It's control of your psycho emotional state, which is achieved by a person's impact on himself with the help of the power of words ( affirmation), mental images ( visualization), control muscle tone and respiration. Self-regulation techniques can be applied in any situation.
As a result of self-regulation, three main effects can occur:
There are natural ways of self-regulation of the mental state, which include: long sleep, food, communication with nature and animals, massage, movement, dancing, music and much more. But similar funds cannot be used, for example, at work, directly at the moment when a tense situation arose or fatigue accumulated.
Timely self-regulation acts as a kind of psychohygienic means. It prevents the accumulation of residual effects of overvoltage, contributes to the complete recovery of strength, normalizes the emotional background of activity and helps to take control over emotions and also enhances the mobilization of body resources.
Natural methods of body regulation are one of the most accessible ways of self-regulation:
In addition to the natural methods of regulating the body, there are other ways of mental self-regulation(self-action). Let's consider them in more detail.
Breath control is effective remedy effects on muscle tone and emotional centers of the brain. Slow and deep breathing (with the participation of the abdominal muscles) lowers the excitability of the nerve centers, promotes muscle relaxation, that is, relaxation. Rapid (thoracic) breathing, on the contrary, provides high level body activity, supports neuropsychic tension. Below is one way to use the breath for self-regulation.
Sitting or standing, try to relax the muscles of the body as much as possible and focus on breathing.
After 3-5 minutes of such breathing, you will notice that your state has become noticeably calmer and more balanced.
Under the influence of mental stress, muscle clamps and tension arise. The ability to relax them allows you to relieve neuropsychic tension, quickly restore strength. As a rule, it is not possible to achieve full relaxation of all muscles at once, you need to focus on the most stressed parts of the body.
Sit comfortably, if possible, close your eyes.
In a well-relaxed muscle, you will feel the appearance of warmth and pleasant heaviness.
If the clamp cannot be removed, especially on the face, try to smooth it out with a light self-massage with circular movements of the fingers (you can make grimaces of surprise, joy, etc.).
Verbal influence activates the conscious mechanism of self-hypnosis, there is a direct impact on the psycho-physiological functions of the body. Self-hypnosis formulations are built in the form of simple and short statements, with a positive orientation (without the “not” particle).
One of these methods of self-regulation is based on the use of self-orders - short, abrupt orders made to oneself. Use self-order when you are convinced that you need to behave in a certain way, but are having difficulty organizing your behavior appropriately. Tell yourself: “Talk calmly!”, “Be silent, be silent!”, “Do not succumb to provocation!” - it helps to restrain emotions, to behave with dignity, to comply with the requirements of ethics and the rules of communication.
The sequence of work with self-orders is as follows:
In many situations, it is advisable to "look back", recall your successes in a similar position. Past successes tell a person about his capabilities, about hidden reserves in the spiritual, intellectual, volitional spheres and inspire Confidence in your strength.
You can set yourself up for success with the help of self-programming.
1. Recall a situation when you coped with similar difficulties.
2. Use affirmations. To enhance the effect, you can use the words "just today", for example:
3. Mentally repeat the text several times.
Attitude formulas can be said aloud in front of a mirror or silently on the way.
People often do not receive a positive assessment of their behavior from the outside. Especially difficult to tolerate is its deficiency in situations of increased neuropsychic stress, which is one of the reasons for the increase in nervousness and irritation. Therefore, it is important to encourage yourself. In the case of even minor successes, it is advisable to praise yourself, mentally saying: “Well done!”, “Clever!”, “It turned out great!”.
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Methods of mental self-regulation
Methods of psychic self-regulation against stress from the patented and approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation method of psychophysiological self-regulation by psychiatrist Hasai Aliyev. The key to himself (by the way, this is the name of his recently published, but already popular book), Dr. Aliev has been looking for almost 20 years. The solution turned out to be surprisingly simple and versatile.
