Social Health: Guided Imagery

What is Social Health?

Social health is defined by the World Health Organization as the conditions in which a person is born, grow, live in, and age; social health includes the health system.


What is Guided Imagery?

Also sometimes known as visualization, guided imagery can be used to quickly reduce stress and tension in the body; it is comparable to a vivid daydream. Guided imagery can either be self guided or with the use of a guide.

Guided imagery can be used during the day to take a break and re-energize, or at night time to relax and fall asleep more easily. If a person is feeling stress or anxiety about a specific barrier, guided imagery can be used so that person can visualize themselves overcoming that barrier, which will in turn reduce their level of stress.

Steps:
1. Get into a comfortable position
2. Concentrate on deep, diaphragmatic breathing
3. Once in a relaxed state, begin to imagine yourself in the most relaxing environment possible.
4. When imaging the scene, try to involve all of your senses.
5. Stay here as long as you like, and try to get away from the things that re putting stress on you.

An example of guided imagery - facilitated


How can using guided imagery reduce stress in terms of social health?

By visualizing different conditions and scenarios that are stress free environments the stress response in an individual may decrease. If a person is using guided imagery to overcome a barrier, this positive visualization can reduce the amount of stress caused by the actual barrier.