Guided Imagery - Relief for Stress and Emotions During Breast Cancer Treatment

You Can Use Your Mind to Help Your Body

Guided imagery is a technique that uses your mind and senses to help you connect to your body, guiding your overall self into a relaxed and centered state. Breast cancer patients may use guided imagery for stress relief, pain management, and to promote better sleep.

What Goes On During Guided Imagery?
An instructor, audio tape, or written script helps guide you to focus your imagination and engage your senses (smell, sight, touch, hearing, taste) to mentally re-create a safe, welcoming, restful place. It may be a familiar place with positive memories, good fragrances, pleasant views, or soothing sounds. You may move around within this safe place, in your mind, becoming relaxed and feeling more in control. Your breathing can become regular and slow, helping panic and stress subside.

Benefits of Guided Imagery

• Relaxation
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower stress levels
• Pain management

Guided imagery is used in plenty of other situations, other than breast cancer treatment, such as in people who need to lose weight, quit smoking, or achieve a goal.

_{Reference:
University of California, San Diego. Moores Cancer Center. Complementary and Alternative Therapies For Cancer Patients. Guided Imagery. http://cancer.ucsd.edu/Outreach/PublicEducation/CAMs/guidedimagery.asp}