If you have tried relaxation techniques and been unsuccessful, but still feel the need to do something, then don't lose hope. There are different ways to achieve the same thing.

Our lives are full of demands at all different levels. All demands effect us. Some to a mild degree and some not so mild. We respond to the demands, but what happens when we can't turn off our internal response to the demand? Well, it stays on. As a result, you might start to experience general symptoms such as anxiety, depression, negative mood states including anger or irritability, or stomach cramps and headaches. This is what a researcher by the name of Zimbardo and colleagues call "non-specific and unexplainable general arousal." Relaxation is the process of turning-off the response to demand.

Most relaxation exercises involve slowing down your breathing. The slow breathing increasing the partial pressures of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your blood. This then changes the chemistry of your body and has a flow-on effect that generally calms the nervous system.

The problem with the 'breathing-down' style of relaxation is that it irritates some people. Some people find it difficult to concentrate. Other people are very sensitive to increases of CO2 in their blood and get panicky. So, for some people the 'breathing-down' style is not a pleasant experience. It could be said that, if relaxation is not pleasant, then it's not really relaxation. An alternative method is to cause decreases in the amount of CO2 in your blood. I call this a 'breathing up' style of relaxation.

This is how to relax by breathing-up:

• Lie in a comfortable position allowing you to breathe freely and deeply through your mouth. If you prefer, tilt your head back slightly.
• Place your finger tips in the little pits under each collar-bone. Inhale smoothly and fully to feel your finger tips move.

Each out breath must be an act of relaxation. You must be very conscious of this fact and focus on this aspect. Breathing fully is a challenge, at first it might be difficult to do it smoothly. Don't worry if you find it difficult at first, keep practicing. You will know when you are doing it right because each out breath will take you deeper and deeper into the relaxation-experience.

TAKE CARE ALL THE SAME. I'm not suggesting that what I am telling you is at all dangerous, but take notice of the changes happening to your body. Especially look for the physical signs of hyperventilation. Your body will give you feedback in the form of TETANY. This is usually first noticed as tingling in the hands, or stiffening of the fingers, or pains in the wrists, or tingling in the lips, or tightening in the throat. If tetany progresses further it can be an unexpected or even a terrifying experience. Your hands can lock up like a claw, and your mouth, tongue, and face can become twisted and contorted. People who do rebirthing go to this point quite often. They use the pain and the altered nature of the experience to act-out some past trauma. I'm suggesting that you don't do that. It is entirely unnecessary for our purposes here.

The suggestion is that you initially pace your breathing to bring on the tetany. Then pace your breathing back to a level where you remain aware of the tetany. After a while you should begin to notice the tingling and warmth in your gut. The gut feeling might even come as a flush. You might feel it all over your body. Once that happens just lie back and enjoy. At that point you should be able to use the gut feeling as feedback. Notice the things you can do to hold it or increase it. This whole process should take about 10-minutes, 20-minutes as a maximum. You could practice this technique 10-minutes once a day until the breathing is free. Then after that, about ten to twenty minutes a week should be of noticeable benefit.

People who experience panic attacks or who suffer from chronic lung disease are advised to use this technique under supervision at first. This is because people who suffer Panic Disorder, when they experience tetany for the first time, often think incorrectly that they are about to die. People with chronic lung disease sometimes need high levels of CO2 in their blood to remind them to breathe. Even if neither of these conditions apply to you, take care all the same, follow the instructions and discuss this approach with your physician if you have concerns or any type of problematic health condition. I wish you good health.

References:

Alpher, V. S. and Blanton, R. L. (1991).
Motivational processes and behavioral inhibitions in breath holding.
The Journal of Psychology. Vol. 125, No. 1, 71-81.

Benson, H. (1983).
The relaxation response: its subjective and objective historical precedents and physiology.
TINS, July.

Benson, H., and Klipper, M. Z. (1988).
The relaxation response.

Glasgow: Colins.Lazarus, A. A., and Mayne, T. J. (1990).
Relaxation: Some limitations, side effects, and proposed solutions.
Psychotherapy. Vol. 27, No. 2, 261-266.

Papp, L. A., Klein, D. F., and Gorman, J. M. (1993).
Carbon dioxide hypersensitivity, hyperventilation, and panic disorder.
American Journal of Psychiatry. Vol. 150, No. 8, 1149-1157.

Rubin, B. K. (1983).
Cognitive, Affective, and Physiological Outcomes of Rebirthing.
Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, UMI Dissertation Services.

Selye, H. (1984).
The stress of life.
New York: McGraw-Hill.

Zimbardo, P. G., LaBerge, S., and Butler, L. D. (1993).
Psychophysiological consequences of unexplained arousal: A posthypnotic suggestion paradigm.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Vol. 102, No. 3, 466-473.

4/22/98

Brendan Lloyd, BA., is currently completing his Master of Health Science degree by research in psychology at the Southern Cross University, Lismore Australia.

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