The so-called ideomotor methods of mental self-regulation, that is, movements that are carried out with minimal effort, almost automatically, have become the "key" that opens up the possibility of relieving a stressful state. In moments of nervous tension, for example, we rhythmically swing our legs, or tap our fingers on the table, or walk up and down the room... We make rhythmic movements involuntarily, obeying some inner need. And, oddly enough, these simple actions bring calm, restore the lost inner balance.
Many have experienced the beneficial effect of Aliev's ideomotor methods of psychic self-regulation. At the Institute of Biophysics, people working under critical loads, in conditions close to extreme (i.e., in a state of chronic stress), noted that after applying self-regulation methods, they feel a surge of strength and vigor. And doctors registered positive changes in hemodynamics, frequency and volume of breathing, and the activity of the cardiovascular system.
Operators working in the electronics industry in Moscow and Zelenograd used psychic self-regulation techniques to reduce fatigue and significant eye strain that are inevitable in conditions of intensive monotonous production. The astronauts of Star City included exercises in their training plan for accelerated in-flight adaptation. In MNTK "Eye Microsurgery" specialists working on the conveyor, with the "key" of Dr. Aliyev, relieved tension and fatigue, and patients - fear and anxiety before the operation and pain after it.
Aliyev's method of mental self-regulation is known in clinics and medical institutions in Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Italy, Australia...
Methods of mental self-regulation
1. Reception of mental self-regulation is performed while sitting or standing, with closed or open eyes - whichever is more pleasant. Hands can be crossed on the chest, put on your knees or lowered freely. The head is slightly thrown back into a position from which one does not seem to want to leave.
Start rocking your body back and forth, from side to side, in a circular motion. Settle on what is more organic for you and look for the most pleasant swinging rhythm.
2. Sitting or standing with your eyes closed, sway your body slightly, imagining a pleasant train ride, for example. Do not impose your rhythm on the body, let it "choose" it.
When performing these methods of mental self-regulation, a feeling of drowsiness may appear, which means that the body is experiencing a lack of sleep and it is necessary, if possible, to take a nap.
If, while swaying, you feel how calm is replacing nervous tension and the "vice" of stress is weakening, then you have found the right rhythm. Do the rocking for 5 to 15 minutes one or more times a day, depending on the needs of the body, and you will soon notice how your well-being improves.
3. Standing with your eyes closed or open, stretch your straight arms forward. Listen to yourself: are you relaxed enough? Are you ready? Slowly spread your arms to the side: they should diverge as if by themselves.
If your hands remain motionless, then you are too "squeezed" and you need to do some of the usual exercises (swinging your arms to the sides, in front of your chest), and then calmly spread your arms again.
4. Standing with your eyes closed or open, spread your straight arms to the sides. Relax and slowly bring your hands together, stretching them out in front of you.
The spreading and bringing together of the hands must be repeated several times in a row, achieving, as it were, continuous movement and the feeling that some kind of force is pulling them against your will.
5. Standing with open or closed eyes, arms freely lowered, slowly raise either the left or the right hand up as if it is being pulled by an invisible thread: the hand seems to “pop up”.
6. Sitting or standing, slowly rotate your head, as if bypassing painful and tense positions. When you find a head position in which you want to freeze, stop: this is the point of relaxation. Then resume the rotation, but in no case to the point of fatigue. Despite its simplicity, this movement effectively relieves stress and returns to a state of peace and balance.
All methods of mental self-regulation can be performed separately or in combination one or more times a day. And after a short workout, you can relieve nervous tension by simply mentally imagining any of these movements. Choose actions that correspond to the state of the moment, and do not subordinate yourself to a given goal - and you will gain lightness, relaxedness, self-confidence. And stress will be defeated!
