What is mental self-regulation. Self-regulation methods

To quickly switch from one emotional or mental state to another, you can use many methods: self-control, self-hypnosis, sports or sleep (active and passive discharge), tears, switching or turning off attention, rationalization, situation analysis, auto-training, attitude change, meditation, relaxation and other. And even prayers from the perspective of psychology are a method of self-regulation. This is how they help, because they allow a person to come to consciousness and find a rational solution. What other methods of self-regulation are there? Let's figure it out.

Direct methods

Direct methods of influencing the psyche include music. Yes, its effectiveness was experimentally proven back in the 19th century by V. M. Bekhterev, although intuitively music has been used for treatment purposes since ancient times.

The second method is libropsychotherapy, or treatment with special literature. Books draw a person into a fictional world, make them experience the emotions of the characters and distract them from their own experiences.

Indirect methods

• Work and sports are the most effective indirect methods. They provide relaxation, charge with positivity and distract from worries.
• Imagotherapy, or role-playing games– a method of correcting a condition through personal changes. In the process, new features are formed, and the experience of problems also changes.
• Suggestion and self-hypnosis. The spoken words are not criticized, but are accepted by default and become a person’s internal attitude, which corrects his activity.

As you may have noticed, these methods do not necessarily relate to self-regulation, but there are methods exclusively for independent use that develop the ability to self-government. For example, autogenic training. You will also learn about this from the article, but a little later.

By functional focus

Three groups of methods can be distinguished:

1. Methods of conscious control over emotions: elimination of external signs, muscle relaxation and tension, breathing techniques.
2. Intellectual methods: switching attention and comprehension.
3. Motivational-volitional methods: self-persuasion, self-approval, self-order, self-soothing, self-hypnosis.

Psychotechnicians for behavior correction tasks

Decreased arousal

Effectively use:

• distraction and switching of attention;
• goal setting (consider different options);
• physical relaxation;
• psychomuscular and autogenic training;
• breathing exercises for relaxation.

Resource Activation

Effectively use:

• autogenic training for mobilization;
• increased motivation;
• breathing exercises for activity;
• plot performances;
• memories of active emotional states and the situations that caused them;
• mental and sensory stimulation;
• heterosuggestion.

Mental desensitization

Effective:

• presentation of successful behavior;
• self-hypnosis of confidence and neutral attitude towards harmful factors;
• deliberate passive attitude.

Relieving Emotional Stress

Effective:

• listening to music;
• relaxation;
• substitution;
• rationalization;
• fantasy.

Recuperation

Effective:

• meditation;
• suggested dream;
• self-hypnosis for quick recovery.

Regulation of the autonomic system

Effective:

• auto-training;
• heteroregulation;
• breathing exercises.

Autogenic training

The method was developed in 1930 by the German psychotherapist I. G. Schultz. In Russia, the method has been used and studied since 1950.

At first, auto-training was used only for treatment nervous disorders, but gradually began to be used for preventive purposes. Today this is a popular method of unloading the emotional and mental state in all areas and activities: study, work, relationships, and so on.

Auto-training in the modern sense even has its own subtypes:

• psychomuscular training (PMT);
• psychotonic training (PTT);
• psychoregulatory training (PRT).

But the basis of any auto-training is a relaxation mechanism, that is:

• mastering muscle relaxation techniques;
• development of skills for sensing heat and cold in the body;
• increasing concentration and volitional attitude towards general state body.

The purpose of auto-training is to relieve muscle and emotional tension, to instill in a relaxed state the development of volition.

I suggest you get acquainted with morning auto-training, which will charge you with energy and positivity for the whole day. You can perform it at any time, even immediately after waking up, while lying in bed. You just need to say the following words (installations). It is very important to speak on your own behalf in the present tense.

The text can be saved and printed as a reminder

Self-hypnosis

In fact, the technique described above is self-suggestion. With the help of these words, your faith in your own strength and the implementation of your plans increases. You get set up for success and understand that everything depends only on you.

Self-hypnosis is always positive statements in the first person, spoken in the present tense. You can come up with your own relevant and relevant settings. Self-hypnosis directly affects the psychophysiology of the brain, forces it to concentrate on the goal.

There are several principles for constructing phrases. You are addressing the subconscious, so it is imperative to follow them.

1. Use positive and affirmative phrases, avoiding “not” and “never”. For example, instead of “my head doesn’t hurt,” say “the pain has left my head.”
2. Maximum specificity. Don't skimp on your words and sentences. Big goal break it down into small ones. For example, “I am successful” is a common phrase. Decipher what this means in your mind.
3. Try to replace abstractions. For example, not “the head has passed,” but “the forehead has cooled.”
4. Do not complicate the wording, use simple words, most importantly, understandable to you.
5. One phrase – maximum 4 words.
6. Always only the present tense. The subconscious perceives this as having already happened, and what is said actually happens.

Meditation

Meditation involves working with attention: relaxing it or, conversely, increasing concentration. The purpose of meditation is to relieve emotional stress and develop the ability to stop the flow of thoughts.

Focus on the score

Count slowly from 1 to 10, concentrating on each number. You shouldn't think about anything else. If you realize that your thoughts have again “fled away” into your problems, then start counting from the beginning. Count like this for a few minutes (without losing your way).

Focusing on emotions and mood

1. Record your inner thoughts, inner speech.
2. Stop her.
3. Catch your mood and focus on it.
4. Rate it: good, bad, sad, happy, average, upbeat.
5. Now focus on your emotions. Imagine yourself in an elevated, joyful state. To do this, remember a joyful event in life, a pleasant image.
6. Get out of the state of relaxation.
7. Go through reflection, that is, evaluate your state and thoughts now and during the exercise.

Trainings

Perhaps the most popular psychological technique today. There are many trainers and people willing to undergo training. Trainings are divided into separate profiles covering narrow topics. For example, training to improve stress resistance is popular. Most often they are directed:

• to increase self-esteem (or decrease to the correct level if necessary), emotional stability, self-confidence;
• formation of motivation to achieve success and behavior strategies under stress.

Manual massage

The skin is a continuous field of receptors. Impact on specific points allows you to correct the functioning of the brain:

• When tense and excited, it is useful to stroke or knead the skin with deep movements for a long time.
• In case of depression and low activity, on the contrary, sharp and strong awakening pressing or rubbing is indicated. We all know about the technique of slapping or pinching.

Breathing exercises

There are many options for breathing techniques, but it is a mistake to believe that they are all aimed at slowing down mental reactions. On the contrary, there are exercises that activate the brain.

Relaxation exercises

The goal is to master conscious natural breathing, relieve muscle clamps and tension, calm emotions. I want to introduce you to some exercises.

"Rest"

Place your feet shoulder-width apart, straighten up, and inhale. As you exhale, bend down, relax your neck and shoulders (as if they were hanging calmly on their own). Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes. Breathe deeply, watch your breathing. Slowly straighten up.

