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Visualization stress management


NIMH » Guided Visualization: Dealing with Stress

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Krystal Lewis: So today we're going to talk a little bit about anxiety, stress, and the brain, and why this is important. So, we'll talk about how stress affects the brain. We'll talk a little bit about the brain, how stress affects the brain, and then we'll practice a technique that can help you to feel a little bit more relaxed and calm when you are feeling stressed out.

So, when talking about stress, we know that stress is completely normal. Everybody experiences it in many different ways.

Something that might stress you out may not stress one of your friends out.

And, stress can be something very small like when you have a test coming up in class, to something that's pretty big like moving to a new town or moving to a new state.

Those are both stressors. They can be positive, and they can be negative. So, a stressor might be trying out for a basketball team and making the team, trying out for the basketball team and not making the team; both stressful, both experienced very differently.

So we know that stress is a common everyday part of life, but what happens is sometimes stress can become chronic or continuous, meaning it happens over and over again or a stressor is there for a long period of time, and what we know is that can be bad for the brain and the body. And so when we're constantly experiencing stress and our brains are on alert or on edge, our body's not going to be relaxed and sometimes we might have physical effects of that stress, meaning we might constantly have headaches or stomach aches. We might be feeling muscle aches due to the amount of stress that we're feeling.

So, when thinking about the brain itself, we have the brain stem, which is kind of at the base or the bottom of the brain and connects our spinal cord to the rest of our brain. We have the cerebellum, which is partly part of the brain, which you'll see in your picture, and then the rest of the brain here. The brain has many parts, many functions, as I said, it does a lot. But what we're going to focus on today is a small part of the brain called the amygdala, which is part of the limbic system in the brain, and the limbic system is really what controls our emotional responses. What we're going to focus on is our stress response, or fear or fight, flight, or freeze response.

So other parts of the brain are important, such as what we call the prefrontal cortex, or the front of our brain, that helps us to think rationally and make good decisions, it helps us to problem solve,

and logically think about things. The other part of the brain where the amygdala is housed in the limbic system, we call that our emotional brain or sometimes people refer to it as our reptilian brain, or reptile brain, because it's so old and it functions more so off of a protective mechanism, right, and so it's there to help us to stay safe in our environments.

So, when thinking about the amygdala, the amygdala is kind of a funny word, right? The amygdala stems from a Greek word that means almond. So the amygdala is this almond-shaped mass of cells in our brain and there's one in each hemisphere, the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. The amygdala is activated when we're in situations where there's potential threat or danger.

So when you think about yourself maybe playing outside and you're kicking around your soccer ball, the ball goes into the street and you run out into the street, did not see this car that's coming, but you heard the car horn. What's gonna happen is your body reacts. This fight, flight, or freeze response is activated and helps you to stay safe in that situation. So now your body is primed and ready to get out of the way of that car.

Your heart rate starts race, your heart starts racing, your breathing changes, your muscles will feel different, and it's in that instant that when that fight, flight, or freeze response kicks in that you start to feel physiological changes in your body. So, we do not want to get rid of that response because that in part helps us to stay safe, but when that response happens over and over again unnecessarily it can create some issues within our body, our physical body, and can cause us to feel just really tired and exhausted from constantly being on edge, right? Constantly being on the lookout for danger and our body’s in a state that essentially really isn't helpful. It makes it hard to make decisions and think things through. Like I mentioned before, because instead of relying on this prefrontal part of the brain, now we're relying on that emotional part of the brain.

Time to Try a Guided Visualization

So what I'm going to do is walk you through a guided imagery that you can use on your own as well. Thinking about your favorite place, maybe some place that you've visited in the past, someplace that you want to go. You can look up pictures on the internet and so you have a good sense of what it looks like, or videos on YouTube, and then you can do this exercise on your own.

But for the time being, take a look at the two pictures that are provided to you and really focus on the colors, and the ocean, and how vibrant it is.

And now what we're going to do, I want you to just make sure you're in a comfortable position.