Autogenic training by J. Schulz
In 1932, the German psychiatrist Johann Schulz proposed the author's method of self-regulation, which he called autogenic training. Schultz based his method on his observations of people who fell into trance states. Something Schultz borrowed from yogis, as well as from the works of Vogt, Coue, Jacobson. Schultz believed (and most "specialists" still believe) that all trance states are reduced to a phenomenon that the English surgeon Braid in 1843 called hypnosis. That is, Schultz believed that the following factors underlie the whole variety of trance states: 1) muscle relaxation; 2) a feeling of psychological peace and drowsiness; 3) the art of suggestion or self-hypnosis; and 4) a developed imagination. Therefore, Schultz created his own method by combining the recommendations of many predecessors. The Schultz method eventually became a classic, widely spread throughout the world. Currently, there are about two hundred modifications of the Schultz method, but all of them, every one, are inferior to the one proposed by the author himself.
The doctor explains to the patient in a preliminary conversation physiological basis method and effect expected from the performance of a particular exercise. It is explained that muscle relaxation will be subjectively felt by the patient as a feeling of heaviness, and the following muscle relaxation - vasodilation - will lead to a feeling of pleasant warmth. The patient is advised to relax the belt and collar and sit or lie down in a position comfortable for sleeping and close the eyes. Try not to react to any interference that, as you train, will not interfere at all. The position of the body should exclude any muscle tension. Schultz considered one of the following poses to be the most convenient for practicing:
1. Sitting position. The trainee sits on a chair in the coachman's position - the head is slightly lowered forward, the hands and forearms lie freely on the surface of the thighs, palms down.
2. Half-sitting position. The practitioner sits in comfortable chair, leaning back and throwing his head back - on the soft back of the chair. The whole body is relaxed, the legs are freely apart or slightly extended.
3. Lying position. The trainee lies comfortably on his back. The head is on a low pillow. The arms are slightly bent at the elbows and lie gently with the palms down along the torso.
Having taken a comfortable position, the trainee begins to evoke an autogenic trance background in himself in the following sequence:
1. Causing a feeling of heaviness. The trainee mentally repeats the formula several times: “My right hand is very heavy” (for a left-hander, the left hand). Having achieved a feeling of heaviness in the right hand, the trainee causes this feeling in the other hand, then in both hands at the same time, in both legs, then in both arms and legs at the same time, then in the whole body.
2. Causing a feeling of warmth. Having achieved a clear feeling of heaviness, repeat the following formula several times: "My right (left) hand is warm." Further, the sensation of warmth is evoked in the same sequence as the sensation of heaviness.
3. Mastering the rhythm of cardiac activity. The formula is mentally repeated several times: "The heart beats calmly and evenly."
4. Mastering the rhythm of breathing. Formula "I breathe completely calmly."
5. Causing a feeling of warmth in the area of the solar plexus. Formula: "My solar plexus is warm, very warm."
6. Forehead coolness formula: "My forehead is pleasantly cool."
The whole training begins and ends with the formula: "I am completely calm." This formula is constantly pronounced in every exercise.
At the end of the session, in order to get yourself out of a state of rest and relaxation, it is recommended to make sharp extensor movements with your hands, accompanying these movements with a sharp exhalation, and then open your eyes wide. Schultz tried to combine individual lessons with group lessons of 30-70 people in a group. Schultz called the first six exercises the lowest level of training, and then the student mastered the highest level:
1. Raising sustained attention. The trainee, with his eyes closed, takes his eyeballs up and, as it were, looks at one point, located just above the eyebrows.
2. Development of the ability to visualize representations. The trainee causes on the mental screen the representation of any monochromatic color or a specific image of an object. The duration of this exercise is 30-60 minutes and it is recommended to do it only after six months of autogenic training.
3. Inducing a state of intense absorption. The trainee is given a topic (for example, “happiness”) and achieves a dream-like state when visual images appear on the mental screen (as in a dream) reflecting the given topic.
4. Inducing a state of deep immersion. The trainee learns to conduct an internal dialogue, splitting consciousness into "I" and "observer I". In this dialogue, the “observer” asks a question, and the “I” answers with a stream of mental pictures (in auto-training this is called the “answer of the unconscious”).
