If you manage yourself, you manage your life! This is an immutable truth, which is relevant in our time as never before, because the modern world is not only a world of high speeds and a huge number of things to do and worries, but also a world of stress and emotional instability, in which even the calmest person can easily get out of myself.
Mental self-regulation is a person’s control of his psycho-emotional state, which is achieved through a person’s influence on himself through the power of words (), mental images () and control of breathing and muscle tone (). Self-regulation methods are used in absolutely any situation, and always produce the desired effect.
Thus, among the effects of mental self-regulation, three main ones can be distinguished:
In general, there are, of course, natural methods of mental self-regulation, including:
However, these funds cannot be used in many situations, for example, during work, when a person feels tired and observes tension in his mental state.
But it is precisely timely mental self-regulation that can be perceived as a psychohygienic means that can prevent the accumulation of overstrain, restore strength, normalize the psycho-emotional state and mobilize the body's resources.
For this reason, the most accessible methods of natural self-regulation are also:
But, in addition to natural ones, there are special methods of self-regulation, which in some cases are also called self-influence. It is about them that will be discussed further.
So, methods of self-influence can be divided into:
Let's look at each of them in more detail.
Start self-knowledge, and we wish you good luck and always be in the best condition for yourself!
The ancient Tibetan sages were sure that a person is like an egg - it is difficult to break it from the outside, because the chicken sits on the egg and nothing happens to it, but at the same time it is easy to break it from the inside, as a small chicken can easily do.
Negative emotions, experiences, fears - this is exactly the chicken that can break our psyche from the inside. Not the pressure of society - but our own nightmares and unresolved problems.
In order to combat this pressure from the inside, scientists have come up with various methods of self-regulation, which, as a rule, are quite simple, and everyone can master them.
As you might guess, this is a set of certain actions that are aimed at managing your psyche and self-regulation of behavior. There are three types of spontaneous emotional self-regulation:
Personal self-regulation is the most important indicator of a person’s psychological health. After all, only a balanced, collected and thinking individual is able to gather together and put into practice unusual methods of psychological self-regulation. Self-management of mental state is vital for people of completely different professions, be it a business coach, a football player or a spy.
Individual methods of self-regulation are usually very effective, since they are aimed at helping a specific individual, and not an abstract person.
Based on new scientific approaches and on the Aristotelian classification of personality types, psychologists and psychotherapists can effectively and quickly treat various human psychological ailments, the origins of which lie in the fatigue and overexertion characteristic of our age.
By the way, there are various ways of mental self-regulation, and one of them is meditation. Strictly speaking, it is present in almost all techniques of working on oneself, but it can also be used as a separate method. Meditation involves extreme concentration on an object or state, as well as maximum relaxation.
The fact is that tension tends to accumulate and slowly poison the body. Because a person pushes his experiences inside himself, he becomes less emotionally stable and more vulnerable. Therefore, it is advisable to choose other types of self-regulation and master a different technique of relaxation and self-control. You can pay attention to self-regulation breathing techniques, which will be discussed in detail below.
One of the interesting ways of self-control is mental self-regulation, which includes breathing exercises. These techniques are associated with ancient Indian and Tibetan meditation, and their effectiveness has been tested for centuries.
In big cities, trainers joke that those who know how to control their own breathing are able to control their lives. And this is true. A person who has perfectly mastered the methods of mental self-regulation receives the following benefits:
One of the simplest breathing exercises takes no more than fifteen minutes and can be done by anyone, including those new to meditation. It will be interesting to get acquainted with these techniques.
A person needs to sit on a chair, preferably with his side to the back, straighten his back and concentrate on his breathing. The hands rest calmly on the knees, the neck is not tense. You should breathe through your nose, keeping your lips loosely closed. You need to feel the ease and freedom of breathing, the different temperatures of inhaled and exhaled air, as well as your sensations.
Breathing exercises, methods and techniques of psychological self-regulation do not have to be searched on the Internet and performed with the accuracy specified in the instructions. In this case, everything is very individual.