If you're sitting in a chair, much like me, then keep your feet on the ground, relax your muscles, your back, your body; just make sure you're feeling very comfortable in your space.

Take a few deep breaths in. In through the nose. Hold. And out through the mouth.

You want to make sure you're taking very deep breaths in.

So close your eyes, continue to breathe in...and out.

Bring yourself to this relaxing place. Picture yourself walking through the rainforest.

In...and out.

The trees have large green leaves that float above your head. Continue breathing in and out. As you're walking you see colorful birds flying around and you hear the many animals in the rainforest.

The sound of the wind blowing is soft, and you feel the warm air on your skin.

Breathe in...and out.

As you walk out from the forest and onto the sand, you feel the hot sun on your skin.

The sand under your feet is getting between your toes and you feel the warmth of the sand on your feet. You continue to walk closer to the ocean and hear the waves splashing up to shore.

Breathe in... and out.

The water looks so warm and inviting and the more you walk, the hotter the sun feels on your head, and on your shoulders, and on your arms.

Do you feel it? Your skin is hot and you're ready to feel the ocean water.

You see the bright blue water and many kids splashing around. You hear happy voices as they play, water splashing, and birds singing their songs.

The colors around you are so vibrant and so bright.

When you reach the sand that is wet from the ocean, it starts to stick to your toes, your feet, and around your ankles. The sand seems to be creeping up your legs.

You continue to walk towards the water and feel the warm water wash on top of your feet, taking away the sand. The water is crystal clear and smells so fresh.

Continue to breathe in… and out. This is your happy place. We'll stay here for a while, feeling the warm water splashing up on your feet and on your legs as you walk a little bit further into the ocean, the sun on your shoulders, and the calmness around you. What a beautiful place. So peaceful.

Breathe in...and out.

Your body feels so relaxed as you take in the sounds, the sights, everything around you. Let go of the stress that you're feeling. Relax your muscles. Watch your anxious thoughts float away.

The uncomfortable feelings start to dissipate.

Now you're just feeling calm and relaxed.

A few more deep breaths in... and out.

Breathe in the peace and the calmness.

Before opening your eyes and bringing yourself back to your space, take a few more deep breaths in… and out.

As you open your eyes and come back to the space, congratulations on a job well done. Pat yourself on the back for doing this guided imagery with me.

9 Visualization Techniques For Stress Reduction

Visualization techniques have been used in psychotherapy for a wide range of therapies, including cognitive behavior therapy and memory regression. In recent years, research has been done establishingthat visualization techniques can also be very successful inthe treatment of stress management, anxiety, and depression.

One study from 1995 took a group of sixty subjects and tested their levels of anxiety and depression before and after using visualization techniques. All of the subjects showed vast improvement in stress reduction, lower anxiety, and decreased depression symptoms after several sessions.

Another study in 2015 researched the effects of visualization as part of psychotherapy to reduce stress in homeless teens. The homeless have unique stress factors that can make it even more difficult for them to pull out of their situation and better their lives. Being able to reduce their stress is helpful to their overall well-being. The study found that stress levels were greatly reduced in all subjects, and it affected them positively on many fronts.

These studies, and more like them, have demonstrated again and again the effectiveness of visualization techniques in reducingstress. Undue stress can lead to many related issues, including anxiety and depression. Stress, over time. can also affect physical health, such as weight gain and stagnation in one's life.

You can greatly benefit from using visualization to reduce your stress levels. For some, visualization does not come easily. It may take quite a bit of practice before you can do it effectively. The important thing is to allow yourself to let go and use your imagination freely,visualizing yourself in different scenarios so that you can better let go of your stress. Incorporate all of your senses, sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, into the visualization.

The following ten visualization techniques have been used successfully in lowering or eliminating stress. You can use these techniques during a time that you set aside each day. Once you have had a lot of practice, you will be able to use these techniques throughout your day whenever things become stressful.

1. Creative Visualization Of The Favorable Outcome

Are The Challenges Of Everyday Life Negatively Affecting You?

