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Substance Abuse pp 337–347Cite as

Relaxation Techniques

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Abstract

Relaxation techniques have been around as long as there has been stress in people’s lives. When stressful situations present themselves whether one takes deep breaths to relax, meditates, or imagines a pleasant place or experience, these methods have been in existence since the beginning of time. Although these techniques, or training for relaxation, have been in existence it has only been recently that the western medical community has been accepting them. Now that the greater medical community has gained acceptance of these relaxation techniques, many practitioners find it difficult to understand the utility and/or how to incorporate these methods into treatment plans. This chapter will help educate and guide medical practitioners about relaxation techniques and how they can be implemented in one’s treatment plans and goals.

Keywords

  • Relaxation techniques
  • Breathing
  • Meditation
  • Guided imagery
  • Treatment plans
  • Substance abuse
  • Treatment plan implementation
  • Autogenic training
  • Hypnosis

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Redwood Medical Center, 20439 Glasgow Dr., Saratoga, Pleasanton, CA, 95070, USA

    Kareem Hubbard M.D.

  2. Mid Atlantic Spine and Pain Physicians, Newark, DE, USA

    Frank John English Falco M.D.

  3. American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Paducah, KY, USA

    Frank John English Falco M.D.

  4. Temple University Medical School, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Frank John English Falco M.D.

  5. Pain Medicine Fellowship Program, Temple University Hospital, 139 East Chestnut Hill Road, 19713, Newark, DE, USA

    Frank John English Falco M.D.

Authors
  1. Kareem Hubbard M.D.
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  2. Frank John English Falco M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kareem Hubbard M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Louisiana State University Interim Hospital, and Ochsner Kenner Hospital, Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Alan David Kaye

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Nalini Vadivelu

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard D. Urman

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Hubbard, K., Falco, F.J.E. (2015). Relaxation Techniques. In: Kaye, A., Vadivelu, N., Urman, R. (eds) Substance Abuse. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1951-2_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1951-2_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1950-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1951-2

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