"Conscious Breathing"

Sit comfortably and relax, but keep your back straight. Take your first shallow breath in and out. Then inhale and exhale a second time, but deeper. And for the third time, inhale with your whole chest, but exhale very slowly (one in three).

"Breathing under stress"

Breathing is rhythmic and combined with walking. The scheme is as follows: two steps - inhale, two steps - exhale. Gradually increase the duration of exhalation, that is, then it will be: two steps - inhale, three steps - exhale, and so on.

Arousal exercises

The purpose of the following exercises is to increase neuropsychic activity and activate resources.

"Lock"

Sit up straight, place your hands on your knees and clasp them together. Inhale and at the same time raise your arms up (palms facing up). Hold your breath for a couple of seconds, exhale sharply through your mouth and “drop” your hands on your knees.

"Getting ready for work"

You need to breathe according to a certain pattern described below. The first number is inhalation, the second (in brackets) is retention, the third is exhalation.

2(2)+2; 4(2)+4; 4(2)+5; 4(2)+6; 4(2)+7; 4(2)+8; 8(2)+5; 9(4)+5; 10(5)+5.

Relaxation

The goal is to realize, find and relieve muscle tension; learn muscle control.

"Tension-relaxation"

Stand up straight, focus on your right arm and tense it. After a few seconds, release the tension. Do the same with your left hand, then with both at the same time. After - with the right leg, left leg, both legs, lower back, neck.

"Muscle Energy"

1. Bend as much as possible forefinger right hand (do not damage it).
2. Feel where the tension goes. The finger itself, the hand, the elbow, the neck?
3. Now try to gradually ease the tension: in the neck, shoulder, elbow. But the finger is still bent and tense.
4. Release tension from your other fingers. We don't touch the index finger.
5. Managed? Release the tension from your index finger.
6. Do the same with your left leg (press your heel into the floor, do not overdo it).
7. Where does the tension go? Gradually relax, as in the case of a finger.
8. After this, tense your back. I will make a reservation that this exercise is not suitable for people with a bad back (hernia, osteochondrosis). If your back is healthy, then bend over and imagine that a box is placed on your back.
9. Where does the tension go? Gradually relax your entire body, last but not least your back.

Involuntary visualization

The goal is to distract from stressful situations and obsessive thoughts by means of involuntary attention against the background of relaxation.

1. Close your eyes and look as if at the back of your eyelids. In a couple of minutes you will see dots, spots, lines.
2. After some time, these spots may begin to form into some images, faces, objects.
3. It is important to do this in a state of relaxation, then gradually intrusive thoughts through these barely noticeable images will come out.
4. Keep your face and body relaxed. Don’t try to draw something yourself, but just look, as if from the outside, at what appears.
5. This exercise requires skill. During the first practices, attention often slips; you need to consciously return it to the points.
6. Then open your eyelids and assess your condition.

"Anchoring" method

A self-regulation technique associated with conditioned reflexes, that is, the “stimulus-reinforcement” scheme. Surely it has happened to you that a song or smell evoked specific memories and... This is your “anchor”, which can be positive or negative. Someone's voice or gesture can also be an anchor.

Self-regulation in the form of anchoring involves the conscious setting of “anchors” and their reasonable use, that is, the release of the necessary resource in a stressful situation.

1. Identify a situation in which you need resources.
2. Determine specifically what resource is needed (confidence, courage, determination, etc.).
3. Ask yourself: “If I had this resource now, would I really use it?” If the answer is yes, then you made the right choice and you can move on. If you make a mistake, then select a new resource.
4. Remember a situation when you had this resource.
5. Choose three “anchors”: what you hear, what you feel, what you see.
6. Change your position in space, reproduce in your memory the situation when you had the resource, achieve a peak state.
7. Exit it and return to your original place.
8. Recreate the situation again and attach three “anchors”. Hold them as long as needed.
9. Check the success of the operation: “turn on the anchors”. Are you getting into the desired state? If yes, then everything is fine. If not, repeat the previous point.
10. Determine the signal that will hint to you in a difficult situation that it is time to “drop anchor.”
11. If necessary, immediately create a complex of evoked states, emotions, and feelings.

Afterword

Self-regulation really works. The body and brain are one, as has long been evidenced. Therefore, you should not be skeptical about exercises that seem to have little to do with psychology.

But you need to approach the development of self-regulation carefully and following a number of rules:

• clearly see the goal and stick to it;
• the process of developing a skill must be consistent and purposeful;
• be prepared for high energy costs, especially at the beginning of the journey;
• despite consistency and purposefulness, adhere to diversity in the development of self-regulation methods.

It is impossible to create one set of self-regulation methods for a lifetime, since the very ability to self-government is associated with such changeable elements as needs, personality and character traits, motives, and more. You can read more about the intricacies of developing self-regulation and what it is in the article.

The techniques presented in the article were borrowed from the book by T. G. Volkova “Workshop on the psychology of self-awareness and self-regulation: methodological materials for the course.” You can find this literature and learn more about other techniques and methods of self-regulation.

Our life is full of stress. Endless worries and worries. Conflicts at home, at work, in the store, on the bus. No confidence in yourself or the future. A chronic state of tension and depression... Which nervous system can withstand this? It is no coincidence that doctors are increasingly talking about the general neuroticism of the population. And they recommend a variety of methods of mental self-regulation that help neutralize the destructive effects of stress: from Indian yoga to walks in the fresh air and some television series.

There is a lot of evidence that a person’s capabilities in everyday life are far from fully manifested, but in a state of extreme emotional arousal, in an extreme situation, people are capable of gigantic intellectual and physical supermobilization. For example, while saving her child, a woman overturns a car; a man running away from an angry dog ​​overcomes a three-meter wall, and there are endlessly many such examples.

Mental self-regulation system was worked out in ancient Sparta, among the Scandinavian Vikings, as well as in Slavic types of martial arts (Slavic-Goritsky wrestling, Russian hand-to-hand combat and etc.).

Self-regulation is conventionally divided into biological(reflex, as the highest form of biological) and consciously managed.

Biological self-regulation - these are genetically encoded complex internal processes that underlie the growth, development, vital activity and protective functions of the body of both humans and animals and plants. Biological self-regulation occurs without the participation of consciousness. For example, during anesthesia the heart continues to beat. Even in the dead, biological self-regulation maintains the growth of hair and nails. Reflex self-regulation ensures the perception of signals from the external environment by the senses. For example, the work of the heart can change from a sharp knock, from a perceived image and even a smell. This property of the body to change biological self-regulation through feelings is the basis of the phenomena of suggestion, hypnosis and other methods of influence. Suggestion is a targeted psychological influence on a person in order to cause, through the senses, a change in biological self-regulation in the desired direction.

Consciously controlled self-regulation - this is a classic auto-training or mental self-regulation. As a result of self-regulation, three main effects can occur:

• Ш calming effect (elimination of emotional tension);
• Ш recovery effect (weakening of symptoms of fatigue);
• Ш activation effect (increased psychophysiological reactivity).

