Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

Menopause can be very stressful, increase your stress hormones, such as cortisol. Add that to your day-to-day stresses, and you need some tools to help you stay calm and grounded.

Systematic Desensitization is a method you can use to reduce your stress about a particular event. If you have generalized anxiety, just try the relaxation techniques farther on in this article

Systematic Desensitization helps you develop a hierarchy of situations leading up to a future event that you think might upset you. In the Systematic Desensitization process you take each situation and break it down into its component steps. For example if you are anxious about speaking up in group, construct the steps between waking up and thinking about the group meeting to the actual moment of speaking. Whatever the stressful situation for you, just start with the least stressful point and work up to the most stressful point, deriving a hierarchy just like the one below.

The Systematic Desensitization hierarchy might look something like this:

Step 1: Waking up

Step 2: Remembering you have a meeting.

Step 3: Driving to work and thinking about speaking up in the group

Step 4: Arriving at work and seeing the meeting schedule

Step 5: Noticing it is time for the meeting

Step 6: Entering the room where the meeting will be held

Step 7: Sitting down in the meeting room

Step 8: The meeting begins

Step 9: Getting ready to say something during the meeting

Step10: Speaking to the group


Have either a relaxation tape or practice one of the following Relaxation Techniques until you feel relaxed.

Relaxation Techniques are handy ways to relax your body, mind and spirit. Several studies have shown the positive effects of Relaxation Techniques on health and wellness. Use the following Relaxation Techniques to help you learn to relax your body, mind and spirit.


Relaxation Technique #1

Lie flat on your back in a quiet and comfortable spot. Close your eyes and concentrate on your feet. Deeply relax your feet. Once your feet feel relaxed, move the relaxation up your legs. Work in this way until you reach the top of your head and your full body is relaxed. For additional relaxation, the next time you exhale, send a wave of relaxation throughout your body.

Relaxation Technique #2

Sit or lie in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Gently suggest your breathing move more to your center, toward your abdomen. As you breathe in, say "one" to yourself. As you breathe out, say "two." (Alternative words are "peace," "joy," "comfort," "safe" or "relax.") Try different words until you find something that helps you relax.

Relaxation Technique #3

Sit in a comfortable chair or lie on a bed or floor mat in a comfortable position, eyes closed. Let yourself sink into the surface beneath you. Imagine yourself in a very calming and relaxing place---perhaps lying in the sun at the beach or in a beautiful meadow of flowers, or by a cool spring in the mountains. Smell the smells of that calming and relaxing place. Hear the sounds of that peaceful and relaxing place. Feel the sensations of that calming and relaxing place.

Once relaxed, picture Step 1 Of your hierarchy. If any anxiety occurs, either flip on the relaxation tape or try one of the Relaxation Techniques until you feel calm and peaceful. Once relaxed, move to Step 2 and so forth. Whenever any anxiety appears, go to the Relaxation Techniques or your tape until you are able to feel relaxed and picture yourself in Step 10.

Develop your own hierarchy and use relaxation to achieve the highest step. This works because the brain does not know the difference between experiencing the image and actual situation. Use Systematic Desensitization to prepare for upcoming situations that provoke discomfort.

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