Today, and at all times, self-control is the most important part of a person’s life. It is necessary in professional activities and is of great importance for the health and mental state of the individual. It is advisable for a person who strives to achieve success in life to master the basics of self-regulation and learn at least the simplest self-control techniques, since information about various self-regulation techniques is now widely available in the public domain. Author: Irina Shumilova
In modern psychological research, the concept of “self-regulation” and related concepts - self-government, self-organization, self-learning, self-programming, etc. - are interpreted differently. The wide range of differences is explained primarily by the different degrees of generality of the processes that are described by these concepts. Among the main approaches to the essence of self-regulation, several stand out. Self-regulation is:
A special level of activity programming based on foresight processes;
Managing a person’s emotions, feelings and experiences; - targeted changes in both individual psychophysiological functions and neuropsychic states in general;
Purposeful conscious choice of character and method of action; - “internal” regulation of human behavioral activity;
The interaction of external and internal in the behavior and activities of an individual, etc.
The ambiguity of the term “self-regulation” is due, on the one hand, to its multi-level structure, many aspects of study, and on the other hand, to the dual meaning of the root “self” (indicating human activity, the ability to perform conscious “voluntary” actions and the fact that processes can proceed as would be “by ourselves”, spontaneously).
Modern research identifies more than thirty types and levels of self-regulation, which are the object of analysis and study: social, biological, physiological, neurophysiological, psychological, psychotic, voluntary and involuntary, conscious and unconscious, direct and indirect, external and internal, volitional, incentive, executive , cognitive, personal, motivational, intellectual, emotional, attitudinal, reflexive, hidden, rigid and flexible, individual, etc. The criteria by which certain types of implementation are distinguished are very diverse - both in the degree of generality of the processes described and in their distinctiveness sign. Thus, social, biological, neurophysiological, psychological - as types of regulation - are highlighted in accordance with the level of analysis: a person in the system of social relations, a person as a biological organism, nervous mechanisms of regulation, regulation through mental images. Involuntary/voluntary, unconscious/conscious, reflexive - distinguished by the participation and role of consciousness and self-awareness in the processes of regulation, external and internal - by the nature of the means and factors of regulation. Individual, subjective, personal, incentive, motivational - types of regulation that describe the role of the individual and its individual manifestations in the regulation of activity. Cognitive, intellectual, emotional - describe the mechanisms of regulation mainly at the level of a particular mental process.
The term “self-regulation” is used, on the one hand, to characterize the functions of a person as a subject of activity; on the other hand, in relation to the analysis of brain function (when the brain is considered as a self-regulating system).
Without going into a more in-depth analysis of research on the problem of self-regulation, we note that from a practical, applied point of view, it is important to understand:
firstly, self-regulation is the process of influencing one’s own physiological and neuropsychological state;
secondly, self-regulation largely depends on a person’s desire to manage his own emotions, feelings and experiences, and, as a result, behavior;
thirdly, the ability to self-government is not given at birth, but is developed during life, i.e. amenable to formation and improvement.
“Self-regulation”, “self-regulation” is a derivative of the concept “regulation”. Regulation means bringing something into compliance with established norms and rules. The regulation process is revealed as a comparison of the regulated quantity with a given value, and in the event of its deviation (mismatch) from the given value, the control object receives an influence that restores the regulated quantity. Thus, the regulation process necessarily presupposes the presence of at least two components: a regulated object and a regulatory system or simply a regulator.
The regulator can be either organically built into the process itself, or relatively independent. In the first case, the orderliness of an object (system) is achieved spontaneously, through ordering influences between its elements, through self-regulation. In the second case, orderliness appears as a result of external influences, that is, regulation. Thus, the third integral component of the process of self-regulation is the way in which it is carried out or the means of self-regulation.
Self-regulation is related to the concept of homeostasis. Its essence lies in the fact that deviation from a given mode automatically makes itself felt due to feedback and itself causes an action that eliminates the deviation. The French physiologist C. Bernard in the second half of the 19th century was the first to clearly indicate that the internal environment of a living organism must remain constant despite any fluctuations in the external environment. W.B. Cannon proposed a name for the coordinated physiological processes that maintain most of the body's steady states. He introduced the term “homeostasis,” which means a mobile equilibrium state of a system, maintained by its counteraction to external and internal factors that disrupt this equilibrium. Obviously, the concept of self-regulation here has a physiological meaning, and can rather be called autoregulation. However, the principle of homeostasis, as noted by N.N. Yarushkin, moved from physiology to cybernetics and psychology, where he acquired a more general meaning of the principle of a systems approach and self-regulation based on feedback. Thus, self-regulation is understood as a process that ensures the stability of the system, its relative stability and balance. Obviously, the use of the term “self-regulation” does not make sense without defining the area that is subject to regulation. Mental self-regulation is a special case of self-regulation. The subject of self-regulation is a person who has consciousness and self-awareness. Further use of this term will be made precisely from these positions.