Exist natural ways self-regulation of mental state, which include: long sleep, food, communication with nature and animals, massage, movement, dancing, music and much more. But such means cannot be used, for example, at work, directly at the moment when a tense situation has arisen or fatigue has accumulated.

Timely self-regulation acts as a kind of psychohygienic means. It prevents accumulation residual effects overstrain, promotes complete restoration of strength, normalizes the emotional background of activity and helps to gain control over emotions, and also enhances the mobilization of the body's resources.

Natural methods of regulating the body are among the most accessible methods of self-regulation:

• Ш laughter, smile, humor;
• Ш thoughts about good, pleasant things;
• Ш various movements such as stretching, muscle relaxation;
• Ш observation of the landscape;
• Ш looking at flowers in the room, photographs, other pleasant or dear things to a person;
• Ш bathing (real or mental) in the sun's rays;
• Ш inhalation fresh air;
• Sh expressing praise, compliments, etc.

Mental self-regulation- this is an independent, purposeful and conscious change by the subject of the regulatory mechanisms of his psyche based on the use of resources of the unconscious level, i.e. this is a person’s influence on himself with the help of words and corresponding mental images

Self-regulation can be considered, on the one hand, as a technique for working in the emotional-volitional sphere, and on the other, as a mechanism for increasing mental activity through self-programming. Skillful use of self-regulation techniques will help to cope with certain professional difficulties, as well as, to some extent, in solving personal problems.

The main feature of the methods of self-regulation of states is their focus on the formation of adequate internal means that allow a person to carry out special activities to change his state.

Here are examples of special exercises that occupy the most important place in the technique of mental self-regulation:

Breathing exercises.

Abdominal breathing helps relieve neuropsychic tension and restore mental balance. During training, it is necessary to ensure that inhalation and exhalation are carried out by filling the lower third of the lungs with movement abdominal wall, while the chest and shoulders remain motionless.

The breathing cycle should be carried out according to the formula “4-2-4”, i.e. inhale for 4 counts, pause for 2 counts and exhale for 4 counts. It is recommended to breathe slowly through the nose, focusing on the breathing process. At the initial stage, you can connect images, imagining how air fills your lungs and comes out back.

After correct assimilation of this type of breathing, military personnel are recommended to use it when the first signs of mental tension, attacks of irritability or fear appear. 2-3 minutes of such breathing, as a rule, help restore mental balance or significantly weaken negative emotions.

Clavicular (upper) breathing is carried out by the upper third of the lungs with the shoulders raised. Inhale and exhale through the nose with deep and fast movements. It is used when signs of fatigue, apathy or drowsiness occur in order to activate mental processes and restore a feeling of vigor.

Muscle tone control.

Each negative emotion has its own representation in the muscles of the body. Constantly experiencing negative emotions leads to muscle strain and muscle tension. Since there is a close relationship between the psyche and the body, both mental tension causes an increase in muscle tone, and muscle relaxation leads to a decrease in neuropsychic agitation. You can reduce muscle tone through self-massage, self-hypnosis, and special stretches. The simplest and most effective way is self-massage. It can be taught in pairs, when one student performs the techniques, and the second monitors the correctness of their implementation and provides assistance. First, military personnel are asked to switch to already mastered abdominal breathing and achieve calm state, while trying to relax the muscles as much as possible. The partner controls which muscle groups of the face, neck, shoulders, and arms remain tense and points to them. In the future, the student must pay constant attention to these places, because these are his individual muscle clamps. Then he begins self-massage of the facial muscles - using his fingertips he makes spiral-shaped, patting movements from the center to the periphery, successively passing the muscles of the forehead, cheeks, cheekbones, back of the head, neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, etc.

After self-massage, he remains in a relaxed state for several minutes, trying to remember his sensations, and then switches to clavicular breathing and silently pronouncing the self-hypnosis formulas “I am alert, well rested, ready for further work,” and returns to the waking state. When massaging the neck-shoulder area, you can resort to the help of a friend. The ability to relax muscles is a preparatory exercise for learning to enter altered states of consciousness and use self-hypnosis.

Ideomotor training.

Since any mental movement is accompanied by micromovements of the muscles, it is possible to improve action skills without actually performing them. At its core, ideomotor training is a mental replay of the upcoming activity. For all its advantages (saving effort, material costs, time), this method requires the student to take a serious attitude, the ability to concentrate, mobilize the imagination, and the ability not to be distracted throughout the entire training.

At the beginning of the training, trainees can relax their muscles, use lower breathing and immerse themselves in a calm, slightly drowsy state. After this, the manager begins to describe the task. When conducting ideomotor training, it is recommended to observe the following principles: trainees must create an extremely accurate image of the movements being practiced; the mental image of movement must necessarily be associated with its muscular-articular feeling, only then will it be an ideomotor idea; imagining the movements mentally, you need to accompany it with a verbal description following the lesson leader, spoken in a whisper or mentally; when starting to train a new movement, you need to mentally see it in slow motion, which can be accelerated in the process of further training; if during training the body itself begins to make some movements, this should not be prevented; immediately before performing a real action, there is no need to think about its result, since the result displaces from consciousness the idea of ​​​​how to perform the action.

Ideomotor training will help reduce the impact of the factor of novelty, which leads to faster mastery of new skills, formation of an image of upcoming actions and increases the level of psychological readiness to them.

There are also such methods of self-regulation as autogenic training, meditation exercises(transcendental meditation (TM), concentrating meditation (CM), dynamic meditation (DM)).

Techniques of mental self-regulation

1. The technique of mental self-regulation is performed sitting or standing, with eyes closed or open - whichever is more pleasant. Your arms can be crossed over your chest, placed on your knees, or lowered freely. The head is slightly tilted back into a position from which one does not want to leave.

Begin to slightly rock your body back and forth, from side to side, in a circular motion. Stick with what feels most natural to you and look for the most enjoyable swinging rhythm.

2. While sitting or standing with your eyes closed, sway your body slightly, imagining a pleasant train ride, for example. Do not impose your rhythm on the body, let it “choose” it itself.

When performing these techniques of mental self-regulation, a feeling of drowsiness may appear, which means that the body is experiencing a lack of sleep and it is necessary, if possible, to take a little nap.

If, while rocking, you feel how nervous tension is replaced by peace and the “grip” of stress weakens, then you have found correct rhythm. Do rocking for 5 - 15 minutes one or several times a day, depending on the body's needs, and you will soon notice how your well-being improves.

3. Standing with your eyes closed or open, extend your arms straight forward. Listen to yourself: are you relaxed enough? Are you ready? Slowly spread your arms to the side: they should move apart as if by themselves.

If your arms remain motionless, it means that you are too “tight” and you need to do a few familiar exercises (swing your arms to the sides, in front of your chest), and then calmly spread your arms again.

4. Standing with your eyes closed or open, spread your arms straight to the sides. Relax and slowly bring your arms together, stretching them out in front of you.