After Schultz, many scientists, not understanding the role of imagination in self-regulation (due to the lack of personal deep trance experience), incorrectly improved his method, discarding the main thing - the gradual achievement of the ability to visualize, and sharply reducing the time of classes, mastered only the first degree. Therefore, reduced autogenic training, being deprived of its main secret - a developed imagination, became ineffective and has not found wide application in world practice either in medicine, or in sports, or in production.
Autogenic training allows you to quickly, without outside help in 5-10 minutes, achieve the necessary result of restoring working capacity, improving mood, increasing concentration, etc., without waiting for fatigue, anxiety or any other unfavorable mental or physical state to pass by itself.
Methods of autogenic training are universal, they allow a person to individually select an adequate response to influence his body, when it is necessary to eliminate emerging problems associated with one or another unfavorable physical or psychological state.
Staying in a negative emotional state has a devastating effect on the body, since ancient times people have been looking for ways to control their mental state. Methods of self-regulation of emotional states are being actively studied, today a number of techniques have been developed to manage stress. Self-regulation is a system of certain actions aimed at managing one's psyche. Regulation techniques make it possible to consciously control one's behavior.
AT domestic psychology the definition of emotional regulation occurs in the following contexts:
The mechanism of self-regulation and regulation of emotional states was considered by F.B. Berezin. In his works, the regulation of the body is associated with mental adaptation. Berezin argues that psychological defenses counteract anxiety and stress. The conducted research led Berezin to the conclusion that there are individual personality characteristics, it is they that help to successfully adapt to stress. This is the level of neuropsychic stability, self-esteem, emotional response in conflicts and others.
The well-known approach of R.M. Granovskaya. She divides all methods of emotional regulation into three groups:
Regulate the state of R.M. Granovskaya suggests using a weakening of motivation. For example, it is possible to reduce emotional tension when achieving a goal by concentrating not on the final result, but on tactics.
A number of mental states lead to disorganization, so they need to be regulated. There are two ways:
The concept of self-regulation refers to the second point, that is, a person helps himself to cope with a tense situation on his own. Methods of psychological self-regulation involve volitional participation, the personality of a person matters.
Mental self-regulation is the management of the emotional state by influencing oneself with the help of words, images, muscle tone, changes in breathing.
Psychological self-regulation allows you to eliminate, weaken the signs of fatigue, increase psychophysiological reactivity.
Modern self-management of the state is a kind of psychohygienic method that increases the resources of the body.
In psychology, there are several approaches to the classification of state self-government. L.P. Grimak identified the following levels of self-regulation:
Any mechanisms of self-regulation begin with motivation. Regulation and self-regulation of mental states are closely related to achievement motivation. Motivation is what drives a person, and mental self-regulation is the ability to maintain the desired level of activity.
The level is mobilized when it is necessary to "remake" oneself, one's attitudes and personal values.
Regulatory qualities:
The level provides the necessary degree of energy mobilization for the optimal functioning of the psyche. Types of self-regulation at the level:
Volitional self-regulation makes it possible to control one's feelings, the ability to consciously maintain one's well-being in extreme situations.
Emotional self-regulation comes in two forms:
Involuntary regulation allows you to remove stress and anxiety intuitively. Conscious regulation is associated with target activity, a person uses special methods to restore emotional strength.
Methods of mental self-regulation were used in ancient times, for example, the technique of self-hypnosis went down in history as a practice of Indian yogis.
Known ways of self-regulation of the emotional state:
The relaxation technique can be arbitrary (relaxation when going to sleep) and arbitrary. The free technique is evoked by taking a relaxed posture, imagining states corresponding to rest. Self-regulation skills with help allow you to perform a number of tasks:
tricks emotional self-regulation with the help of auto-training proposed by the German doctor Schultz. Autogenic training is self-hypnosis, techniques are learned in the course of systematic exercises.
