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Секция 9. Психология
Shebanova Vitaliya Ihorivna, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, doctoral student, the Faculty of Рsychology, the department of psycho-diagnostics and clinical psychology
E-mail: [email protected]
Peculiarities of application the method of autogenic training in the correction of eating behavior
Abstract: The article presented peculiarities of applying the method of autogenic training in the correction of eating disorders. Described stages of correction work with desadaptive eating behavior. Author makes accent on the rules self-assembly formula intentions.
Keywords: eating behavior, eating behavior correction, autogenic training.
The scale and rate of spreading various eating disorders threaten the physical and moral health of both adults and the younger generation, and social stability in Ukrainian society in the short-term social perspective.
Nowadays, the problem of eating disorders and their effects (overweight or underweight) is considered by different scientists in physiological, hygienic, nutritional areas (A. V. Volodkina, O. A. Prysiazhniuk, V. V. Fetisova,
L. A. Yefimova, M. M. Hinzburh, N. M. Zubar and others), psychological area (T. H. Voznesenska, V. A. Safonova, N. M. Platonova, A. V. Prilenska, I. H. Malkina — Pyh and others).
To our opinion, modern methods of eating behavior and shape correction can be grouped into two categories. First one includes body shape correction on the basis of diet therapy (considering the laws of physiology and diet hygiene). The second one is based on psychological approach. I. H. Malkina-Pyh summarized the different areas of psychotherapeutic influence and considered it advisable to use them in eating disorders [3]. In scientific literature eating behavior is defined as a way of life and actions in different conditions aimed at food searching, choosing and taking with its regulatory, sensory and other peculiarities for supplying the body with energy and plastic materials, and achieving psychological comfort of food taking. So, eating behavior is characterized by evaluation of these processes according to the needs, dietary habits, flavor, health, cultural, social, family, biological and other preferences (V. D. Mende-levych, O. I. Salmina-Khvostova, O. O. Skurahevskyi, E. I. Tkachenko, D. Allison, A. B. Heilbrun, J. L. Chua, L. Spitzer, T. B. Walsh and others). Man’s eating behavior is situated within a continuum that includes normal dietary patterns, episodic eating disorders and abnormal eating behavior. As it was mentioned above, there are three main types of eating behavior: external, emotio-genic and restricting [1; 2; 3; 4; 5].
In our opinion, the control of eating behavior and body weight requires consideration of such types ofeating behavior: restrictive, emotiogenic and external (which we regard as subclinical forms of eating disorders) [5].
The first stage is the problem understanding, the maladaptive stereotype of eating behavior by the member of correctional group.
At the second stage the personal motivation for weight loss turned out (as an attempt to lose weight, just for the sake of losing weight is doomed to fail). With this purpose we used a questionnaire “Diagnosis of figure correction motivation" (our modified version) and the method of “Cartesian coordinates” (which was also modified according to the purpose of our research). To our point of view, achieving the desired state is possible only for the sake of significant purpose. Within the competence of our research it is mastering adaptive strategy of eating behavior and achieving harmony for a wanted pregnancy, birth, and obtaining the desired job.
The third stage: mastering the method of autogenic training (AT) by members of the correction group as a means of solving problems related to physical and mental health.
The essence of the method (for a better understanding of its effective mechanisms) is represented to the participants.
Presentation: “The method of auto training is a universal way of verbal self-influence. The advantages of this method are in the fact that it does not require willpower (as it is directed not only to overcome anything but to support the achievement ofdesired results). It requires no additional tools, financial and other costs. AT is easy in use, completely safe, because it is stipulated by person’s own desires and goals. This method allows to achieve a high level of self-control over psychological and physical conditions. First of all AT is a creative process that manifests itself both in making verbal formulae of self-hypnosis and
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in choosing the problem of mental self-regulation. It helps to minimize negative emotions, to change destructive behavior strategies for adaptive, and thus, to achieve inner harmony and integrity of the individual”.
The analysis ofpeculiarities of external eating behavior showed that increased response to external stimuli of taking food, lack of differentiation in the state of “hunger” and “appetite”, reduced satiation are in the basis of this disorder. That is why, in the process of training the participants of the “weight correction” group (having the external type of eating disorder) AT text should include not only the formulae aimed at achieving harmony, but also autosuggestion formulae as to reduction of increased response to external stimuli of taking food, orientation on food intake only in the sense of “hunger”, increasing the level of satiation and possibility to stop eating process at an early satiety despite various external factors (favorite food, company, etc.), regulation of emotional state, reducing emotional stress, reduction of painful sensations in psychosomatic diseases (work with symptoms), leveling negative states (irritability, anger, anxiety, depression, etc.), reduction of fatigue, increasing physical and mental activity, capacity for work, normalization of sleep, focus on positive thinking and achieving desired states.
