How Guided Imagery Can Help Deal With Anxiety
By Eldine Bosch
If left untreated, anxiety can evolve to other dangerous mental disorders like depression or even going crazy.
And while some treatment methods necessitate a therapist, there are a few you can apply at home or office to great effect.
One such anxiety-relieving technique is guided imagery.
What is guided imagery?
For starters, guided imagery is a mental wellness therapy that uses mental images to generate feelings of relaxation.
All you have to do is concentrate your mind on positivity-bringing images in an effort to reduce your mental disturbance.
For example, picturing yourself being applauded after a thrilling presentation can help ease your mind at work . This helps when apprehensive about your upcoming sales presentation.
Where to practice guided imagery
Guided imagination can be run from numerous environments. You simply invoke your focusing abilities to fantasize about happiness.
However, since it involves mental concentration, it’s best to undertake it in a setting with zero interruptions.
You can set aside a private calm room for this or even use your bathroom. If you’re a business executive, consider dedicating a spot for the procedure.
If possible, form a guided imagery group. People in groups keep each other better motivated to conduct sessions.
What you need to exercise guided imagery
You might need the following to successfully execute a guided imagery session at home/office:
- Backing music – you can play some mentally relaxing MP3 tunes on the background.
- Relevant accessories- for example, a mat you can comfortably lay down on.
- Comfortable clothing
- Reduced lighting.
- Turn off your phone and other sources of distraction.
Also remember to inform those around you at your workplace or at home that you won’t be available for some minutes as you will be busy.
How to execute guided imagery at home/office
These steps can help you achieve tranquility at home:
- Lock yourself in a calm space and ensure you’re comfortable by reclining, sitting straight or in a cross-legged position. If your office has such a place, use it.
- Spend one or two minutes letting external noises disappear into the background.
- Take a few measured and deep breaths so as to centralize your focus and calm yourself.
- Now close your eyes.
- Start imagining freely: For instance, imagine yourself drifting in a beautiful site, where everything is according to your dreams. Some visualize walking in a calming forest or basking in a lovely beach. Or having some good times with friends.
- Let the calm and relaxation sink in by vividly picturing the joy, warmth, or soothing influence. You may focus on the various sensory traits present at your scene like the smell of the charming flora dotting the forest.
- Make a full mental tour of your scene to sample all its healing aspects until you feel fully relieved.
- After relaxing, assure your mind that it’s welcome to return to this pleasant place whenever it needs some massaging.
- At the end of the set minutes, open your eyes and rejoin a joyful new world.
How long should a guided imagery session last?
Sessions lasts for 20-30 minutes on average.
Using guided imagery scripts to amplify relaxation
Guided imagery scripts can help you optimize your relaxation by guiding you through the steps.
You can search online and download an audio recording of one to use for your next session.
They’re pretty easy to use and are usually accompanied by their usage instructions on different settings including on the beach, mountain, or candle-guided imagery relaxation.
Conclusion
While it’s not always possible to prevent anxiety and mental turmoil 100 per cent, guided imagery can surely help you cope.
And as you can see, the practice relies entirely on the powers of your imagination to help you remain healthy and successful.
It’s easy to learn, affordable, and portable enough to be done from diverse environments including your home or office.
Author Bio
Eldine is an Outreach Manager at Manager Up
About The Author