Most people can master the technique, under the influence of training, the emotional sphere normalizes, stress goes away, and volitional capabilities increase.
Examples of self-regulation using autogenous training:
Methods of psychological self-regulation with the help of desensitization can reduce fear and anxiety in frightening situations. This may be a fear of heights, flying, or memories of traumatic experiences.
Habitual methods of regulation are the elimination of anxiety through relaxation. Immersed in a state of complete rest, a person imagines disturbing situations. It is necessary to alternate approaching and moving away from the voltage source.
An effective technique is work with breathing. Holding free breath when faced with an alarming situation, you can regain freedom of action.
The principles of self-regulation using desensitization is the elimination of anxiety through a positive attitude. An example here is when a child sings a cheerful song about how a lion ate a man. The sound and tone of speech eliminates fear. (Song from the movie "Mary Poppins Goodbye"). The general cheerful mood eliminates stress. In this film you can find effective methods self-regulation and removal of psycho-emotional stress in children.
The foundations of self-regulation are laid in meditation. The process of meditation allows you to fully relax and relieve fatigue. Enough 15-20 minutes a day. There are two types of meditation:
The effect of meditation is beneficial to health, it can reduce the symptoms of physical diseases, and it has a beneficial effect on physiology. After practice, metabolism, respiratory rate improves.
Video: webinar "What is self-regulation and why is it needed?".
Methods of mental self-regulation are not only conscious, but also natural. These include:
Natural regulation helps prevent neuro-emotional breakdowns, reduce overwork.
A person uses some basic natural methods of mental regulation intuitively. This is a long sleep, communication with nature, delicious food, a bath, massage, sauna, dancing or your favorite music.
Many of the ways people use unconsciously. Experts advise moving from spontaneous application to conscious control of one's condition.
To avoid nervous breakdowns, it is worth using regulation methods. Self-management of one's condition can become the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and a condition for calm well-being. The main advice is regular use.
Video: webinar by psychologist Nina Rubshtein "Dependence, counter-dependence and self-regulation".
In the process of consulting a client with CMEA, it is advisable to help him form a personal “bank of positive emotions”, plot images of situations associated with bright positive moments and “get them out of the bank” at the right time (Vodopyanova N. E., Starchenkova E. S., 2005).
In cases where it is not possible to influence stressors, the client should be taught to regulate his emotional state. For this purpose, methods of regulation and self-regulation of mental states are used.
Psychological methods. Most of the methods of this group are based on suggestion and self-hypnosis. Currently, there are special methods of mental regulation and self-regulation that contribute to the performance of certain habitual professional actions. Their goal, as a rule, is to switch from excessive emotional arousal to some practical, predominantly motor (but sometimes mental) activity. For example, the famous scientist B. Pascal overcame malaise and even toothache, focusing on solving mathematical problems.
Among the methods that contribute to the solution of professional problems, one should also include ways to control attention. In particular, techniques are used to focus attention on certain objects and phenomena that are not associated with a potentially frustrating or psycho-traumatic situation. Attention can be focused on a mentally represented state of rest. A positive effect can also be provided by ideomotor actions carried out in the aspects of solving planned tasks that are opposed to negative psychogenic influences.
Focus training also has a positive effect. For example, by repeated repetition it is possible to achieve a fairly clear reproduction of a 5-second interval, then a 10-second, 15-second, etc. Concentration of attention can also be trained by concentrating on a specific thought or object, such as an instrument needle. Such training should last from a minute or more.
Most often, for the purpose of self-regulation of the mental state, various verbal formulas of suggestion and self-hypnosis are used. Their formulation, as a rule, is based on the affirmative principle. They should be short and extremely simple. At the same time, the feeling of initial confidence in the positive effect of these formulas is extremely important. Examples of such formulas are the words: “I am calm!”, “I am ready for a well-aimed shot!”, “I will keep running speed!”, “I can overcome fear!” (Maklakov A.G., 2005).