Face Them With The Help Of A Therapist

Creative visualization is where you create the outcome that you desire. You use this visualization technique when you are in the midst of a stressful situation. You can visualize a favorable outcome, a time when the situation has resolved itself.

Sit comfortably in a peaceful place. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths. Clear your mind and create a blank canvas. Now, imagine yourself on the other side of the stressful situation. Imagine that it has been completely resolved. It is not important how it was resolved. The point here is not to focus on solutions. It is simply to visualize what life will be like once the situation resolves itself.

Visualize every detail about the situation being resolved. What are you wearing? What are you saying? Who are you saying it to? What room are you in, what is in your environment? Locate things in the visualized environment that are tangible that you can touch or feel. This will strengthen the visualization.

Many people have found that creative visualization not only reduces stress, but it allows solutions to come to the forefront. When you are visualizing what it will be like to have the problem resolved, the solution may come to you in the midst of your visualization. This will lower or eliminate your stress about the situation.

2. Visualization As A Diversion from Stress

When you are feeling very stressed, you can visualize a peaceful scene as a means of temporary escape. The scene can be literally anything you desire. You could visualize watching a beautiful sunrise or sunset, being on a deserted beach, walking through a field of flowers or wooded trail, or playing with a puppy or kitten. Think about what makes you relaxed and then visualize yourself there.

Again, you want to be sitting comfortably in a quiet place for this exercise. Create a blank canvas inyour mind and take severaldeep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Decide what it is that would make you the most relaxed and begin building the imagery in your mind.

Visualize every detail of your relaxing scenario. What colors are in the sunset? Is the sun or moon shining on the water? What do you hear? What type of puppy are you playing with, and what does it look like? What is its name? What does the fur feel like when you touch it? The more detail you can build into your visualization the more effective the technique will be in giving you a peaceful moment away from your stress.

This is a good visualization technique that can be used at any time that you were to feel stressed or anxious. It does take some practice, but over time you will get used to going to that place in your mind. You can take a few minutes and visualize your scenario anytime you are in a stressful situation to bring yourself some peace and put you on track to be productive once more.

3. Visualization With Deep Breathing

When you combine visualization with deep breathing, you are using two of the most powerful stress relievers together to pack one amazing punch. Deep breathing exercises are proven to reduce stress and relax the body. When combined with visualization, the mind and body both can relax together, giving you a moment of peace.

For this visualization technique, it is best to lie down in a comfortable place if you are able. Begin breathing deeply, focusing on your breath. Then, become fully aware of your body. Start with your toes and work your way up. Focus on everything that you can sense with your body.

Next, visualize the stress leaving your body in waves with each breath. The more detail you put into the visualization, the better it will work. What color are the waves? What part of your body is emitting the most waves of stress? This can also be a good way to relieve physical stress such as sore muscles or pain, as you can visualize the soreness leaving your body in waves.

4. Guided Imagery

Guided imagery is a visualization technique frequently used in psychotherapy as it has been shown to be an effective method of combating cognitive and emotional stress, reducing heart rate and increasing coherence. It can, however, be used successfully on your own in the comfort of your home or anywhere that you have an audio connection.

In this visualization technique, you will be listening to someone on a recording telling you what to visualize. They will walk you through what you should be seeing, feeling, touching, smelling, and hearing. Most guided imagery visualization exercises start out very small with a blank canvas and work slowly to add detail to the imagery.

You can find guided imagery recordings easily online, through websites for download, or through YouTube and other media channels and sites. You can also buy guided imagery CDs or audio recordings for download to your phone or mp3 player. There are also apps with a variety of guided imagery exercises.

The key to guided imagery is to clear your mind before you begin and follow the instructions to the best of your ability. Be in a comfortable position either sitting or lying down, and in a quiet, peaceful place. With today's technology, it is easy to do guided imagery exercises nearly anywhere at any time.