Let us turn to some definitions of the concept of mental self-regulation presented in the scientific literature. Mental self-regulation is understood as “a systemic process that ensures variability and plasticity of life activity at any of its levels adequate to the conditions”, “a person’s conscious influence on his inherent mental phenomena (processes, properties, states), the activities he performs, his own behavior in order to maintain (preserve) ) or changes in the nature of their course." According to K.A. Abulkhanova-Slavskaya, V.P. Boyarintsev self-regulation can be defined as a mechanism for ensuring a person’s internal mental activity by mental means, while activity and self-regulation act as two complementary aspects: activity expresses variability, movement, and self-regulation ensures stability, stability of this activity. According to the definition of A.S. Romena, mental self-regulation is the regulation of various processes and actions of the body, carried out by the body itself with the help of its mental activity. N.I. Alexandrova understands self-regulation as the optimal adaptation of the body to specific conditions of existence. Obviously, in this definition there is no subject that produces regulatory influences.
A.P. Kornilov, who assesses the development trend of the concept of self-regulation, indicates that self-regulation is understood as an analysis of the processes of meaning formation, including the level of self-reflection, the system of experiences in the context of self-identification. He considers self-regulation to be a manifestation of the regulatory function of self-awareness. As can be seen from the definitions, the area subject to regulation has a very wide range of values.
B.V. Zeigarnik views self-regulation as a conscious process that is aimed at managing one’s behavior. She distinguishes two levels of self-regulation: operational-technical, associated with the conscious organization of action using optimization tools, and motivational, on which the general direction of activity is organized through the management of the motivational-need sphere.
In a number of works, along with the concept of self-regulation, concepts that are similar in meaning are used, for example, self-control. G.S. Nikiforov and others consider self-control to be one of the components of mental self-regulation, along with its goal, making decisions about the nature of the necessary influences, choosing an appropriate program, and its implementation.
The concept of regulation is closely related to the basic functions of the mind. Traditionally, there are two functions of the psyche - reflection and regulation. V.A. Hansen divides the regulation function into two components: active and reactive regulation. The reactive regulation function, according to V.A. Hansen, realize affect, emotion, feeling, the function of active reflection - will, motive and action. Obviously, active reflection is characterized by arbitrariness.
The peculiarity of the human method of self-regulation, according to I.S. Kona is that it not only “adapts” a person, but also contains the development of an effective life orientation, including a sense of one’s ontological acceptability, integrity, self-esteem, and this is no longer just a control mechanism.
The processes of self-regulation are conscious (but not conscious in all their phases) and purposeful (active) in nature G.S. Nikiforov.
There are attempts to reduce self-regulation to individual aspects of the regulatory process. Thus, in the newest theory of mentality N.V. Chuprikova gives a central place to the will, while self-regulation, without being mentioned separately, as if by default, is attributed by the author to the functions of the will, which is responsible for the formation of goals and programs addressed to the executive bodies. But if the will, as N.I. herself notes, Chuprikova “reflects nothing,” then self-regulation, as a systemic quality of human self-awareness, unites, in addition to volitional processes, mental phenomena of another kind (for example, motives, cognitive components). I.I. Chesnokova argues: the study of self-awareness is possible only through self-regulation of behavior and activity, which presupposes the inclusion of the results of self-knowledge and an emotional-value attitude towards oneself.
Another version of the “narrow understanding” of self-regulation is the interpretation of the concept, widespread in the West, according to which self-regulation is a behavioral strategy based on a method of behavior that does not involve volitional effort and is unconscious, in contrast to self-control, which is based on volitional effort. In modern foreign psychology (Yu. Kul, P. Caroli, J.M. Diefendorff, etc.), self-regulation is understood as “... processes that allow a subject to manage his own behavior in changing conditions.” Self-regulation includes managing thoughts, emotions, behavior, and attention. The process of self-regulation occurs when external or internal obstacles arise on the way to achieving a goal. From the point of view of Yu. Kul, self-regulation is part of the structure of volitional regulation - a system that functions at two levels: self-regulation and self-control.
