The Autogenic Training Relaxation Technique And Practice
When you think of the word "relax," you might experience a few different sensations. To some, the word conjures an image of mimosa on the beach with friends. Others see relaxation as sitting alone in their home, watching a favorite show or movie. For some, though, the word "relax" may create feelings of anxiety, as the concept is foreign to them. For those individuals, the autogenic training relaxation technique may help.
What does it mean to relax?
Relaxation has several different meanings, depending on the exact context it is used in. From a physical perspective, relaxation is a state of peace or calm. Physical relaxation can mean your muscles are allowed to exist in a state without tension, such as the pose you take after a yoga practice (savasana), or it could refer to the stature you take when lounging about on the couch. Physical relaxation can also mean not being in a state of "fight or flight," with your respiratory and heart rates at a relatively even keel.
Mental relaxation often follows a period of unwinding and can be linked to sitting at the dinner table with a glass of wine and good friends. It can also come as a direct result of a period of meditation, in which your brain is allowed to wander wherever it may, without you struggling against it or forcing it to stay on a certain task. Mental relaxation is rarely engaged passively, despite what the word "relax" might suggest.
As a whole, though, the type of relaxation encouraged by therapists and other mental health professionals is the type that engages both the body and the mind in relaxation, as only focusing on one aspect of your experience can allow tension and anxiety to continue to negatively impact you. To relax as it relates to your mental health means to relax entirely in your mental, emotional, and physical being.
Who struggles with relaxation?
The most common reason people struggle to relax in the presence of anxiety. Although not everyone who experiences anxiety has been or needs to be diagnosed with a fully realized anxiety disorder, the incidence of anxiety has steadily increased over the past decade. It continues to climb higher and affects a larger number of people. People from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and income levels experience stress and anxiety.
Some things can make anxiety an all-encompassing condition, however, such as the presence of an anxiety disorder, an unstable home or family life, childhood trauma, family or loved ones with a disability, and other factors. These factors can make day-to-day functioning feel overwhelming and even impossible, contributing to relaxation feeling more like an inaccessible dream than a legitimate form of anxiety treatment.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
What hinders relaxation?
Relaxation can be hindered by many factors, among them guilt, shame, fear, and uncertainty. Someone who has lived their entire life on the go, with parents and people close to them who rarely or never take the time to relax or engage in any relaxation practice, might not know where to begin relaxing. These people might feel paralyzed by the presence of uncertainty, having had no clear models to teach them how to relax in a healthy, productive way.
Many people feel guilty at the prospect of relaxation. This is often due to influences that begin in childhood, whether that influence is derived from religious beliefs, family pressure, or socioeconomic standing. Some beliefs seem to push the notion of hard work without taking time for oneself. For many families, hard work is the primary currency accepted as a means of gaining affection and support. For people from socioeconomic backgrounds on either end of the scale, relaxation can seem lazy, irresponsible, or pointless. Guilt is a powerful motivator in keeping relaxation firmly off the docket.
In a similar vein, shame can make relaxation difficult. Some people might feel ashamed for the seeming "weakness" demonstrated by needing time to relax and might persistently fight the urge or need to relax.
Still others might not be able to relax out of fear. Some people fear that they are perpetually running out of time and cannot relax for fear of missing out on opportunities, wasting time, or falling by the wayside. These fears could be driven by insecurity, timelines with work or school, feelings of inadequacy, and more.
The autogenic training relaxation technique
The autogenic training relaxation technique (hereafter referred to as "ATRT") is a relaxation technique that has been likened to yoga and meditation for anxiety and stress. This practice uses both verbal cues and physical alterations to produce relaxation. Initially developed as an entirely physical relaxation tool, it has grown in popularity as a complementary treatment for anxiety and depression. The body's relaxation systems are often directly tied to mental relaxation systems, making it vital to focus on both the body and the mind.
ATRT is usually taught to patients as a self-guided tool in 15-20-minute sessions over approximately three months. Ideally, after learning how to apply the technique, people can use relaxation methods to keep anxiety and depression symptoms to a minimum without going back to the teaching practitioner. This format and technique can be helpful for people who hope to take a larger role in their recovery and treatment.
Physical cues in ATRT include focusing attention on the breath and drawing attention to different parts of the body in a predetermined sequence. A practitioner might instruct you to focus on the soles of your feet first, then move to your ankles, then your calves, and up through the rest of your body, allowing each portion of your body to gain your focused attention while allowing you to take note of any existing sensations. You might also be encouraged to create sensations of warmth and heaviness in your body or to manipulate your breathing patterns to create greater physical feelings of relaxation.
From there, clients will learn how to introduce verbal cues into their relaxation. These cues are relatively simple, including ideas such as "I am calm," "My body is heavy," and "I am at ease." These cues, combined with physical actions, help create an all-over relaxation and wellness tool that has been consistently linked to lower incidences of anxiety and depression.
How ATRT helps anxiety
The body's defense systems are generated by the presence of anxiety and depression, which can set your body on a path to chronically activating the sympathetic nervous system. Your sympathetic nervous system (often referred to as the fight or flight system) functioning as your primary state of being puts you at risk in all aspects of your health, as it increases your likelihood of developing heart conditions (think cardiac disease, hypertension, and related disorders), and can decrease your life span and quality of life.
