Relaxation Therapy

Relaxation therapy has become increasingly popular as a method of teaching people to cope with the stresses produced by daily living. It is aimed at achieving muscle, emotional and mental relaxation and is easily learned. Relaxation therapy includes systematic desensitization, assertion training, self-management programs, hypnosis, meditation, etc. Relaxation procedures have been applied to a variety of clinical problems. The most common use has been with problems related to stress and anxiety, which are often manifested in psychosomatic symptoms. Some other ailments for which relaxation training is helpful include asthma, headache, hypertension, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, and panic disorders.