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. . . .Floating Will Help
Floatation Therapy Has Been Shown to Be a Valuable Aid
By: Jeff Laughlin, MS
Strongly grounded in Jungian psychology, Dr. Baylah David combines behavioral therapy with regular floatation sessions to treat patients with a variety of addictions. Dr. David utilizes floatation as a compliment to a variety of therapies because it has been shown that floatation has the ability to lift physical cravings, depression, anxiety, etc. and facilitates a deep sense of inner peace and harmony.
The benefits of the floating experience transcend from physical to psychological. Floating re-sets the body's chemical and metabolic balance, strengthening resistance to the negative impact of stress, illness or injury alleviating the affects of a number of diseases from arthritis, blood pressure problems, to hormonal imbalance.
Through this deep sense of relaxation which the body experiences, muscle tension is relieved, while blood pressure and heart rate drop considerably. Oxygen and nutrients are transported to the cells while harmful chemicals are released. Endorphins, the body's natural pain killers are stimulated giving a sensation of intense well being while improving memory and learning.
The floatation environment also has a phenomenal affect on our emotions. Your powers of emotional control can improve reducing compulsive behavior leading to drug use, overeating, smoking or excessive alcohol consumption.
Physiologically, many people report feeling as if some positive adjustments had happened in their bones, muscles and organs and they feel very cleansed and revived. They also discuss their mind gaining a certain degree of clarity and being overcome by a real sense of cheerfulness and joy to be alive.
Floating induces a whole-brain theta state similar to the type of brainwave activity produced by Zen monks in deep satori. In this receptive mind-state, simple auto-suggestion and visualization techniques become powerfully effective in enhancing an individual's motivation, confidence, and motor skills.
In the float room negative emotions and unwanted habits melt away, along with the physical tensions that usually accompany them. Based on smoking, alcohol consumption, and weight-control studies at the National Institute of Mental Health, some leading researchers regard REST as the only self-management technique with proven success in tackling habit-cessation problems.
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Research evidence indicates that REST consistently has beneficial effects on medical, psychological, and behavioral health outcomes, particularly when used in conjunction with other therapies.
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REST has been shown to achieve long term abstinence rates for smoking of 25% when used alone, and 50% when used in conjunction with behavior modification. By contrast, the numbers for the nicotine patch are 5% and 20%, respectively.
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In three studies of REST as a treatment for obesity, REST was followed by slow continuous weight loss over the 6 month follow up period.
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A Washington State University study (1990) found that, for heavy drinkers, after exposure to REST, the average daily consumption of alcohol continued to drop over 6 months of follow-up.
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A University of Arizona study examined REST as a complementary relapse prevention technique with substance abusers enrolled in traditional outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. At the end of four years of follow-up 43% remain continuously sober and drug free. None of the control group did so for eight months of follow-up.
Addiction in its various forms has been the focus of the largest body of REST research. This research seems to have revealed what traditional cultures knew for thousands of years: solitude and sensory reduction facilitate healing of many disorders.
Information for this article came from the following sources:
David, B. Floatation as a complement to the treatment of behavioral disorders.
http://www.floatationtankassociation.net/node/47.
Viney, T. Spa Technology and Treatments - Floating your way to health and relaxation. http://www.apaa.com.au/hb_phoen.htm
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