Taking into consideration the above mentioned points, we have insisted on that the participants ofweight correction group should make their own variants of self-turning texts, because every individual has his own goals, desired states, symptoms. We are strongly sure that there are no universal text to everybody in general, and we believe that the low efficiency of auto training in some cases may be due to the use of somebody else’s ready-made variants. It is clear that at first the members of the group asked to give them ready texts, which can be used “as an example” and tried to use those found in the literature and from the Internet resources. Our task was to persuade, encourage and help to formulate their own formulae-intentions more accurately and to avoid obvious mistakes in their formulation.
At this stage, the participants of weight correction group were given the following instructions. “Make a list of your goals that you set for yourself in terms of the regulation of your emotional state, life success, body shape correction. Identify them specifically and as detailed as possible. Realize clearly what you want, why you need it, for what period you want its achieving. Write down a few variants of formulae- intentions for each goal.: Choose figurative metaphor to the desired state. During one session, you should choose one or two specific
tasks (but in the case of a long period of work at achieving the desired result the formulae-intentions and goals may vary). Formulae can be “successful” (effective) and “less successful”. For example, the formula “I want to lose weight” is ineffective because it is abstract, not clear (it doesn’t direct to how many pounds the person wishes to reduce his weight, for what period of time and what parts of the body are perceived by him as “problem” ones). The formulation “I want to reduce my body weight by 5 pounds in two weeks. With every move my legs are getting slimmer and more toned. Every day my figure becomes more slender. I want to be slim. I can be slim. I will be slim. I am slim. The extra pounds melt away like snow in the spring” are more effective in this case.
Based on our experience in psychotherapy and teaching, we recommend the participants in the process of making their own formulae-intentions to guide the following rules:
1. It is necessary to make formulae-intentions in a positive modality (i.e to avoid particle “not”).
2. The statement should be short, specific, clear that the main idea of the sentence (text) was “transparent”, evident. In other words, the basic idea of the phrase should not be lost in the labyrinth of thought process.
3. During one session, one should choose one or two specific tasks.
4. In drawing up the text of AT it is recommended to use 12-15 formulae-intentions. It is proposed to use the verbs in the following sequence: “Dream — Want — Can — Will — Am”.
5. Forming the future tense (e. g., “I am going to control WHAT and HOW MUCH I eat”) one should combine with formulation of the present tense (“I control WHAT and HOW MUCH I eat”). This allows to pay internal attention to fixation process that is already happening in real time.
6. The content of formula-intention should be directed toward yourself (i.e, using the words “I”, “me”). For example, the phrase “I want my child to obey me from the first” is not good, as it doesn’t concern yourself but another person.
The article frames do not allow us to describe in details the phrases in all stages ofAT, this will be done in the future publications. Let’s list briefly the main «targets» of psychological correction at external eating behavior: — changing the behavioral eating stereotype — an increased response to external stimuli of food intake; — changing attitudes toward food, — the study of the differentiation of such states as «hunger» and «appetite»; — training completion of the process of taking food at the initial stage
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of satiation; — the formation of rational eating behavior; — the regulation of emotional state; the reduction of emotional stress; — accepting your body image; — search and formation of interests not connected with food; — increasing physical activity.
At the end of the lesson it was proposed to the participants of group to fill out diary every day at bedtime, it is necessary to describe situations connected with peculiarities of taking food (to note not only the quantity and quality of food taken over a period of a day, but the motif of meal beginning and its completion), to analyze
the situations of «disruption», to note the thoughts, feelings and actions associated with the formation of a new sustainable food stereotype.
Conclusion: The application of autogenic training as a means of self-correction disorders of eating behavior allows to change the stereotype of maladaptive eating behavior and irrational cognitive systems, to extend the range of self-regulation skills with the help of emotional states, to establish a system of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, which in turn is a factor of weight correction and increasing the quality of life as a whole.
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2. Voznesenskaya T. G. Narusheniya pishchevogo povedeniya i komorbidnye sindromy pri ozhirenii i metody ih korrekcii/T. G. Voznesenskaya, V. A. Safonova, N. M. Platonova//ZHurn.nevrologii i psihiatrii im. S. S. Korsakova, - 2000. - № 12. - S. 49-52.
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