published by Edmond Jacobson in 1929. He believed that the body responds to anxiety provoking thoughts and events with muscle tension. The tense muscles, in return, increase the feeling of anxiety. Deep muscle relaxation reduces physiological tension, reduces pulse rate and blood pressure, as well as decreasing perspiration and respiration rates.

This technique has been effective in the treatment of muscular tension, anxiety, insomnia, depression, fatigue, irritable bowel, muscle spasms, neck and back pain, high blood pressure, mild phobias, and stuttering.

Progressive relaxation can be practiced while lying on your back or sitting in a chair with your head supported. Each muscle or muscle group is tensed for five seconds and then relaxed for twenty seconds. This procedure is repeated at least once. At first only partial relaxation may occur, but after practice the whole body can relax within a few minutes. (Caution: Do not tense the neck, back, toes, and feet excessively tight. Tensing these may result in muscle cramping.)

Follow the directions below to use the progressive relaxation technique:


1. Lie on your back with your eyes closed, feet slightly apart, arms slightly away from sides, and palms upward.
2. Allow your breath to slow down. Put your entire attention on the breath as it moves in and out. (Pause 20 counts.)

3. Tense the muscles of your feet. (Pause 5 counts and gently relax. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

4. Tense the muscles of your calves. (Pause 5 counts. Relax. Let the tension go. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

5. Tense the muscles of your stomach. (Pause 5 counts. Relax. Let the tension go. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

6. Tense the muscles of your chest. (Pause 5 counts. Relax. Let the tension go. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

7. Clench your fists tightly. (Pause 5 counts. Relax. Let the tension go. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

8. Tense your elbows and tense your biceps. Hold them tight. (Pause 5 counts. Relax and straighten arms. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

9. Tense the muscles of your neck. (Pause 5 counts. Relax. Let the tension go. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

10. Tense the muscles of your head and face. (Pause 5 counts. Relax. Let the tension go. Pause 20 counts. REPEAT.)

Visualization is a technique which can be used as a part of progressive relaxation or by itself. If used as a part of progressive relaxation, go into visualization after the body is relaxed.

If used by itself, take 3 deep breaths to help slow the body down before using the visualization. In creating the images, use the words as bait but allow your subconscious to change the image if it wants. USE AS MANY SENSES AS YOU CAN!

Use your seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching senses. Using the senses allows the experience to be as "full" as possible. Soft, soothing music played in the background can add to this experience.

Below Are Two Examples Of Visualization:

1. See a cloud drifting across the sky. Now it's gone. See another and imagine that you are on it, drifting up over the city. As you drift and float, you come to a wooded area where you can hear birds chirping and see animals scurrying about. (Pause) You see a stream of water nearby. As you near the water, you notice how gentle, yet consistent the movement of the water is. It is peaceful yet energetic. (Pause) Now move away to a large meadow, and in the meadow you can see wildflowers. Look at the lovely colors. (Pause) And now begin to drift away from this place, back to the room you are in. (Pause) Take in a slow, deep breath, and let it go. (Repeat breathing 3 times.) Open your eyes and stretch.

2. Imagine the sun up above you. With your imagination, pick a beam of sunlight and direct it to move down to your body. Feel the warm glow as the sun's energy helps growth and healing. Take special note to direct this energy to any particular part of the body which feels uncomfortable or ill at ease. (Pause) Now select an area of your life that you would like to see grow. Isolate that area, and see it as a seed. (Pause) Direct the sunbeam towards this seed with the knowledge that the sun's energy can help its growth and expansion. Let the sun surround and fill the seed with warmth and light. (Pause) After a few moments, let the image go. Take a deep breath, and let it go. Repeat breathing 3 times. Open your eyes and stretch.

Summary: So far, the techniques given have emphasized slowing down and reducing excitement. For some, not having excitement can cause stress because the person begins to worry or to get bored and "blue." In this case, having ways to stimulate the individual is important. This can be done in simple ways such as taking a coffee or tea break with someone and having a good conversation, listening to music, reading an inspirational piece, learning something new, or taking a walk.

As The Caregiver, Taking Time To Nurture Yourself Is Essential!

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The above information has been modified from the VIPP Manual. p. 179-192.
To order this manual, write to: The Center on Aging Studies, UMKC, 5125
Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, or call: (816) 235-1747.

[Sheila]

Thanks, Samsara. Nice information.

[stan]

thanks Samsara,

i have practised Progressive Relaxation at home three years ago during tapering, i do not see progress at that time(made it five days);

i will try again in bed this night, part of this relaxation, especially in chest, if it works...against trembling

[Samsara]

thanks Samsara,

i have practised Progressive Relaxation at home three years ago during tapering, i do not see progress at that time(made it five days);

i will try again in bed this night, part of this relaxation, especially in chest, if it works...against trembling

Sheila and Stan...

thank you for appreciating my efforts.

Stan, you may wish to try pulling your shoulders inward towards your chest, and even cross your arms to increase the tension, then hold for a few minutes and then allow your shoulders to fully relax. Repeat this a few times and it MAY help reduce the chest trembling. It could also make the chest trembling worse if it stirs up your CNS too much. Reactions, especially during WD can be very individual but it's certainly worth a try.

You can also simultaneously implement breathing techniques.

BTW, I too tried Progressive Relaxation during earlier WD and my CNS was too agitated to follow through with the whole exercise. I was also so incredibly weak that I couldn't even tense a muscle not to mention my ability to concentrate was completely shot.

I'm still not able to follow through with the whole method but I engage in "mini" sessions where I focus on a couple of muscle groups at a time and then, later in the day, focus on a couple of other muscle groups.

At the best of times (prior to psyche drug exposure and WD) my mind gets bored easily and I lack the ability to concentrate for long periods of time and so, I have learned to work with my mind rather than forcing it to engage, for too long, in a manner that only creates greater anxiety, tension, boredom, frustration etc. It's amazing how much one can still manage to accomplish when things are broken up into repeated mini sessions each day.

Good luck and I hope this method can provide some benefit to you at this stage of WD. Let us know how you do with it. BTW, it may be beneficial to engage in this over the next week. You may not feel immediate positive results but many times, a cumulative positive effect can occur if one consistently engages in such since, body tension and anxiety usually isn't immediately released when tension has been accumulating over the course of time.

It may take some time for your body to start releasing the tension. So, give it a try for a week or longer and observe what happens.


Samsara