Topic: More Anxious when trying to listento relaxation cd's?
feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
I got some relaxation cd's and tried them out last night. One was called "Your present, a half hour of Peace".
Holy Moley, I felt like I was coming out of my skin! Everytime she mentioned my breating or heartbeat I would sweat. Anything about body functions, like: " relax your jaw, your arms, etc." it made me flippy.
I did fairly well with the visualizations of a nice special place, waves etc.
But any mention of my body and I was more wound up than before beginning the exercise.
Anyone else?
Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Feel,
Get the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund Bourne. I bought it years ago, but our local library has it. I think I have the 4th edition.
He has several long pages of relaxation reading.
When I first saw it, I thought, yeah if i have to read it, it's not going to help.
I was so incredibly anxious one night in Oct. I opened the book to that part and my goodness I was calm enough to sleep. I think he suggests that you can also read the page and record it and listen to it.
I agree, when I am super anxious, hearing someone say to slow your breathing and relax your muscles, does NOT help.
If you are able to locate this book, let me know if it helped =)
feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
Thanks Sweetie,
i actually have the book, also bought it many years ago but never utilized it. It is at my Michigan house though.
Maybe I will go online and see if the local library has it.
Maybe worth a repeat visit.
Thank you, Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Hey feel...
I was in a stress class at college (Health & PE) and one of our projects was to do a muscle relaxation tape.
I was the only one who could not move once it was done. I literally could not move. My muscles had all spasm'd really bad... really bad. It was torture.
I've since advised others to never do a muscle relaxation where you tighten up the muscles, then try to relax them... unless people doing it are prepared for that to possibly happen. I'm not the only one this has happened to and it is a nightmare.
If you can stick with the waves... or the beach.. ok. Whatever works for you. But you are not alone with your reaction.
posted
Feelfit, I totally have the same problems with any type of "relaxation" or meditation cds. When I try to focus on the breathing, I'll get anxious and start hyperventilating instead. Progressive muscle relaxation exercises also have a paradoxical effect and make me antsy and wound up.
I too do better with the guided imagery but do tend to get impatient during it.
I think our struggle with this stuff is that we already spend tso much of our lives focusing on our physical condition that we get even more stressed out when forced to sit still and focus on breathing and other body responses.
The guided imagery probably helps because it takes our focus away from our physical state...which is exactly what we need!
I find inspirational religious/spiritual sermons on cd the best form of relaxation and improving my mood. If you believe anything you hear, you can't help but be taken out of the present and instead be forced to think about something beyond yourself and your physical state. I can recommend a few if you're interested.
Erica
Posts: 408 | From California | Registered: Apr 2008
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btmb03
Unregistered
posted
Could also be a reaction to our brains that are "wired" or over-firing (high beta) to suddenly changing to a relaxation state (alpha maybe even theta)..quite a feat for a complex organ so to compensate we must release some adrenaline that keeps us in that "fight or flight" mode.
Just the sound of that guy's voice makes my eyeballs push out of my head from blood pressure.
Posts: 845 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2006
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