Raising and closing your arms must be repeated several times in a row, achieving a seemingly continuous movement and the feeling that they are being pulled by some force against your will.

• 5. Standing with your eyes open or closed, your arms hanging freely, slowly raise your left or right hand up as if it were being pulled by an invisible thread: your hand seems to “float up”.
• 6. While sitting or standing, slowly rotate your head, as if bypassing painful and tense positions. When you find a head position in which you want to freeze, stop: this is the point of relaxation. Then resume the rotation, but under no circumstances to the point of fatigue. Despite its simplicity, this movement effectively relieves stress and returns you to a state of peace and balance.

All techniques of mental self-regulation can be performed separately or in combination one or several times a day and stress will be defeated.

If people had no feelings and were indifferent, they would not know either worries and anxieties, or joy and happiness. A person who wants to get an answer to the question of how to calm down wants to get rid of negative experiences, filling life with positivity and harmony.

Steps towards peace of mind

A person is most nervous in a situation of uncertainty. Any exciting situation needs to be sorted out. How to quickly calm down if you don’t understand what’s going on? Knowledge gives a person confidence in what is happening.

1. Clarifying the situation is the first step to peace of mind in a specific situation.
2. The second step is to use self-regulation techniques to calm yourself enough to think quickly and clearly in a difficult situation.
3. The third step is to analyze what is happening and decide on a course of action.

If there is a threat, real or potentially dangerous, you need to be able to easily and quickly put your thoughts and emotions in order in order to take measures to eliminate the danger or avoid it.

For example, if a person gets lost in the forest, one must not give in to panic and excitement, but while maintaining a sober mind, be able to quickly find the way home.

If anxieties, worries and fears are excessive and unreasonable, self-regulation methods are needed to balance mental processes.

Most people worry about little things. For overly anxious individuals, worry and negative experiences are a common activity and way of life.

For example, people are worried and cannot calm themselves down during a job interview. The reason for this excitement is the exaggerated value of the event. An interview is not a life-threatening situation, the person simply doubts himself and is afraid of making a negative impression. Excitement plays a cruel joke on him, does not allow him to think soberly, slows down his reactions, makes his speech intermittent and incoherent. As a result, the excitement and anxiety are justified.

A person needs to use self-regulation methods in such and other similar situations when the significance of the event is exaggerated.

Methods and techniques of self-regulation

How to calm down without resorting to taking medications? It is necessary to use methods of self-regulation of mental state.

Self-regulation – control of the psycho-emotional state by influencing consciousness with words, mental images, correct breathing, toning and relaxing muscles.

Self-regulation is designed to quickly calm, eliminate emotional stress and normalize the emotional background.

How to calm down without knowing special self-regulation techniques? The body and consciousness usually themselves tell you how to do this.

Natural self-regulation techniques:

• smile, laughter;
• switching attention to a pleasant object;
• support of a loved one;
• physical warm-up;
• observing nature;
• fresh air, sunlight;
• clean water (wash, shower, drink water);
• listening to music;
• singing, shouting;
• reading;
• drawing and others.

Techniques that develop the ability to manage psychological state:

1. Correct breathing. You need to take a slow and deep breath, hold your breath and slowly, completely exhale, imagining how the tension goes away.
2. Autotraining. Autogenic training is based on self-hypnosis. A person meaningfully repeats positive phrases many times until he believes what he is saying. For example: “I remain calm, I am calm.”
3. Relaxation. Special relaxation exercises, massage, yoga. By relaxing your muscles, you can balance your psyche. The effect is achieved through alternating muscle tension and relaxation.
4. Visualization. The technique involves recreating in your imagination a pleasant memory or picture that evokes positive emotions. This state is called resource. Having plunged into it, a person feels positive feelings.

Exercises for self-regulation

Special exercises aimed at regulating the mental state in a specific situation help to find calm. There are many such exercises developed; you can choose the one that is most convenient to use, quick and effective.

Some special exercises and ways to quickly calm down:

• Exercise "Swinging"

In a standing or sitting position, you need to relax and tilt your head back so that it is comfortable, as if lying on a pillow. Close your eyes and begin to sway slightly, with a small amplitude from side to side, back and forth or in a circle. You need to find the most pleasant rhythm and tempo.

• Exercise "Disclosure"

In a standing position, you need to make several swings of your arms in front of your chest to the sides, in a circle, up and down (classic exercises for warming up). Stretch your straight arms forward and relax, begin to slowly move them to the sides.

If the hands are relaxed enough, they will begin to move apart as if by themselves. The exercise must be repeated until a feeling of lightness arises. By spreading your arms, imagine how your perception of life expands, your arms open towards the positive.

• Exercise “Relaxation point”

In a standing or sitting position, you need to relax your shoulders and lower your arms freely. Start slowly rotating your head in a circle. When you find the most comfortable position and want to stop, you need to do so.

After resting in this position, continue rotational movements. Rotating your head, imagine moving towards harmony, and at the point of relaxation feel the achievement of this goal.

A positive effect can be achieved simply by shaking your hands well and quickly several times, as if shaking off water. Imagine that stress and nervousness are leaving your fingertips.

To relax your muscles, you need to jump in place, as if shaking off snow.

• Exercise “Sunny Bunny”

The exercise is suitable for both adults and children. It is pleasant, playful, fun.

Take a comfortable position, sitting or reclining, relax all your muscles. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a sunny meadow, beach, riverbank or other pleasant place where the sun is shining. Imagine how the gentle sun warms the body and, together with the sunlight, the body is saturated with peace and happiness.

A ray of sunshine ran across the lips and drew a smile, across the forehead, relaxing the eyebrows and forehead, sliding onto the chin and relaxing the jaw. The sun's ray runs over the body and relaxes all its parts in turn, gives peace of mind, and removes anxiety. You can add sounds of nature: splashing waves, birdsong, rustling leaves.

Duration of exercises: from one to fifteen minutes. They can be performed in combination, several times a day.

Simple exercises can restore a sense of joy in life, self-confidence, calm down and achieve mental balance.

Experiences are an integral part of life

Is it possible to avoid anxiety and worry all the time or is it better to learn self-regulation?

• Not everyone can find calm in a difficult situation, but everyone can try to do it.
• People need both positive and negative emotions and feelings in order to survive. They are always natural. Some of them are congenital, others acquired.
• The problem and difficulties are represented by negative emotions, feelings, thoughts, worries and anxieties that are excessive, unreasonable, and pathological.
• Modern life is perceived by the body as a continuous stream of threats, dangers, worries and stressful situations. To save peace of mind and health, you need to know the answer to the question of how to quickly calm down.
• The depth of experience is determined by personality characteristics. A child learns to become nervous by looking at others. With anxious parents, children grow up to be anxious individuals.
• Excessive worries can be caused by self-doubt, fatigue, negative experiences of the past, exceeding the significance of events and other reasons.

Development of assertiveness (internal balance)

A person becomes nervous when he feels an existential threat. Physiological reactions during severe anxiety are designed to activate the body's hidden reserves to combat troubles. The heart begins to beat faster so that the muscles become toned and the blood circulates better, supplying the brain with oxygen.

