Friday, July 24, 2009

Relaxation Therapy In Mental Health

Relaxation Therapy in Mental Health








Relaxation therapy in mental health refers to a variety of natural techniques designed to help people learn relax and be calm. The purpose of relaxation therapy is to decrease stress, anxiety and other psychological conditions. It also encourages a more relaxed state long after the session has ended, and facilitates better coping skills when a patient encounters stress and anxiety in the future.


Significance








Constant stress is a significant characteristic of modern life and can be a major source of many common health problems. Mental health professionals understand that stress contributes to such conditions as nervousness, anxiety and insomnia, but stress is also thought to play a role in a variety of pathologies including depression, addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Relaxation therapy helps alleviate the damage by teaching people relax and calm the mind.


Function


During stressful situations, the sympathetic nervous system increases activity that leads to the "fight-or-flight" response. During this response, heart rate and blood pressure increase, and breathing becomes irregular and elevated. When experiencing physical reactions to stress, people often have difficulty calming themselves down. The body's natural relaxation response is a powerful antidote to stress. By teaching people to relax during stressful situations, the physical symptoms of stress are reduced.


Features


Techniques used to help people relax include breathing and muscle relaxation exercises, massage, watching relaxing videos or listening to music. Other therapy techniques include visualization, meditation, water therapy, focused breathing, and visualization of scenes or actions, such as walking on a quiet beach. Some practitioners use aromatherapy and hypnotism.


Effects


In addition to its calming physical effects, relaxation therapy increases energy, combats illness and chronic pain, and helps improve problem-solving abilities. More important, it is believed that relaxation therapy helps boost motivation and productivity. Relaxation techniques reduce psychological disorders and more experts in the mental health field are beginning to incorporate these techniques into their practices.


Potential


Relaxation therapy in mental health is becoming popular because it is affordable and accessible to everyone. People can use any of these techniques, once learned, at home or on the go. Relaxation techniques are noninvasive and are considered to be safe.

Tags: people relax, help people, mental health, relax calm, Relaxation techniques, relaxation therapy, Relaxation Therapy