Methods of psychophysiological self-regulation. (Psychophysiological methods).
Regulation of muscle tone. An arbitrary increase in muscle tone does not require the development of special skills, since this function is sufficiently developed and controlled in humans. The development of relaxation skills requires special training, which should begin with relaxation of the muscles of the face and right hand, which play a leading role in the formation of general muscle tone.
To relax the muscles of the face, attention is first focused on the muscles of the forehead. At the same time, the eyebrows take a neutral position, the upper eyelids calmly fall down, and the eyeballs turn slightly upwards, so that the inner gaze is focused to infinity in the region of the nose. The tongue should be soft, and its tip is at the base of the upper teeth. The lips are half open, the teeth do not touch each other. This relaxation mask must be learned to be done in any environment and maintained for 3-5 minutes. In the future, the skill of relaxing the muscles of the whole body is easily developed. Relaxation, carried out under the continuous control of the mind's eye, usually begins with the right hand (for right-handers), then continues in this order: left hand- right leg - left leg - torso.
Breathing rhythm control. Some regularities of the impact of breathing on the level of mental activity are used here. So, during inhalation, the activation of the mental state occurs, while during exhalation, calming occurs. Arbitrarily setting the rhythm of breathing, in which a relatively short inhalation phase alternates with a longer exhalation followed by a pause. This allows you to achieve a pronounced general calm. The type of breathing, which includes a longer inhalation phase with some breath holding on inhalation and a relatively short exhalation phase (quite vigorously), leads to an increase in the activity of the nervous system and all body functions. The duration of the pause is in direct relation to the duration of inspiration and in all cases is equal to half of it.
Properly administered abdominal breathing has a number of physiological benefits. It involves all floors of the lungs in the respiratory act, increases the degree of oxygenation of the blood, the vital capacity of the lungs, and massages the internal organs. Therefore, this issue should be given special attention. Those involved should understand that during inhalation, the muscles of the anterior wall of the peritoneum protrude, the dome of the diaphragm flattens and pulls the lungs down, causing them to expand. During exhalation, the abdominal muscles are somewhat drawn in, as if forcing air out of the lungs. The increased curvature of the diaphragm lifts the lungs up.
Calming breath type used to neutralize excessive excitation after conflict, stressful situations, to relieve nervous tension. It is characterized by a gradual lengthening of the exhalation to the duration of a double inhalation. The pause in this case is equal to half the breath and is carried out after the exhalation. In the second stage, inhalation and exhalation are lengthened. On the third, the inhalation is lengthened until it is equal to the exhalation. On the fourth - the duration of breathing returns to its original value. It is not recommended to lengthen the breath more than up to a count of 10.
Mobilizing type of breathing helps to overcome drowsiness, lethargy, fatigue associated with monotonous work and mobilizes attention. Breathing exercises have a positive effect on the cardiovascular, respiratory systems, digestive apparatus, tissue metabolism, increase the functionality of body systems, ultimately determining its overall tone and alertness.
Autogenic training (AT). The use of autogenic training is based on mastering the possibilities of self-suggestion or autosuggestion (from the Greek autos - itself, suggestio - suggestion). The necessary conditions for this are concentrated self-observation of the course of internal processes, carried out rather in a passive than in an active-volitional form, and the presentation of the desired change (for example, warming, lightening, weighting, calming, etc.).
The main element of AT is the assimilation and operation of verbal formulations (self-hypnosis formulas) in the form of self-orders. In fact, self-hypnosis formulas are subjective markers that indirectly reflect complex complexes of sensory representations: organic sensations, a sense of muscle tension, emotionally colored images, etc.