When a person is very worried and does not know how to calm himself down, he either behaves passively, confused and afraid, or aggressively and unrestrained.

These strategies are ineffective. The most beneficial strategy for survival in society is the ability to maintain internal balance, in which a person has his own opinion, an independent view of the situation, and a calm perception of reality.

A person’s ability to independently regulate his own behavior and be responsible for it is called assertiveness.

• A person in an assertive state looks at life calmly, analyzes and makes informed decisions, does not give in to manipulation, and uses self-regulation techniques. A person’s internal position is stable, he is self-confident, balanced, a difficult situation is perceived by them as being under control.
• Assertiveness presupposes the ability to quickly move away from a problem, ease of perception and a low degree of indifference. You need to become an outside observer of the ongoing event, interested, but not involved.
• Such behavior may be perceived by others as callous and indifferent, but it allows a person to maintain inner peace and harmony. Advice to look at life more simply and not to take everything to heart implies the development of assertiveness.
• Self-regulation methods are aimed at developing assertiveness as the ability to quickly stop worries, look at oneself from the outside, give an objective assessment of what is happening and make a reasonable decision.

In their work, EMERCOM employees encounter extreme situations that have a significant impact on people and their activities. An extreme situation is a situation that has arisen that threatens or is subjectively perceived by a person as threatening life, health, personal integrity, well-being

Psychological self-regulation is a purposeful change in mental state carried out by the subject himself through specially organized mental activity.

There are natural techniques and methods for self-regulation of mental state, which include sleep, communication with animals, music, and dancing. However, these methods cannot be used at work. In addition to natural methods of self-regulation, there are others, using which you can activate or inhibit mental processes in a short period of time, as well as improve the quality of the activity performed. Self-regulation helps you treat people with more restraint and be more tolerant of their shortcomings.

A person is, to some extent, a self-regulating system; thanks to psychological and physiological mechanisms, a person can adapt to rapidly changing living conditions, manage himself in difficult situations, and also mobilize his strength. There are mechanisms that function independently of the will, desire and mood of a person, these include the human body’s reaction to an increase or decrease in temperature. Self-regulation of behavior can occur with the help of the unconscious in certain situation experience, habits and skills. However, self-regulation can be conscious when we consciously change the state of our body using certain techniques and methods.

Self-regulation techniques include two main parts: relaxing and mobilizing. Self-regulation as a method is based on the interaction of consciousness and subconscious, thinking and imagination, words and feelings. What we say affects emotional sphere and thereby activates the imagination, thanks to which mental and physical relaxation occurs, it is possible to carry out an act of will and self-control of breathing. Verbal formulas form the basis of the self-regulation method; they should be simple and short, not raising doubts or tension.

As a result of self-regulation, the following main effects can occur:

1. Calming effect.
2. Recovery effect.
3. Activation effect.

All methods of self-regulation can be divided into two groups according to the time of their implementation:

1. Mobilizing methods before and during the period of activity.
2. Methods that promote full restoration strength during the rest period:

• methods of mental self-regulation: art therapy, meditation, autogenic training;
• methods of psychophysiological regulation: music therapy, color therapy, physical exercises;

Methods of self-regulation are distinguished depending on the area where regulation occurs:

1. Emotional-volitional:

• self-confession is a report to oneself about various difficulties in life, mistakes that happened in the past;
• self-persuasion – conscious influence on one’s own attitudes;
• self-hypnosis - mental suggestions that help resolve a difficult situation.

1. Motivational

• direct, that is, the person consciously revises his motivational system and corrects it. These methods include autogenic training and logical thinking;
• indirect methods, that is, influencing the central nervous system through indirect factors, an example is meditation.

1. Corrective

• self-organization, that is active formation yourself as an individual, the desire to know yourself, a responsible attitude towards work, words and people around you;
• self-affirmation - the desire to achieve a certain status and maintain it;
• self-determination, that is, a person’s ability to independently choose the direction of self-development;
• self-actualization is the desire to develop one’s personal capabilities.

In order to learn to manage your emotions, mood, and reduce tension, you need to systematically conduct training using self-regulation techniques. It is in this case that an increase in psychological stability can be achieved.

To reduce neuropsychic tension and improve mood, you can use the following techniques:

• use of logic techniques. You can relieve tension by talking to yourself, convincing yourself that your worries are not serious;
• use of images. When performing difficult activities, you can imagine yourself as a literary hero or movie character. Mentally imagine a role model and thereby regulate your condition;
• presentation of the situation. You need to remember a situation in which you felt comfortable and easy. There can be many situations, but you should choose only one most significant situation that can cause positive emotional experiences;
• using switching methods. This technique used for physical fatigue and despair. In this case, you can relieve mental stress with the help of various means distractions. For example, read your favorite book, watch a movie, listen to music;
• using distraction techniques. The ability to think about everything except the emotional circumstance is developed;
• breathing technique when you need to calm down. You should use counting breathing techniques. Inhale for four counts, then exhale for four counts, each time the inhalation and exhalation are lengthened by one unit. The exercise is carried out until inhalation and exhalation lengthen to 12 count units;
• breathing technique with breath holding. You should take a deep breath, then hold your breath for 20 seconds and exhale slowly;
• control of muscle tone. You need to sit comfortably and close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply, mentally walk through the whole body, try to tense the places where the clamps are, feel the tension and release it as you exhale;
• painting with paints. Create a drawing that reflects you internal state, you can take bright colors and draw an abstraction on a sheet of paper;
• auto-training. Self-hypnosis technique based on maximum muscle relaxation;
• using muscle relaxation. It is necessary to relax the muscles, for example, when experiencing negative emotions you should smile and activate your sense of humor;
• impact on biologically active points.

There are a number of factors that influence the decrease in the effectiveness and efficiency of using mental self-regulation techniques, including: the employee’s negative attitude towards performing exercises; success in the initial stages of training; incorrect choice of self-regulation method;

Thus, mental self-regulation creates favorable psychological preconditions for the successful performance of activities, as well as facilitating the transition from work to rest.

Bibliography:

1. Ageenkova E.K. A set of techniques for mental self-regulation of emotional states for the prevention and rehabilitation of somatic disorders, crisis conditions and fatigue in military personnel. //Military Psychological Bulletin. Information- Toolkit for officers of the socio-psychological structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. /Ed. A.N. Gura. – Minsk: Center for Ideological Work of the State Committee for Educational Institution “Central Educational Directorate of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus”, 2008. - No. 1. – P. 13 - 59.
2. Asyamov S.V., Pulatov Yu.S. Professional and psychological training for employees of internal affairs bodies: Tutorial. – Tashkent: Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2000. – 141 p.
3. Large psychological dictionary edited by B.G. Meshcheryakova, V.P. Zinchenko. - M.: 2003. - 672 p.
4. Psychology of extreme situations for rescuers and firefighters / Ed. Yu.S. Shoigu. - M.: Smysl, 2007. – 319 p.

