Cultural relaxation methods for minor mental health disorders

Traditional techniques used to produce relaxation can promote and maintain wellbeing in healthy individuals too. They can prevent illnesses including minor mental health disorders from developing in those faced with psychosocial problems by countering stress, states of tension and improving coping capacities. Further, they can cure a variety of minor mental health disorders that have already developed. In cases of psychosomatic diseases like hypertension, gastritis, bronchial asthma and eczema, they may reduce the need for medication. In the ubiquitous somatisation found in all the various health care settings, traditional relaxation techniques can be helpful. The saving to health care services, benefit to the community and relief for the individual patient can be considerable.

Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry Vol 3(2) December 2012 Page 3-6

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v3i2.5130