Many people find guided imagery to be preferable to other visualization techniques because they don't have to have as much of an imagination. It is much easier to visualize something when you are being told what to visualize. This is a good method for beginners as well, to help you get in the practice of visualizing things on your own.

5. Happy Memory Visualization

A happy memory is a great way to relieve stress, but sometimes just thinking of happy memory is not enough. One of the best visualization techniques for combating stress is to visualize a happy memory. When you do this, be in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Close your eyes and create a blank canvas in your mind.

You want to visualize every detail of the memory. If you don't remember a specific detail, fill it in with whatever comes to mind. What were you wearing? Who were you with? What was said? What was the environment like? Picture the room or location of the memory and everything about it. Consider what you can see, touch, smell, hear or, perhaps, taste.

The more detail you give the visualization of your happy memory the more relaxed you will become. Once the image is complete in your mind, spend a few minutes there just enjoying the memory. When you are ready, come back to reality and face what has stressed you out with a fresh mind.

6. Visualization With The Senses

One of the best methods of visualization for stress reduction is to visualize something and use your five senses to explore the visualization. This not only relaxes you, but it also grounds you and can be used to help combat anxiety as well as stress.

For this exercise, you will think of your happy place. What one place makes you feel the most peaceful? It might be a beach or a particular nature park you frequent. Sit comfortably and create the visualization of that place. Feel the breeze in your hair, or the sun on your face. Hear the birds chirping in the distance. Smell the grass or the ocean. See the way the waves lap at the beach. Taste the ocean spray.

The idea is to create so strong of a visualization that you can find at least one thing within itthat satisfieseach of yourfive senses. When you have explored all five senses, you will be in a very relaxed and grounded state. You will then be much better prepared to face the reality of your stressful situation.

7. Healing Light Visualization

When you are feeling particularly stressed, and it is compounded by pain, such as a headache, the healing light visualization technique can be of great use. This is a technique very similar to deep breathing. You will start in much the same way, clearing your mind and doing deep breathing while becoming fully aware of your body.

Instead of just visualizing the stress leaving your body in waves, you will visualize a healing light coming down and touching your body where you are feeling the pain. In the case of a stress-induced headache, you could imagine the stress leaving your body in waves while the healing light focuses on your head. This is a proven way to relieve stress and can lessen the pain with practice.

8. Visualization For Self-Motivation

Stress can be debilitating. It can make you stagnant and feel so overwhelmed that you do nothing. When this happens, the self-motivation visualization technique can be very helpful. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and create a clear canvas in your mind.

Now visualize yourself taking action. Create the imagery of the room that you are in. What is around you? What colors do you see? See yourself doing the task you need to complete. What are you wearing? What are you saying? What can you hear?

Focus on how you are feeling as well. Imagine all the stress leaving your body as you complete the task, so that it is no longer hanging over you. Visualize the completion of the task, and how that feels. Visualize how you will be rewarded for doing the task, either by yourself or someone else.

9. Visualization In Psychotherapy

Are The Challenges Of Everyday Life Negatively Affecting You?

Face Them With The Help Of A Therapist

These are just some of the visualization techniques that can be used to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. If you have difficulty with visualizations, or if the visualizations are not enough to combat your stress on your own, you might want to seek the help of a therapist.

Online Therapy

A therapist can help you learn how to utilize visualization methods,guided imagery, deep breathing, and help you recognize and overcome what is blocking you from using thesetechniqueseffectively. They can also provideyou with additional strategiesfor coping with stress and anxiety. All of this can be accomplished without even having to step foot out of the house!

Chances are, if you are reading an article about stress reduction, you are already looking for ways to alleviate the tension and anxiety that come along with. So, skip the phone call, commute to and from, and anxiety of finding the building or suite. Connect with a BetterHelp counselor through our website and start de-stressing today from the comfort of your own home. A review of literature has established that online counseling creates an impact similar to that of traditional counseling. Once you are matched with a licensed mental health professional, you’ll have a variety of options to keep in touch (i.e., phone, video conference, chat, email, and even text messaging, in some cases).