In modern domestic psychology of self-regulation (O.A. Konopkin, V.I. Morosanova, A.K. Osnitsky), it is understood as the internal, purposeful activity of a person, which is realized through the systemic participation of various phenomena and levels of the psyche. V.I. Morosanova refers to self-regulation as the processes of initiation and nomination by the subject of activity goals, as well as management of the achievement of these goals. The subject of the psychology of self-regulation is, from its point of view, “integral mental processes and phenomena that ensure the self-organization of various types of human mental activity, the integrity of his individuality and personality.” Thus, the contents of the concepts of “self-regulation” - internal processes and “self-organization” - activity is largely external, even if we are talking about the organization of mental activity.
Kazan researcher N.M. Peysakhov, who proposed the concept of self-government in the 70s, understands it as a purposeful change in behavior when the goal is set by the subject himself. The structure of self-government includes a certain set of elements (stages) corresponding to processes that provide different forms of activity, the central of which is the process of goal setting. Self-government is associated with the setting of goals by the subject of activity himself, with his anticipation of individual results of his activity, while self-regulation ensures the implementation of goals accepted by the subject from the outside. Self-government can act both as an operational side of purposeful activity, and as an ability - a stable characteristic, manifested both in the degree of formation of the self-government system and at the level of the ability to implement its individual processes.
Since the definition contains the terms awareness and voluntariness, let us clarify our position regarding their use. Awareness, following V.M. Allahverdov, we understand it as “the empirical fact of the subject’s presentation of the picture of the world and himself, as the ability of the subject expressed in words to be aware of what is happening.” According to L.S. Vygotsky, awareness is an act of consciousness, the subject of which is the very activity of consciousness.
The ambiguity of the term “self-regulation” is due, on the one hand, to the multi-level structure, many aspects of study, and on the other hand, to the dual meaning of the root “self,” indicating human activity, the ability to perform conscious “voluntary” actions, and
Of all the above approaches to the concept of self-regulation, we are inclined to define O.A. Konopkina, V.I. Morosanova, A.K. Osnitsky, who understand self-regulation as a person’s internal, purposeful activity, which is realized through the systemic participation of various phenomena and levels of the psyche. Self-regulation includes: control of thoughts, emotions, emotions, behavior, attention.
Being in a negative emotional state has a destructive effect on the body; people have been looking for ways to control their mental state since ancient times. Methods of self-regulation of emotional states are being actively studied; today a number of techniques have been developed to manage stress. Self-regulation is a system of certain actions aimed at managing one’s psyche. Regulation techniques make it possible to consciously manage your behavior.
In domestic psychology, the definition of emotional regulation is found in the following contexts:
The mechanism of self-regulation and regulation of emotional states was considered by F.B. Berezin. In his works, the regulation of the body is associated with mental adaptation. Berezin argues that psychological defenses counter anxiety and stress. The research conducted led Berezin to the conclusion that there are individual personality characteristics that help to successfully adapt to stress. This is the level of neuropsychic stability, self-esteem, emotional response in conflicts and others.
The well-known approach of R.M. Granovskaya. She divides all methods of emotional regulation into three groups:
Regulate the condition of R.M. Granovskaya suggests using weakening motivation. For example, you can reduce emotional tension when achieving a goal by concentrating not on the final result, but on tactics.
A number of mental states lead to disorganization, so they need to be regulated. There are two ways:
The concept of self-regulation relates to the second point, that is, a person helps himself to independently cope with a tense situation. Techniques of psychological self-regulation presuppose volitional participation; the person’s personality matters.
Mental self-regulation is the management of the emotional state by influencing oneself using words, images, muscle tone, and changes in breathing.
Psychological self-regulation allows you to eliminate, weaken signs of fatigue, and increase psychophysiological reactivity.
Modern self-management of the condition is a kind of psychohygienic method that increases the body's resources.
