For reference. The author of the method is Aliev Khasai Magomedovich - General Director of the NOU "Center for Protection from Stress", leading researcher at the SPC "Psychology of Extreme Situations" PI RAO To the problem of acute stress Let's highlight some characteristic features that leave their mark on the specifics of psychological and medical care in emergency situations. Taking into account the limited time, and especially in the presence of a large number of victims, it becomes impossible to individually select medications. In view of the impaired perception, which, as a rule, distinguishes victims, and often their reluctance or inability to share their experiences, the work of psychologists using traditional verbal methods is blocked methods. Thus, in a situation of acute stress, the causal psychophysiological mechanism of the formation of post-stress disorders remains out of control, which can cause subsequent irreversible changes in the personality and in the human body. During our work in Beslan, we effectively used the method of controlled psychophysiological self-regulation, techniques which relieve stress automatically, since they are based on ideomotor reflexes that cause cross-level coordination of mental and physiological processes. The method was called “Key”. As practice has shown, the use of this method gives a pronounced psychotherapeutic effect, which is expressed in a radical positive change in the functional state of the victims as a result of the first procedure, implemented in an environment of limited time and the absence of special conditions. It is also important that that the use of the method does not require traditional preliminary psychological testing and a long psychotherapeutic conversation with the victims. The mechanism of controlled ideomotor techniques The “key” controlled ideomotor technique is a reflex reaction of the body, with a motor component, that occurs in response to its figurative model. The mechanism of controlled ideomotor movement is based on the phenomenon of generalization of a volitional impulse in the cerebral cortex, accompanied by irradiation to motor centers with the switching off of competing signals. The implementation of controlled ideomotor movement occurs on the basis of the simultaneous synchronous activity of the two hemispheres of the brain, due to which their activities are coordinated and, as a result, a reflexive-automatic reduction in stress .About body position and obstacles during trainingIn contrast to the method of autogenic training, where the development of self-regulation skills is carried out in a passive comfortable position in a “sitting” or “lying” position, ideomotor techniques of the “Key” method are more often recommended to be performed in a “standing” position. This ensures external visual control for the training specialist and self-control of the student, who is immediately convinced of the effectiveness of the techniques, since with their help a relatively comfortable state is achieved even without taking a comfortable position. Training can be carried out against the background of noise and other disturbances, which serves to even better consolidate the developed self-regulation skills and the possibility of their subsequent application in a real environment. Test for “tightness” and the principle of reducing the level of neuropsychic stress By testing three basic techniques, or techniques created by the student himself, according to the principle of ideoreflex automatism, he finds the one that works best for him. Basic ideomotor techniques: 1) “Dispersal of the arms”; 2) “Bringing of the arms”; 3) “Raising the arm, arms”. - during the training process, none of the listed reflex ideomotor movements are obtained, this indicates the presence of a high level of neuropsychic tension and a state of constriction. To reduce tension and tightness, it is necessary to connect additional components, say, a liberating warm-up through any physical exercise, after which it is repeated again"Tightness test". If the techniques begin to work, then the training participant is informed about the significance of this progress, indicating a decrease in the degree of constriction and the beginning of the restoration of psychophysiological balance. Thus, by testing oneself for “tightness” and loosening up, that is, by performing alternating tension and relaxation, the student trains himself in the ability to manage his functional state. Selection of an individual “Key” for self-regulation. Selection of an individual Key ideomotor technique is carried out by sorting through various techniques according to the principle: “Do what works out, ignoring what doesn’t work out.” In other words, if one technique does not work, it is recommended to move on to the next one. The following is a form in which recommendations are given. Technique 1: “Divergence of the arms.” You should keep your arms free in front of you and give your head a comfortable position. It is recommended to give a mental command to the hands so that they begin to move apart as if automatically, without muscular effort. In order to help the hands, you need to choose the optimal image that helps achieve this reflex movement. You can imagine, for example, that hands repel each other, as unipolar magnets repel each other, or as if wings spread before flying. Any image that allows you to facilitate this involuntary movement is suitable. You can start with the fact that first a person tries to spread his hands in the usual mechanical way, and only