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Self-regulation is a kind of adjustment by an individual of his personal inner world and himself for the purpose of adaptation. That is, this is a property of absolutely everyone biological systems to form and subsequently maintain biological or physiological parameters at a specific, more or less constant level. With self-regulation, the factors that control do not influence the controlled system from the outside, but appear within it itself. Such a process can be cyclical.

Self-regulation is the previously understood and organized influence of the subject on his psyche to transform its characteristics in the right direction. That is why the development of self-regulation must begin with childhood.

Mental self-regulation

Self-regulation literally means putting things in order. That is, self-regulation is a pre-conscious and organized influence of the subject on his own psyche to change its characteristics in the desired and expected direction.

Self-regulation is based on a set of patterns of mental functioning and their consequences, which are known as psychological effects. These include:

• the activating influence of the motivational sphere, which generates the subject’s activity aimed at transforming characteristics;

• control effect involuntary or voluntary mental images, which arise in the consciousness of the individual;

• functional integrity and structural unity of all cognitive processes of the psyche, which provide the effect of the subject’s influence on his psyche;

• interdependence and unity of the areas of consciousness and the spheres of the unconscious as objects through which the subject exercises regulatory influence on himself;

• a functional connection between the emotional-volitional area of ​​an individual’s personality and her bodily experience and thought processes.

The beginning of the self-regulation process should have a relationship with the identification of a specific contradiction associated with the motivational sphere. It is these contradictions that will be a kind of driving force that stimulates the restructuring of certain properties and traits of one’s personality. Techniques for such self-regulation can be built on the following mechanisms: reflection, imagination, neurolinguistic programming, etc.

The earliest experience of self-regulation is closely related to bodily sensation.

Every man of sense who wants to be the master of his own life must develop self-regulation. That is, self-regulation can also be called the actions of an individual in order to be healthy. These activities include daily morning or evening exercises. Based on the results of numerous studies conducted in the Russian Federation, it was revealed that due to self-regulation, the human body rejuvenates.

Personal self-regulation is also the management of one’s psycho-emotional states. It can be achieved through the individual’s influence on himself using words - affirmations, mental images (visualization), regulation of muscle tone and breathing. Mental self-regulation is a unique way of coding one’s own psyche. This self-regulation is also called autotraining or autogenic training. As a result of self-regulation, several important effects occur, such as: calming, i.e. emotional tension is eliminated; restoration, i.e. manifestations of fatigue are weakened; activation, i.e. psychophysiological reactivity increases.

There are natural ways of self-regulation, such as sleep, eating, communication with animals and the living environment, hot showers, massage, dancing, movements and more. However, it is not always possible to use such means. So, for example, while at work an individual cannot go to bed when a tense situation arises or overwork occurs. But it is precisely the timeliness of self-regulation that is a fundamental factor in mental hygiene. Timely self-regulation can prevent the accumulation of residual effects of overstressed states, promotes the restoration of strength, helps normalize the emotional background, assists in taking control of one’s emotions, and enhances the body’s mobilization resources.

Natural self-regulation techniques are one of the simplest and most accessible methods of regulation. These include: smiling and laughing, positive thinking, daydreaming, observing beauty (for example, landscapes), looking at photographs, animals, flowers, breathing clean and fresh air, praising someone, etc.

Sleep affects not only the relief of general fatigue, but also helps, as it were, reduce the impact of negative experiences, making them less pronounced. This explains the increased sleepiness of a certain number of people during stressful situations or difficult life moments.

Water procedures perfectly help relieve fatigue and relax, also relieve irritation and soothe. And a contrast shower helps to cheer up, overcome lethargy, apathy and fatigue. Hobbies - for many people, are an excellent way to relieve anxiety and tension, as well as restore strength. Sports and physical activity help combat stress and fatigue associated with hard work. Also, a change of environment helps relieve accumulated stress and fatigue. That is why a person so needs a long vacation, during which he can afford to go on vacation to the sea, a resort, a sanatorium, a dacha, etc. This is an excellent remedy that restores the necessary supply of mental and physical strength.

In addition to the above-mentioned natural methods of regulation, there are also others, for example, control of breathing, muscle tone, verbal influence, drawing, auto-training, self-hypnosis and many others.

Self-hypnosis is a process of suggestion that is directed at oneself. This process allows you to evoke certain desired sensations in yourself, control and manage the cognitive processes of the psyche, somatic and emotional reactions. All formulations for self-hypnosis should be pronounced in a low voice a number of times, while you need to fully concentrate on the formulations. This method is the basis of all kinds of methods and techniques of mental self-regulation such as autogenic training, yoga, meditation, relaxation.

With the help of auto-training, an individual can restore performance, improve mood, increase concentration, etc. within ten minutes without anyone's help, without waiting until anxiety, overwork will go away on its own or develop into something worse.

The autotraining method is universal; it allows subjects to individually select the appropriate reaction to influence their own body, to decide when exactly it is necessary to eliminate emerging problems that are associated with unfavorable mental or physical conditions.

The German psychiatrist Schultz in 1932 proposed a method of self-regulation, which was called autogenic training. Its development was based on observations of people entering trance states. He believed that the basis of all trance states are factors such as muscle relaxation, psychological peace and a feeling of drowsiness, self-hypnosis and suggestion, and a highly developed imagination. Therefore, combining several methods, Schultz created his own methodology.

For individuals who have difficulty with muscle relaxation, the technique developed by J. Jacobson is optimal.

Self-regulation of behavior

In the system of organizing the directions of any behavioral action, an action is implemented not only from the position of a reflex, that is, from a stimulus to an action, but also from the position of self-regulation. Sequential and final results are regularly assessed using multicomponent polar afferentation in the form of their likely satisfaction of the initial needs of the body. Due to this, any result of behavioral activity that is inadequate to satisfy the initial need can be instantly perceived, evaluated, and as a result, the behavioral act is transformed in the direction of searching for an adequate outcome.

In cases where living organisms have successfully achieved the results they need, behavioral actions of a specific orientation cease, while being accompanied by personal positive emotional feelings. After this, the activity of living organisms is taken over by another dominant need, as a result of which the behavioral act goes in a different direction. In those cases where living beings encounter temporary obstacles to achieving the desired results, two final results are likely. The first is the development of a formulated approximate research reaction and the transformation of tactics of behavioral manifestations. The second is to switch behavioral acts in order to obtain another at least significant result.

The system of self-regulation of behavioral processes can be schematically represented in this way: the occurrence of a reaction is an organism that feels a need, the end of a reaction is the satisfaction of such a need, i.e. acquisition of a useful adaptive result. Between the beginning and completion of reactions lies behavior, its stage-by-stage results, which are aimed at the final outcome and their regular assessment using reverse afferentation. Any behavior of all living beings is initially built based on a continuous comparison of the properties of external stimuli influencing them with the parameters of the final adaptive result, with regular assessment of the results that were obtained from the position of satisfying the initial need.

