RELIEF OF PARTICULAR SYMPTOMS FOR SELF-MANAGEMENT OF ANXIETY: NERVOUS RASHES
In general, nervous rashes are distinguished by the way in which the condition of the skin waxes and wanes with our emotional state. Sometimes we are rather blind to this, and only come to realize the relationship between the skin condition and our emotional state when it is pointed out to us by someone else. Then we wonder why we had not realized this before. A great number of chronic skin conditions are influenced in this way, particularly when we become frustrated by some stress and find ourselves in the position of being unable to do anything about it. This state of affairs is helped by the practice of our relaxing mental exercises, as this leads us to a calmer state of mind in which we are less inclined to feel frustrated by the various stresses of our life situation.
If we suffer a recurrence of our skin condition, we use our exercises to reduce our tension. We can also use the visualizing method.
Relaxed.
See my skin as it is, red and blotchy.
Utterly relaxed.
I see it clearly.
It is fading.
Utterly relaxed.
See the skin normal again.
Utterly relaxed, drifting in the relaxation.
Remember that to be effective the visualization needs to be combined with relaxation and regression.
Many doctors, aware of the emotional factor in the causation of chronic skin rashes, keep their patients on sedatives or tranquilizing drugs. When the exercises are practised, it often happens that the rash subsides and the drugs can be withdrawn. In these cases, in order to avoid relapse, it is wise to continue with the exercises for some months after the rash has subsided, and until a more relaxed attitude of mind has been attained in which stress situations do not evoke in us the same degree of nervous frustration.
A rather pompous man had suffered from a generalized skin condition for some years. He felt that he was worthy of a much better job, but lacked the courage to make a change. It would take very little to make him feel slighted, and he was continually feeling humiliated and frustrated at work over matters of little consequence. The severity of his skin condition varied with these emotional upsets.
It did not take me long to find out his pattern of reaction, as at his first I inadvertently kept him waiting about five minutes. He was intensely angry about this, feeling that I was not treating him with due respect.
He learned to relax and his skin condition settled down. When he had become stabilized, I thought 1 would test him out. So I purposely kept him waiting for half an hour. He was quite relaxed about it, and when I reminded him of his anger on his first visit he only laughed.
A married man of forty-seven who held an executive position in an industrial concern was referred to me on account of recurring dermatitis of his hands. He had been tense all his life. He said, “I can’t do anything to break the tension.” However, he learned to relax very well and his dermatitis cleared.
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