In psychology, there are several approaches to classifying state self-management. L.P. Grimak identified the following levels of self-regulation:
Any self-regulation mechanisms begin with motivation. Regulation and self-regulation of mental states are closely related to achievement motivation. Motivation is what motivates a person, and mental self-regulation is the ability to maintain the desired level of activity.
The level is mobilized when it is necessary to “remake” oneself, one’s attitudes and personal values.
Qualities that promote regulation:
The level provides the necessary degree of energy mobilization for optimal mental functioning. Types of self-regulation at the level:
Volitional self-regulation makes it possible to control one’s feelings and the ability to consciously maintain one’s well-being in extreme situations.
Emotional self-regulation is divided into two forms:
Involuntary regulation allows you to relieve stress and anxiety intuitively. Conscious regulation is associated with target activity; a person uses special methods to restore emotional strength.
Methods of mental self-regulation were used in ancient times; for example, the technique of self-hypnosis went down in history as a practice of Indian yogis.
Known methods of self-regulation of emotional state:
Relaxation techniques can be voluntary (relaxation when going to sleep) or voluntary. Voluntary technique is evoked by adopting a relaxed posture and imagining states corresponding to peace. Self-regulation skills allow you to perform a number of tasks:
Techniques for emotional self-regulation using auto-training were proposed by the German doctor Schultz. Autogenic training is self-hypnosis; techniques are learned through systematic exercise.
Most people can master the technique; under the influence of training, the emotional sphere is normalized, stress goes away, and volitional capabilities are enhanced.
Examples of self-regulation using autogenic training:
Methods of psychological self-regulation using desensitization can reduce fear and anxiety in frightening situations. This could be a fear of heights, flying, or memories of past traumatic events.
Habitual regulation techniques are the elimination of anxiety through relaxation. Having plunged into a state of complete peace, a person imagines alarming situations. It is necessary to alternate between approaching and moving away from the voltage source.
An effective technique is working with breathing. By holding your breath freely when faced with an alarming situation, you can regain your freedom of action.
The principles of self-regulation using desensitization are the elimination of anxiety through a positive attitude. An example of this would be when a child sings a cheerful song about how a lion devoured a man. The sound and tone of speech eliminates fear. (Song from the movie "Mary Poppins, Goodbye"). A general cheerful mood eliminates stress. In this film you can find effective methods of self-regulation and relieving psycho-emotional stress in children.
The foundations of self-regulation are laid in meditation. The process of meditation allows you to fully relax and relieve fatigue. 15-20 minutes a day is enough. There are two types of meditation:
The effects of meditation are beneficial to health, it can reduce the symptoms of physical diseases, and has a beneficial effect on physiology. After practice, metabolism and breathing rate improve.
Video: webinar “What is self-regulation and why is it needed?”
Methods of mental self-regulation are not only conscious, but also natural. These include:
Natural regulation helps prevent neuro-emotional breakdowns and reduce fatigue.
A person uses some basic natural methods of mental regulation intuitively. This is a long sleep, communication with nature, delicious food, a bath, massage, sauna, dancing or favorite music.
People use many of these methods unconsciously. Experts advise moving from spontaneous use to conscious management of your condition.
To avoid nervous breakdowns, it is worth using regulation methods. Self-management of your condition can become a prevention of cardiovascular diseases and a condition for calm well-being. The main advice is regular use.
Video: webinar by psychologist Nina Rubshtein “Addiction, counter-dependence and self-regulation.”
Anxiety is a feeling familiar to absolutely every person. Anxiety is based on the instinct of self-preservation, which we inherited from our distant ancestors and which manifests itself in the form of a defensive reaction “Flight or fight.” In other words, anxiety does not arise out of nowhere, but has an evolutionary basis. If at a time when a person was constantly in danger in the form of an attack by a saber-toothed tiger or an invasion of a hostile tribe, anxiety really helped to survive, then today we live in the safest time in the history of mankind. But our instincts continue to operate at a prehistoric level, creating many problems. Therefore, it is important to understand that anxiety is not your personal flaw, but a mechanism developed by evolution that is no longer relevant in modern conditions. Anxious impulses, once necessary for survival, have now lost their expediency, turning into neurotic manifestations that significantly limit the lives of anxious people.