Self-regulation methods

A person is a rather complex system that can use various types of self-regulation to achieve a more significant level of activity. Its methods are divided depending on the period of their implementation into methods aimed at mobilization right before the stage of activity or during it, methods that are aimed at full restoration of strength during rest (for example, meditation, auto-training, music therapy and others).

In the everyday life of an individual, methods aimed at restoration play a special role. Timely and adequate night sleep is considered the best way achieving restoration of strength. Sleep provides the individual with a highly active functional state. But due to the constant influence of stress factors, overwork and overload, chronic stress, a person’s sleep can be disturbed. Therefore, for self-regulation, other methods may be needed that are aimed at providing the individual with adequate rest.

Depending on the area in which self-regulation of the individual usually occurs, methods can be corrective, motivational and emotional-volitional. The following self-regulation techniques are classified as emotional-volitional: self-hypnosis, self-confession, self-order and others.

Self-confession consists of a complete internal report to one’s personality about the real personal role in different life situations. This technique is a frank narrative about the vicissitudes of fate and the difficulties of life, about mistakes, wrong steps taken earlier, that is, about the most intimate, about deeply personal worries. Thanks to this technique, the individual is freed from contradictions and the level of mental tension is reduced.

Self-persuasion lies in the communicative process of conscious, critical and analytical influence on personal attitudes, the basis. This technique will become more effective only when it begins to rely on strict logic and cold intelligence, on an objective and reasonable approach to obstacles, contradictions, and problems in life processes.

Self-command is the implementation of decisive actions in circumstances where the goal is clear and there is limited time for reflection. It is developed in the process of conducting training to overcome oneself, in cases where the desired action begins immediately after such an order is given. And, as a result, a reflex connection is gradually formed, which unites inner speech and action.

Self-hypnosis is the implementation of a psychoregulatory function that operates at the level of reason, a stereotypical level that demands the influence of creative efforts for analysis and resolution. difficult situations. The most effective are verbal and mental self-hypnosis if they are characterized by simplicity, brevity, positivity, and optimism.

Self-reinforcement consists in controlling reactions of self-regulation of personal life. The result of the activity and the activity itself are assessed from the position of a personal personal standard, that is, they are controlled. A standard is a kind of standard established by an individual.

In the motivational sphere, there are two methods of self-regulation: indirect and direct. The indirect method is based on the result of the influence on the central nervous system in general or on some specific formations through direct influence factors, for example, meditation. Direct methods represent a direct and conscious revision by the individual of his motivational system, adjustment of those attitudes and motivations that do not suit him for some reason. This method includes auto-training, self-hypnosis, etc.

The adjustment method includes: self-organization, self-affirmation, self-actualization, self-determination.

An indicator of personality maturity is self-organization. There are characteristic signs of the process of formation of self-organization: the active making of oneself as a person, the correlation of life preferences with the personal characteristics of the individual, the tendency to self-knowledge, the identification of one’s weak and strong traits, a responsible attitude to activity, work, one’s words and actions, and to the surrounding society.

Self-affirmation has a relationship with the individual’s needs for self-disclosure, manifestation of one’s personality and self-expression. That is, self-affirmation is the subject’s desire to acquire and maintain a specific social status, often acting as a dominant need. Such a desire can be expressed in real achievements in certain areas of life and in defending one’s own importance to others through verbal statements.

Self-determination lies in the ability of an individual to independently choose the direction of self-development.

Self-actualization consists in the individual’s desire for a more complete identification and formation of personal potentials. Also, self-actualization is the continuous implementation of possible potentials, talents, abilities as an accomplishment of one’s life goal or callings of fate.

There is also a method of ideomotor training. It is based on the fact that every mental movement is accompanied by micro muscle movements. Therefore, it is possible to improve actions without actually performing them. Its essence lies in the meaningful playback of future activities. However, along with all the advantages of this method, such as saving time, money and effort, there are a number of difficulties. The implementation of this technique requires seriousness in attitude, focus and concentration, and mobilization of the imagination. There are certain principles for conducting training by individuals. First, they must recreate as accurate an image as possible of the movements they are going to practice. Secondly, the mental image of actions must certainly be associated with their muscular-articular feelings, only in this case it will be a real ideomotor representation.

Each individual must choose and select methods of self-regulation individually, in accordance with his personal preferences and those that can help him successfully regulate his psyche.

Self-regulation of states

The question of self-regulation of states begins to arise when the states have a significant impact on the effectiveness of activities, interpersonal communication, mental and physiological health. At the same time, self-regulation means not only the elimination of negative states, but also the challenge of positive ones.

The human body is structured in such a way that when tension or anxiety arises, its facial expressions change, the tone of the skeletal muscles and rate of speech increase, fussiness arises, which leads to mistakes, the pulse quickens, breathing, and complexion change. If an individual switches his attention from the causes of anger or sadness to their external manifestations, such as tears, facial expressions, etc., then emotional tension will subside. From this we can conclude that the emotional and physical state of subjects are closely interconnected, so they can influence each other.

Methods of self-regulation of states can be associated with breathing, muscles, etc.

The simplest, however, is quite effective way emotional regulation is relaxation facial muscles. To learn how to manage your own emotions, you first need to master relaxation of the facial muscles and voluntary control of their state. Control will be more effective if it is turned on early from the moment emotions appear. For example, when you are angry, your teeth may automatically clench and your facial expression may change, but if you try to control the manifestations by asking yourself questions like “what does my face look like?”, the facial muscles will begin to relax. It is very important for any individual to learn the skills of relaxing facial muscles in order to use them in work or other situations.

Another reserve for stabilizing emotional states is breathing. No matter how strange it may sound, not everyone knows how to breathe correctly. Increased fatigue may occur due to improper breathing. Depending on the state the individual is in this moment, his breathing also changes. So, for example, during the process of sleep a person breathes evenly, while an angry person breathes faster. It follows from this that breathing disorders depend on a person’s internal mood, which means that by controlling breathing one can influence the emotional state. The main point of breathing exercises is conscious control over the depth, frequency and rhythm of breathing.

Visualization and imagination are also effective means of self-regulation. Visualization consists of creating internal mental images in the subject’s consciousness, that is, a kind of activation of the imagination through visual, auditory, gustatory, tactile and olfactory sensations and their combinations. This technique helps the individual to activate memory, to recreate exactly those sensations that he previously experienced. By reproducing certain images of the world in your mind, you can quickly distract yourself from an alarming situation and restore emotional stability.

Emotional self-regulation

Emotional self-regulation is divided into several levels: unconscious, conscious volitional and conscious semantic. The self-regulation system is represented by these levels, which represent the stages of formation of regulatory mechanisms in the process of ontogenesis. The prevalence of one level over another is considered as a parameter for the genesis of the integrative-emotional functions of the subject’s consciousness.