You’ve already taken the first step − researching ways to combat stress − and connecting with a professional will furnish you with the tools and skills you need to manage it better and live a more relaxed lifestyle. Read about how our therapists have helped others tackle stress below. They are standing by to help you, as well.

“Jackie offered practical, helpful ideas for managing stress and reducing anxiety. She is compassionate and a good listener and is down-to-earth with a good sense of humor.”

 https://www.betterhelp.com/jackie-holmes/#testimonials

“I came to BetterHelp because I was feeling overwhelmed with anxiety. What I wanted was someone to give me a few tools to get through it. What I got was a therapist who seemed to know me better than I knew myself. Arlene didn't just get me through the immediate problem with a band-aid and send me on my way. She transformed my life by helping me get at the root of the problem. Fun and delight weren't in my vocabulary for quite a long time before working with Arlene. But very quickly I found myself having fun and delight daily--during COVID nonetheless!”

Other Commonly Asked Questions

What is visualization techniques in psychology?

What is the best visualization technique?

How do you learn visualization techniques?

Do Visualisation techniques work?

Is visualization a CBT technique?

What are the benefits of visualization?

Why is visualization so powerful?

How does visualization work in the brain?

What are visualization exercises?

Is visualization a skill?

How to deal with stress with the help of visualization

Hello, dear readers!

This article I devote to such a problem as the fight against stress.

The fact is that one of the most common questions that clients ask counseling psychologists is a banal and hackneyed modern question:

how to deal with stress?

In my publications, I have already presented psychological techniques and programs that help get rid of this disease.

For example, you can read about them in the articles:

" Mini Stress Management Program "

" How to beat stress and get rid of eternal tension ".

In this article, I will talk about a very interesting technique that helps to successfully and effectively deal with excessive stress.

I'll start with the famous saying of Friedrich Nietzsche:

"What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

It can become a motto for dealing with stress, although it would be more correct to say not struggle, but interaction.

But why interactions?

After all, we have long been accustomed to the fact that stress is bad, stress is excessive, exhausting tension. .. solve problems

hinder make the right choice and look to the future with confidence

That is why it is commonly believed that an active fight against stress is needed.

It should be disposed of, and mainly with the help of various drugs.

And it is better to avoid it altogether, to strain less and once again not pay attention to irritants. But is it?

Modern psychological science, as well as the daily experience of many people, say that stress is energy accumulated in containers in our body and psyche.

Initially, it is absolutely neutral in relation to the quality of our life, to our successes and failures .

This energy of stress, like electricity, is deadly, but it also contains great potentials.

And it depends on the person whether he will be able to put her on the right track, turn her into his assistant, direct to achieve his goals .

How to achieve this?

See below for …

How to deal with stress

with the help of visual representations

The visualization technique will help in this matter - a kind of ideomotor training, with the help of which athletes master the most difficult exercises, as well as something similar to meditation.

You need at least twice a day, finding a quiet place and time

(although this is a necessary condition only for beginners to practice this exercise, after a while you will perform it in any conditions),

closing your eyes try to imagine (visualize) your stress in the form of, for example, the image of some animal or person.

Watch him, look at him, give him a name, talk to him.

Next, you can ask him to be your assistant.

If, for example, you have a difficult job interview, ask your inner helper friend to pass on some of their energy to you

and be by your side during your upcoming meeting with a potential employer.

Next, imagine that you take hold of his hands, and energy begins to flow from his body to yours, filling you with strength and confidence .

At the same time, repeat to yourself life-affirming formulas like:

“I am becoming calmer and more self-confident!”

"I can easily cope with difficulties !"

"I know how to influence people, convince them to do what I need to !".

You can diversify this technique and form in the space of your inner world a certain place where your helper friend lives and in which all the stress energy accumulates during the day.

Every evening or morning, close your eyes, you will come to this place to communicate and receive energy.

Attaching to a certain place will help you quickly develop appropriate positive associations and learn how to effectively turn stress energy into life energy the ability to control oneself in various situations will appear.