then - ideomotor. In order for the will to “work” and the hands to begin to move apart, it is necessary to remove the “obstacles” between the will and the body (to create a “connection” between consciousness and body), that is, to find a state of internal balance in oneself. To do this, you need to relax internally, feel comfortable in yourself. It is recommended to find a state of internal relaxation in yourself, in which the desired ideomotor movement occurs by itself. Thus, we learn to control our state. In attempts to carry out this movement, we should go through the options, finding the one that is more pleasant (recline or bow your head, take a deep breath or exhale, hold your breath for a moment, etc.). The main thing is to strive to find that feeling of inner comfort in which the will begins to influence the automaticity of movement. The implementation of the desired ideomotor movement will indicate that the desired state has been found. Otherwise nothing will work. It is recommended to do this movement with open or closed eyes, choosing in which case its implementation is more successful. At the same time, as already reported above, this technique also serves as a way to check for “tightness”: if the hands remain motionless, you should do several ordinary physical exercises , allowing you to remove the “nerve clamps” and then return to the ideomotor technique. If your hands get tired, you should lower them, shake them, and then repeat the technique. If one of the techniques does not work, you should move on to another. Technique 2: “Convergence of the hands.” You should spread your hands to the sides in the usual mechanical way, and then tune in to their reverse reflex-automatic movement towards each other. If the technique works, it is recommended to repeat it several times, because thereby the desired sought-after state of self-regulation develops - “feedback internal communication”. After this, regardless of whether the technique succeeds or not, it is recommended to perform the first technique again - arms to the sides. Sometimes when performing These movements create a feeling that some force is pulling your hands. The connection of physical “bodily” sensations indicates the depth of the oncoming mental relaxation and the development of the “mind-body connection.” The divergence and convergence of the hands must be repeated several times, achieving continuity of movement. At moments when your hands seem to get stuck, you can push them slightly. Or - smile. Or sigh. If a person has achieved the desired state of internal relaxation, but his hands are tired and he doesn’t want to make any more movements, then he should lower them and stay therecondition to remember it. Technique 3: “Levitation of the hand.” Hands are lowered. You can look at your hand, then you need to do this continuously, or close your eyes. It is important not to “run” your eyes around, otherwise a person will lose the emerging harmonizing state, destroying the internal “contact with oneself.” It is recommended to tune in so that the hand begins to rise and float up. If this technique does not work, you need to look for another movement. You can open and close your arms again, and then try to raise your arm again. If the technique succeeds after the first two, they should be repeated. When a person does what he succeeds in, he begins to succeed in things that were previously impossible. When the hand begins to “float” on its own, a lot of new and pleasant sensations arise. For the first time, this feeling is so unexpected that it involuntarily causes a smile. Subsequently, the training participant will be able to control stress without the help of these techniques. Technique 4: “Self-oscillations of the body.” When performing Key Techniques, along with relaxation, the phenomenon of self-oscillations of the body usually occurs. This is natural - when a person is relaxed, he sways. At such moments, you can lower your hands and simply sway on the waves of this “harmonizing biorhythm,” like a child swinging on a swing. When a person finds his rhythm, the swaying of the body becomes beautiful, harmonious. The eyes can be closed or left open: whichever is more pleasant. The technique with self-oscillations of the body also trains internal coordination. A person with good internal coordination is more resistant to stress, less susceptible to external influences than others, and quickly finds a way out of difficult situations. Therefore, exercises aimed at developing coordination also build resistance to stress. If, as a result of ideomotor techniques, the phenomenon of self-oscillation of the body does not occur, you can initiate these swaying of the body intentionally, slightly pushing the body, as pleasant as possible, for example, back and forth, from right to left, or in a circular motion . In this case, you can lower your arms, fold them on your chest, or find some other, more comfortable position for them. After several repetitions, this exercise begins to be easy. The main thing is to find a pleasant rhythm of vibrations, that is, a rhythm from which you don’t want to leave. The reluctance to interrupt the rocking indicates that at the same time the nerve clamps are being removed. At the same time, nervous tension weakens and a feeling of deep mental and physical peace, internal balance arises, thoughts begin to flow smoothly and calmly, without “hurting” or disturbing us. Against this background, we can easily and calmly think about even the most difficult things, painful problems are resolved