The experience of states of autogenic immersion for methods aimed at the formation of self-regulating influences is not an end in itself. The main thing is to achieve the required state "at the exit" from autogenic immersion, as well as to obtain a delayed optimizing effect. For this, special formulations of self-orders are used - the so-called “goal formulas”, which set the necessary orientation for the further development of the state. The goal formulas mastered in the process of acquiring self-regulation skills, as well as self-hypnosis formulas, can have a different focus: the ability to further relax, rest, go to sleep - or have an activating effect, if necessary, immediately after the end of the relaxation session, start activities. It must be borne in mind that such goal formulas are a necessary final element in the application of any modification of AT.
Neuromuscular relaxation. The method of active muscle relaxation was proposed by E. Jacobson (1927) and consists of a series of exercises for voluntary relaxation of the main muscle groups of the body. A characteristic feature of each exercise is the alternation of strong tension and the relaxation of the corresponding muscle group that quickly follows it. Subjectively, the process of relaxation is represented by sensations of softening, the spread of a wave of heat and pleasant heaviness in the area of the body being worked out, a feeling of peace and relaxation. These sensations are a consequence of the elimination of residual, usually unnoticed muscle tension, increased blood supply to the vessels in this area and, accordingly, increased metabolic and recovery processes. When relieving fatigue and emotional stress, active relaxation, all the main parts of the body are subject to work, “worked out” in a certain sequence, for example: muscles of the limbs (legs, arms), torso, shoulders, neck, head, face. Below is a basic set of neuromuscular relaxation exercises in a slightly abbreviated version. The time required to complete the initial stages of training is 18-20 minutes. Contraindications for performing individual relaxation exercises are pathologies of the corresponding organs, age up to 12 years. In the presence of any diseases, before using neuromuscular relaxation techniques, it is required to undergo counseling and obtain permission from a doctor (Appendices 7,8).
self-regulation guard duty reflex
Self-regulation is conditionally divided into biological (reflex, as the highest form of biological) and consciously controlled.
Biological self-regulation is genetically encoded complex internal processes that underlie the growth, development, vital activity and protective functions of the body of both humans and animals and plants. Biological self-regulation proceeds without the participation of consciousness. For example, during anesthesia, the heart continues to work. Even in the dead, biological self-regulation maintains hair and nail growth.
Reflex self-regulation ensures the perception of signals by the senses external environment. For example, the work of the heart can change from a sharp knock, from a perceived image, and even from a smell. This property of the body through feelings to change biological self-regulation and underlies the phenomena of suggestion, hypnosis and other methods of influence. Suggestion is purposeful psychological impact on a person in order to cause through the senses a change in biological self-regulation in the desired direction. Consciously controlled self-regulation is a classic auto-training or mental self-regulation.
Mental self-regulation is the impact of a person on himself with the help of words and corresponding mental images. By psychic self-regulation we mean psychic self-influence for the purposeful regulation of the comprehensive activity of the organism, its processes, reactions and states. Common to these definitions is the allocation of the human condition as an object of influence and internal means of regulation, primarily means of mental activity.
The main feature of the methods of self-regulation of states is their focus on the formation of adequate internal means that allow a person to carry out special activities to change his state. In our everyday life, we often intuitively use sets of such techniques developed in individual experience that allow us to cope with excitement, quickly get into a working rhythm, and relax and rest as much as possible. This experience was reflected in almost any centuries-old culture of different peoples, within which entire systems of techniques and means of self-regulation of states were created, which had a clearly expressed teaching and educational character. "Learn to manage yourself" - this is the main motto of such measures interspersed in various philosophical and religious teachings, pedagogical systems, rituals and forms of organization of life.
The developed methods of self-regulation are most often based on the generalization of this useful and multifaceted experience. At the same time, one of the most important tasks is to study the specific mechanisms of influences of this kind, cleared of distorted mystical, religious and simply incorrect worldly ideas.
Mastering the basics of psycho-correction and psycho-training requires, first of all, the desire to develop one's skills, as well as the ability to find time for systematic training of oneself and colleagues.