ATRT eases anxiety through deep physical relaxation, which has a calming effect on your mind and mood. Although it is not used as a stand-alone treatment, it can be a wonderful tool to have in your fight against anxiety and depression. Many therapists endorse its use as a complementary source of treatment when engaging in psychotherapy or using pharmaceutical intervention.
Although ATRT is a helpful tool in minimizing and managing existing anxiety, one study found that it is also a useful tool in avoiding anxiety altogether. For this reason, ATRT can be a helpful practice to engage in even if an anxiety disorder or continually advanced anxiety rates are not present. Far from being a niche-only treatment regimen, ATRT can help treat and prevent various psychological and physical conditions and disorders.
Explore autogenic training and other relaxation techniques in therapy
ATRT is not a quick-fix solution for anxiety or depression. Instead, it is typically a months-long type of training that allows people to take a greater stand in treating the symptoms of both conditions. ATRT is also not designed to take the place of cognitive or pharmaceutical treatments but is instead designed to be used as a complementary treatment source.
ATRT should be completed with a licensed healthcare professional and usually takes one 15-to-20-minute session per week for three to six months. Participants are encouraged to practice the techniques for approximately five minutes each day outside of professional sessions to reap the practice's full benefits and create a more consistent, reliable regimen.
Although ATRT can be a wonderful tool in your general wellness arsenal, it is not intended to take the place of therapy. If you have begun ATRT training, but do not currently have another therapist at your disposal, consider enlisting the services of a therapist like those available on Regain.Us, to create a well-rounded, thorough treatment team to take your anxiety and depression treatment from adequate to effective and lasting.
Additionally, online therapy has been found to be overall as successful as in-person therapy. For example, the National Center for Health Research conducted a meta-analysis of dozens of studies focused on comparing online and in-person therapy. They found that online therapy is as effective as traditional therapy for a variety of conditions and concerns, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What are the six stages of autogenic training?
The six steps of the autogenic therapy relaxation training technique are:
- First, feel the heaviness in your muscles.
- Next, feel the warmth in your arms, legs, and other body areas.
- Third, sense a slower and more relaxed heartbeat.
- Fourth, notice slower and more relaxed breathing.
- Then, relaxation of the abdomen.
- Lastly, allow the sensation of coolness of the forehead.
- How do I learn autogenic training?
Autogenic training is a relaxation technique that helps you learn how to relax your autonomic nervous system. There are a few different autogenic methods that you can use to achieve an autogenic state.
Autogenic training should be learned from a licensed professional and should be practiced for several minutes daily for the best results.
This training is a relaxation technique that is relatively simple to learn. Still, it does require a significant amount of autogenic training to perform it properly and effectively when needed. This is why it is important to practice autogenic training with a trained therapist who can help guide you to ensure that you’re doing it correctly. With their help, they can correct your technique, help guide you in your visualizations and affirmations, and provide guidance.
What is the basis of autogenic relaxation?
Autogenic training is a relaxation training technique that was developed in Germany in the 1920s. Autogenic training is used to learn how to physically and mentally relax and have some control over your autonomic nervous system.
Autogenic methods are a commonly taught part of therapy, among other relaxation training techniques. Autogenic training works exceptionally well in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy to manage anxiety disorders and panic disorders.
The breathing techniques you learn to achieve an autogenic state help you control your heart rate, breathing, and overall stress levels. Autogenic therapy uses visual imagery and body awareness to control and reduce stress levels.
- What is the meaning of autogenic?
Autogenic means “self-generated” or “coming from oneself.” The basis of autogenic training is to learn how to calm yourself and reduce stress from the inside. This is done through visualizations, affirmations, and deep, controlled breathing.
- What is autogenic breathing?
This technique is also known as autogenic drainage and is used to help remove mucus secretions from your airways. A respiratory therapist teaches this technique and, on average, it takes 20-45 minutes to clear out mucus secretions from your body fully.
This autogenic training is done in three phases and is best used for people who often experience congestion, breathing issues, or other respiratory problems. To start, you’ll want to be in a relaxed seated position with your next extended. The three phases are:
Phase 1: Moving the mucus from the small airways (unsticking)
- Start with breathing control: air in, air out.
- Take a deep breath and blow all the air out of your lungs until you feel like they are empty of air.
- Once the lungs are empty, take in a small breath of air through your nose.
- Hold the breath for three seconds, then exhale all the air out.
- Repeat this two times.
Phase 2: "Collecting" the mucus in larger or mid-sized airways.
- Take a normal-sized breath.
- Hold the breath for three seconds.
- With some gentle force, exhale all the air out of your lungs. This may make you feel like you want to cough but hold the cough to the very end if possible.
- Repeat three times.
Phase 3: Moving mucus from the medium-sized airways to the large airways to be coughed out (evacuation)
- Take a deep breath.
- Hold for three seconds.
- With gentle force, exhale all the air out of your lungs.
- Repeat three times.
- Do not cough until after the third breath.
Each phase should take two to three minutes to complete. Completing all three phases (one cycle) should take about six to nine minutes to complete. Repeat the cycle until you have cleared your lungs as much as possible, which should take between 20 and 45 minutes.
- How does autogenic training cause relaxation?
In the research article Autogenic Training: A Meta-Analysis, autogenic training was found to be significantly effective in reducing anxiety and stress levels. By practicing autogenic training, we learn how to directly control and force the parts of our bodies' stress to relax. It is a complete awareness of your body, and when you understand what causes your body to tense up, it becomes easier to relax.
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