naturally psychological problems. No one ever falls while performing these self-oscillations. But if a person is afraid of falling, he can put his legs wider or stand with his back to the wall, to any other support. If when swinging, weakness of coordination appears, then through training, using the same technique, it improves. At the same time, the ability to control your condition through small volitional efforts is trained. Very soon the fear will pass. This fear of falling while relaxing always exists in a person, latently controlling his behavior. And with the help of the proposed training, we suddenly notice that we can relax deeply, and no fall occurs. And then the fear disappears by itself. Let us emphasize once again that relaxation, accompanied by the spontaneous self-oscillation of the body described above, is one of the telltale signs of relaxation. Rhythmic, pleasant swaying is a natural reaction of relaxation; it does not need to be restrained: on the contrary, you should “lie down” on these self-oscillations, like on a wave. This is a good technique for training not only against motion sickness, but also for developing high coordination qualities. Technique 5: “Head movements.” In a standing or sitting position, you need to lower your head, relaxing your neck, or throw your head back, whichever is more pleasant, and, remembering the experience with ideomotor movements of the hands, cause ideomotor turns of the head in a convenientdirection. If this does not work, you should mechanically rotate your head in a pleasant rhythm along the line of pleasant turning points. This is a rhythm in which you want to continue the movement and the neck tension eases. You should find a moment when you can kind of let go of your head, and then it will go in a circle, ideomotor-automatically. You should go around painful or tense points, and if they nevertheless manifest themselves quite noticeably, the painful areas can be lightly massaged. When a person finds When moving your head to a pleasant turning point, you should leave your head in this position. A pleasant turning point is a point of relaxation. We are very familiar with this from everyday life: in moments of fatigue or deep thought, a person throws his head back in the same way, or tilts it forward, or to the side, as is more convenient, and sits so motionless, relaxed, “ empty" looking in front of him, as if at an invisible point. After the training participant has completed the “ideomotor” techniques - regardless of whether they worked out or not - he must immediately sit down or lie down. It is now that the desired result comes: a feeling of relief, a feeling of inner freedom comes. You have been “let go.” Stress is relieved. My head became clear. A person experiences freshness, vigor, and fullness of strength. The selected individual Key technique - that is, the one that was easiest to perform - the student can then use separately, without performing the entire self-regulation procedure. Naturally, the depth of relaxation will not be so complete, however, one technique will be quite enough to, at the right moment, in a crucial situation, remove unwanted “nerve clamps” with one imperceptible short action, relieve nervous overstrain, master self-control, and feel self-confidence. Exit mode of self-regulation - mobilization. It is easy to leave the state of self-regulation: it is enough to wish it. But if a person wants to extend this standing for a few more minutes, he should allow himself such a break. This means that the body needs it. And you need to get out of this state by first tuning in to the fact that your head is clear, and your body is full of fresh strength and vigor. You can remember, for example, what invigorates you most in everyday life: a cup of coffee, a contrast shower, a ski trip . It is recommended to stretch and make a few invigorating movements. Then a person will feel fresh and cheerful again, like in the morning after sleep, even if he has a whole day of hard work behind him. This way out should be practiced when a cheerful mood is required. If we are talking about evening time, then when leaving the state of self-regulation, you need to tune in to sleep, leave the procedure with a relaxed feeling, drowsiness, and the desire to sleep. Conclusion - “Aftereffect stage” In the first two to three days of training after performing ideomotor techniques, you need to sit down and just sit passively for a few minutes (you should not close your eyes right away, but only if they “close” on their own). In this case, a characteristic feeling of emptiness occurs in the head. This is a rehabilitation state (like reboot mode in a computer), during which psychological unloading occurs and accumulation of new strength. Now you should tune in to a feeling of freshness. Additional components If ideomotor techniques do not work, then you need to add additional components. Their number is regulated, depending on the initial tension, using the “Tightness Test” and is reduced as self-regulation skills are developed. General additional components: Physical exercises. If the implementation of ideomotor techniques is blocked by neuromuscular tension, you should perform several simple physical exercises that relieve this tension. Self-massage. Using light movements of your hands, without causing yourself pain, you need to massage the most tense or painful areas of your neck. If your hands get tired, you can shake them. Self-massage continues for 5 minutes. Exercise “Scanning”. The last exercise contains a special< 0,001