Some time ago I decided to try mindfulnes. Now everyone is talking about it, writing, it is believed that it is very useful. The Beck Institute recommends that mindfulness exercises be included in all anxiety treatment programs. I and itself, too, customers now recommend. But this already now — and somewhere six months ago I decided try on itself.
Mindfulness is often confused with meditation. It's not the same thing. Mindfullness is a state of awareness, of observing one's inner processes, without struggle, resistance, or anything else. You just become aware of what is happening and observe. To make it easier at first, short-term concentration on breathing is sometimes used. So did I. At first I concentrated for a while on how I was breathing... what was it like to breathe? Curious process what. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…
And here I was waited by an unpleasant surprise. It is assumed that mindfulness and breathing exercises eventually reduce emotional experiences, you calm down and feel calmer about what is happening around you. This is not a goal, of course, but a pleasant side effect.
However, in my case it happened exactly the opposite! Instead of comfort and tranquility, I got an inexplicable surge of anxiety, a frantic pulse, an unpleasant feeling in my stomach and a General desire to jump up and run somewhere, to do something urgently.
In General, I have never engaged in any meditation, breathing practices and anything like that on a regular basis. And here such. What happened? Doesn't it work?!
What happened
What happened to me — most likely, was anxiety caused by meditation, progressive muscle relaxation or breathing exercises (relaxation-induced anxiety).
This is a rare, but accurate phenomenon: about 30% of all who try to relax with the help of such techniques, will feel increased anxiety, anxiety, fussiness, nervous excitement instead of the expected relaxation1, 2. Moreover, some even not necessarily apply any special relaxing technology: enough will to go in vacation or simply include sanguine music, effect will the same. Instead of the expected rest it turns out exactly the opposite.
Why is there anxiety caused by relaxation
Unambiguous reasons have not yet been found, there are different options or a combination of them. It is believed that this phenomenon occurs more often in those who have had (or have) asthma or generalized anxiety derangement1. In principle, the reasons can be divided into 3 groups: physical, mental and social.
Here are some of them:
Hypersensitivity to bodily symptoms and fear of certain symptoms usually triggered by relaxation (feeling of heaviness, weightlessness, heat, tingling, dizziness, muscle contraction)
Fear of involuntary loss of control, unusual focus on yourself
Fear to arbitrarily remove control and muscle tension (there are so many threats and saber-toothed tigers, we have to be alert)
Strengthening negative thoughts not related to relaxation. The emergence of previously suppressed emotions or memories.
The change in brain wave activity-simply put, relaxation-works fine, but the brain suddenly discovers that something unusual, abnormal is happening-hence, dangerous! panic! alert!
Too fast transition from excessive stimulation to excessive relaxation-the process should be gradual, especially for those who are used to rush through life like a squirrel in a wheel
Social concerns: you'll look lazy or unattractive for relaxation
What are the consequences of anxiety caused by relaxation
None, apparently. At one time, it was believed that exposure to such anxiety would not allow the client to fully experience the effects of psychotherapy that uses relaxation techniques. But then it turned out that no, not fact3. Anyway, psychotherapy helps, as it should.
From the point of view of the impact on the body, this is not a dangerous condition, because sometimes we are very nervous just from life events. If this happens from time to time, and not constantly, the harm is unlikely to be, because our body is configured for such fluctuations and bursts.
How to get rid of such anxiety
No need to get rid of it, it will pass in a few minutes. There is nothing wrong with anxiety caused by relaxation, and no urgent correction to your condition is required. Attempts to resist emotions, to fight with them, to suppress and ignore lead to deterioration of health, but not to improvement.
As for exercise, relaxation, mindfullness and meditation, if you want to continue (and in fact it is really useful), then try:
slightly modify rubber, for example, instead 20 minutes to do his for starters only 5 minutes, gradually increasing time;
use another exercise instead of the one that caused the alarm;
talk about your experiences with someone who understands what you're talking about and supports you;
treat this phenomenon as a temporary difficulty with adaptation, because in the long run, all these exercises can help you improve your life.