You just need to trust your inner assistant, hear it, learn how to interact with it.

The visualization technique can be used for more than just interacting with the energy of stress.

It can also help in case of depressive states, various neuroses , insecurity, problems in relationships with other people (read about problem solving techniques Here ).

It is important to visualize the problem, i. imagine it in a specific image or images, focus on them, study them.

Sometimes this is enough to make the problem less severe and you feel much better.

Another example of the use of visualization techniques can be found in the article: "Negative thinking and techniques to combat it."

Of course, it would be better if you consult a specialist psychologist or psychotherapist before mastering this or any other stress management technique.

He will help you find the true causes of stress. And together with him you will find the most effective ways to solve this problem.

This will save you time, effort and money.

After all, Together is something more than alone. Plus, it's also effective. After all, it happens that a glance from the side shortens the path by almost three times.

That's all for now.

I really hope that this article has helped you learn more about

how to deal with stress and get rid of unnecessary tension.

See you in the next post!

© Denis Kryukov

The author of the site

https://formaitsensum.ru/

Psychologist in Chita and Psychologist online

Together with this article Read:

  • Combating aggression and anger: Technician 5 steps
  • Sadness, sadness and melancholy: how to get rid of these splinters
  • Psychological cure for insomnia
  • 10 ways to find a good mood
  • What to do if you have low motivation and no energy to work

Relaxation techniques to relieve stress

Managing unwanted emotions through relaxation

Relaxation is a very effective method that can be used to relieve stress, calm the nerves, and deal with anxiety and fears. When you relax, your mental resources are released and you are able to make the right decision. Relaxation can even make you feel more confident because you feel like you're in control.
By learning to relax, you can reduce the daily amount of stress you face. Usually you experience negative emotions because you have no choice. Offer another choice to your subconscious - relaxation and self-control - then anxiety and stress will affect you less.

Relaxation will give you access to mental resources

Relaxation will also allow you to access all of your mental resources. Under the influence of emotions, it can be difficult to think rationally or use your memory effectively. Relaxation will allow you to be in control and succeed in using your mind.

There are many relaxation techniques you can use to help you stay relaxed. Below are a few well-known methods.

Relaxation methods

Deep breathing. The first thing you can do to relax is to breathe deeply. Throughout our lives, we have learned to breathe quickly, and this habit increases our anxiety and stress levels. Try taking a few deep breaths very slowly right now and see how you feel. You will probably find yourself much more relaxed. Try to practice so that the method of deep breathing becomes familiar to you.

Self-hypnosis. The second thing you can do to relax is to use self-hypnosis. By repeating in your mind the words or phrases "relax" or "I am in a state of deep relaxation" your subconscious mind will be programmed, and the programmed subconscious mind will help you relax more quickly.

Visualization. Visualization is also very useful. You can imagine that you are sitting in a very quiet place, like the seaside, or any imaginary place that can help you relax. Please note that visualization is also a form of self-hypnosis for your subconscious mind.

Focus on every part of the body to achieve muscle relaxation. You can begin to focus on each individual part of the body and relax it. Think of the right hand and relax it, then the left and relax too, then the legs and so on until you relax the whole body. It is very helpful to tense each muscle first and then relax it. This way you can experience deeper relaxation.

Avoid brain conflict. When two tasks compete for brain attention, stress occurs. Make sure you're not a multi-tasker and prevent stress by completing these tasks one at a time.

Get rid of stressful conditions. Leaving stressful conditions even for five minutes can help you reduce stress and become more calm. If you can take a walk in the park or interact with nature in every possible way, your stress levels will decrease.

Reduce brain exposure. A large number of cases is also a stress factor. You can reduce the impact on your brain by reducing the number of things you do, fixing them outwardly, or eliminating distractions.

Meditations. Meditation is a great relaxation technique that can help you de-stress and relax. If you can't leave the environment you're in, meditation can be a good relaxation option.

Learn more