Stress, Anxiety, Depression

A guide to humanistic counselling and psychotherapy

Martin Simmons, Peter Daw

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781351693165
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Clinical Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Allowing clients to work on their own problems and at their own pace, this excellent title recognises that solving personal problems is a skill to be learnt just like any other. It teaches the reader the necessary skills and then guides the use of those skills through organised action plans and practical self help programmes. It is excellent for helping to build confidence in relationships, communicating with others and understanding personal choice. It helps the user overcome guilt, anger, moodiness, depression, stress and anxiety. It encourages a more relaxed approach and helps to handle conflict at home and in work. All of the exercises, questionnaires and action plans can be freely photocopied.

1

Minds & Bodies

This chapter looks at:

• some of the physical reasons why people feel unhappy, anxious or depressed;
• ways of taking simple steps to relax and feel fitter;
• positive steps and helpful techniques to give people control of their own health.

Parts 1 and 2 take a careful look at the basics of life: the air we breathe, the food and fluids we ingest, and how to care for our bodies.

Part 3 concentrates on sleep and introducing relaxation programmes into our daily lives.

Part 4 examines different physical causes of psychological problems and focuses on the use of drugs in treating those problems.

CHAPTER 1.1
Breathing & Health

Objectives

1. To understand the relationship between physical and mental health.
2. To perfect breathing techniques.
3. To set specific goals for healthier living.

Introduction

This section begins the process of taking more control of our health, the main benefits of which are that a healthy body is more resistant to illness and that positive thoughts and emotions go with a well balanced body. This book seeks gradually to extend this process of control to many other areas of life.

We feel that developing specific strategies for health is the first step towards taking control. Knowing that it is possible to influence what happens in life will provide a solid base from which to approach more complex issues which may lie ahead.

Why health?

With this section barely a page old the writers can hear the protests loud and clear:

“My problems are far too complex to bother about exercising.” “How can breathing make that much difference?” “My father smoked 60 cigarettes a day all his life and there’s not a lot wrong with him.”

There are undoubtedly exceptions to every rule, but this should not deter one from aiming towards optimum health.

This book has no wish to preach, merely to inform and guide. There are two important principles here:

1. Having the right information helps us make good choices.
2. Trying to change something in our lives, however simple, shows that we are taking responsibility for ourselves and our future.

Medical research demonstrates a clear relationship between mind and body. If we are suffering from a cold, for example, we find it harder to concentrate and we can often feel emotionally fragile. In other words, our physical health affects our mental and emotional state. Similarly, the process works the other way around. If we are under stress or have had an emotional upset our resistance is lowered and we are more likely to fall ill.

Therefore taking practical measures to preserve and enhance our health will not provide a miracle cure for psychological problems, but it undoubtedly will help.

Breathing

Without air we would not be alive. It therefore stands to reason that the way we breathe will directly influence our health and how we feel. This book places considerable emphasis upon correct breathing as an essential life skill if we are to feel good and cope with pressure.

The mechanism for normal healthy breathing is simple. Air is drawn into the lungs and absorbed by the blood, which the heart pumps around the body, including the brain. Therefore, poor air supply results in stagnant blood, which in turn results in an undernourished mind and body.

The brain needs oxygen-rich blood for clear thinking. The digestive system needs healthy blood to use efficiently the food we eat and to expel waste products. Our lungs have a capacity of approximately 5 litres (8 to 9 pints), yet the average breath is but a fraction of this. It follows that deeper breathing increases the efficiency of the lungs and is valuable for overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, the lungs do not move automatically; they are emptied and filled by the surrounding muscles and, like any other muscles, if they are not consciously exercised they become weak and flaccid.

Abdominal breathing exercise

Choose a moment when you feel fairly relaxed and there are no distractions. Sit or lie down comfortably with your back straight, loosening any tight clothing. Place the palms of the hands on your abdomen, middle fingers touching, at a point two to three inches above your navel. Forget about breathing for the moment, but do not hold your breath.

Concentrate upon moving your abdomen gently and rhythmically in and out, so that a small gap appears between the middle fingertips as your abdomen expands and the gap closes again as your abdomen contracts. Count silently to two as you expand your abdomen and again as you move it back. When you have established a gentle and smooth rhythm, notice what is happening to your breathing: if you are taking air in as your abdomen expands and expelling air as it contracts you are practising abdominal breathing!

If it does not happen as easily as that, and for most people it does not, try to start yourself off in the following way. Keeping your hands on your abdomen, as described above, expel all the air from your lungs while contracting your abdomen. Now gently push your abdomen out and allow your lungs to take in air. Now contract your abdomen to expel the air once more, and so on. If you get mixed up, and you find that you get the abdominal movement the wrong way round, stop and start again.

Aim for about a dozen complete breaths per minute (that is, in and out every five seconds). It is important not to hold your breath, so try to make your breathing continuous: as soon as you have breathed in, breathe out, and vice versa. The rhythm is similar to that of the waves upon the sea shore: as a wave reaches its furthest point up the beach so it descends. If you feel dizzy, you are taking in too much air or breathing too quickly. Stop for a little while and then start again, trying to breathe more slowly and taking in less air.

Start by practising every day, only during quiet, relaxed moments. Relax your shoulders and chest a little more with each outbreath; when you are distracted by a thought or sensation, notice it, let it go and bring your mind back to the movement of your abdomen and the flow of your breath.

We will return to breathing later:

• as an integral part of the health fitness programme;
• in conjunction with stress control and relaxation;
• as a technique in anxiety management;
• to combat tension associated with depression.

We would like to emphasize here that, for breathing techniques to be effective, we need to practise regularly. Only by building regular practice in our daily lives will the benefits be felt. At this stage it would be appropriate for the client to commit himself to a breathing programme, recording where, when and for how long it is intended to practise breathing.

• PLACE(S).......................................................................................
• TIME(S).........................................................................................
• LENGTH OF SESSION(S)...........................................................

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• 1 Minds & Bodies.
• 2 Life Style.
• 3 Understanding Ourselves.
• 4 An Anxiety Management Programme.
• 6 Growing Further.
• Conclusion
• Further Reading
• Useful Names & Addresses
• Index