Relying on these materials will improve your capabilities.
Breathing exercises.
Abdominal breathing helps to relieve neuropsychic stress, restore mental balance. In the course of training, it is necessary to ensure that inhalation and exhalation are carried out by filling the lower third of the lungs with movement abdominal wall, while the chest and shoulders remain motionless.
The breathing cycle should be carried out according to the formula "4-2-4", i.e. inhale for 4 counts, pause for 2 counts, and exhale for 4 counts. In this case, it is recommended to breathe slowly through the nose, focusing on the breathing process. At the initial stage, you can connect images, imagining how air fills the lungs and exits back.
After the correct assimilation of this type of breathing, military personnel are recommended to use it when the first signs of mental tension, attacks of irritability or fright appear. 2-3 minutes of such breathing, as a rule, contribute to the restoration of mental balance, or significantly weaken negative emotions.
Clavicular (upper) breathing is carried out by the upper third of the lungs with raising the shoulders. Inhalation-exhalation is made through the nose with deep and fast movements. It is used when there are signs of fatigue, apathy or drowsiness in order to activate mental processes, restore a sense of cheerfulness.
Muscle tone management.
Each negative emotion has its representation in the muscles of the body. The constant experience of negative emotions leads to muscle strain and the occurrence of muscle clamps. Since there is a close relationship between the psyche and the body, just as mental tension causes an increase in muscle tone, so muscle relaxation leads to a decrease in neuropsychic excitation. You can reduce muscle tone through self-massage, self-hypnosis, with the help of special stretch marks. The most simple and effective method- self-massage. It can be taught in pairs, when one student performs the techniques, and the second monitors the correctness of their implementation and provides assistance. First, military personnel are invited to switch to already mastered abdominal breathing and achieve a calm state, while trying to relax the muscles as much as possible. The partner controls which muscle groups of the face, neck, shoulders, arms remain tense, and points to them. In the future, the student should pay constant attention to these places, because. these are his individual muscle clamps. Then he proceeds to self-massage the muscles of the face - with the pads of his fingers he makes spiral, patting movements from the center to the periphery, successively passing the muscles of the forehead, cheeks, cheekbones, back of the head, neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, etc.
After self-massage, he stays in a relaxed state for several minutes, trying to remember his feelings, and then switches to clavicular breathing and pronouncing self-hypnosis formulas to himself "I am alert, well rested, ready for further work", returns to the waking state. When massaging the neck and shoulder area, you can resort to the help of a friend. The ability to relax muscles is a preparatory exercise for learning to enter altered states of consciousness and use self-hypnosis.
Ideomotor training.
Since any mental movement is accompanied by micro-movements of the muscles, it is possible to improve the skills of actions without actually performing them. At its core, ideomotor training is a mental replay of the upcoming activity. For all its advantage (saving forces, material costs, time), this method requires a serious attitude from the practitioner, the ability to concentrate, mobilize the imagination, and the ability not to be distracted throughout the entire workout.
At the beginning of the training, trainees can relax their muscles, use lower breathing and immerse themselves in a calm, slightly drowsy state. After that, the leader proceeds to the description of the task. When conducting ideomotor training, it is recommended to observe the following principles: trainees must create an extremely accurate image of the movements being worked out; the mental image of the movement must necessarily be associated with its muscular-articular feeling, only then it will be an ideomotor representation; mentally imagining movements, you need to accompany it with a verbal description following the leader of the lesson, pronounced in a whisper or mentally; when starting to train a new movement, you need to mentally see it in slow motion, which can be accelerated in the process of further training; if during training the body itself begins to make some movements, this should not be prevented; immediately before performing a real action, one does not need to think about its result, since the result displaces from consciousness the idea of how to perform the action.
Ideomotor training will help reduce the impact of the novelty factor, which leads to faster mastery of new skills, the formation of an image of upcoming actions and increases the level of psychological readiness for them.