Certain psychological defense mechanisms provide an unconscious level. These mechanisms work on a subconscious level and are aimed at protecting consciousness from traumatic factors, unpleasant experiences that are interconnected with internal or external conflict situations, states of anxiety and discomfort. Those. This is a certain form of processing of traumatic factors, a unique system of stabilization of the individual, which manifests itself in the elimination or minimization of negative emotions. Such mechanisms include: denial and repression, sublimation and rationalization, depreciation, etc.

The conscious-volitional level of emotional self-regulation is aimed at acquiring a comfortable state of mind with the help of willpower. Volitional control of external manifestations of emotions can also be attributed to this level. Most of the self-regulation methods that exist today relate specifically to this level (for example, auto-training, Jacobson muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, work, catharsis, etc.).

At the level of conscious regulation, conscious will is aimed not at resolving the conflict of needs and motivations that underlie discomfort, but at changing its objective and individual manifestations. That is, as a result of actions, the causes of such emotional discomfort will not be eliminated. Therefore, the mechanisms at this level are essentially symptomatic. This feature will be common to both conscious and unconscious regulation. The difference between them lies only in the level at which the process occurs: conscious or subconscious. However, there is no clear hard line between them. This is due to the fact that volitional regulatory actions can initially be carried out with the participation of consciousness, and then, gradually becoming automatic, they can move to the subconscious level.

The conscious-semantic (value) level of emotional self-regulation is a qualitatively new way of resolving problems associated with emotional discomfort. This level of regulation aims to eliminate the underlying causes of such discomfort and resolve internal conflicts of needs and motivations. This goal is achieved through understanding and rethinking individual values and needs, acquiring new meanings in life. The highest manifestation of semantic regulation is self-regulation at the level of meanings and needs of existence.

To implement emotional self-regulation at a conscious-semantic level, one must learn to think clearly, distinguish and describe with the help of words the subtlest shades of individual experiences, comprehend the personal needs that underlie emotions and feelings, find meaning in any experiences, even unpleasant and difficult ones in life. circumstances.

Self-regulation of activity

In modern education and training, the development of personal self-regulation is one of the most difficult tasks. Self-regulation, which is implemented by an individual in the processes of activity and is aimed at bringing the subject’s potentials in accordance with the requirements of such activity, is called self-regulation of activity.

The functional parts that carry out a full-fledged process of self-regulation of activities are the following links.

Goal setting or the direction of activity adopted by the individual is to perform a general system-forming function. In this link, the entire procedure of self-regulation is formed with the aim of achieving the set goal precisely in the form in which it is recognized by the subject.

The next link is the individual model of significant circumstances. This model reflects a complex of certain internal and external circumstances of activity, which the individual considers important to take into account for the successful performance of the activity. It carries the function of a unique source of information on the basis of which the subject can program personal performance actions and actions. It also includes information about the dynamics of circumstances in activity processes.

The subject implements the regulatory aspect of constructing, creating a specific program of performing acts to implement such a link of self-regulation as a program of performing acts. This program is an information education that determines the nature, order, methods and other characteristics of actions aimed at achieving a set goal in specific conditions identified by the individual himself as significant, as the basis for the program of action that is adopted.

The system of personal parameters for achieving a goal is a specific functional link for the regulation of the psyche. This system carries the function of clarifying and concretizing the initial forms and content of the goal. Statement of the goal in general view is often insufficient for precise, targeted regulation. Therefore, the individual strives to overcome the initial information vagueness of the goal, while formulating parameters for evaluating results that correspond to his individual understanding of the goal.

The next regulatory link is control and evaluation of real results. It has the function of assessing current and final results regarding the system of success parameters accepted by the individual. This link provides information about the level of conformity or discrepancy between the programmed direction of activity, its intermediate and final results and their present (real) progress in achieving them.

The last link in self-regulation of activity is the decision on corrective actions in the regulatory system.

Psychological self-regulation

Today, in psychological practices and science, the concept of self-regulation is used quite widely. But due to the complexity of the concept of self-regulation itself and due to the fact that the concept of self-regulation is used in completely different areas of science, at the moment there are several variations of interpretations. More often, self-regulation is understood as a procedure that ensures stability and sustainability of the system, balance and transformation, characterized by purposeful changes by the individual in various mechanisms of psychophysiological functions that are related to the formation of special means of control over activity.

The following basic meanings are identified that are included in the concept of self-regulation.

Psychological self-regulation is one of the most important functions of an individual’s consciousness, which psychologists distinguish along with reflection. After all, it is the interconnection of these functions that ensures the integration of mental processes, the unity of the psyche and all mental phenomena.

Self-regulation is a special mental phenomenon that optimizes the state of the subject, and implies the presence of certain methods, techniques, methods and techniques. Self-regulation can be understood more broadly in cases where this process combines not only the vision of one’s state at the required level, but also all individual management processes at the level of the individual, its meanings, guidelines, goals, and at the level of managing cognitive processes, behavior, and actions , activities, communications.

Self-regulation manifests itself in all mental phenomena that are inherent in the individual. Psychological self-regulation includes the regulation of individual mental processes, such as perception, sensation, thinking, etc., the regulation of an individual state or skills in self-management, which have become a property of the subject, characteristics of his character as a result of self-education and upbringing, and the regulation of an individual’s social behavior.

Psychological self-regulation is a purposeful transformation of the work of various psychophysiological functions, the implementation of which requires the development of certain methods of control over activity.

Inability to regulate one's own emotional states, inability to cope affective moods and stress is an obstacle to successful professional activity, contributes to disorders of interpersonal relationships in teams and families, interferes with the achievement of accepted goals and the realization of intentions, and leads to disorder of the individual’s health.

Therefore, specific techniques and methods are constantly being developed to help cope with strong emotions and prevent their transformation into affects. The first thing that is recommended is to promptly identify and realize the unwanted emotion, analyze its origins, get rid of tension in the muscles and try to relax, while you need to breathe rhythmically and deeply, attract a previously stored image of a pleasant and positive event in your life, try to look at yourself as if from the outside. With the help of endurance, special training, self-control, and a culture of interpersonal relationships, one can prevent the formation of affect.

The main goal of psychological self-regulation is the formation of certain mental states that contribute to the best use of the psychological and physiological abilities of the individual. Such regulation is understood as a purposeful transformation of individual functions of the psyche and neuropsychic moods in general, which is achieved through specially created mental activity. This process occurs due to specific brain changes, as a result of which the body’s activity is formed, which directs the entire potential of the body in a concentrated and more rational way to resolve emerging problems.

Techniques direct impact The state of the body can be figuratively divided into two main groups: external and internal.

To the first normalization group functional states include the reflexological method. It occurs through influence on biologically active and reflexogenic points, the organization of a competent diet, pharmacology, functional music and light-musical influences, the most powerful method active influence serves as the influence of one individual on another through orders, hypnosis, persuasion, suggestion, etc.

The reflexological method, in addition to its use in medicine, is also widely used for preventive measures in borderline conditions, to increase working capacity, and emergency mobilization of the body's reserves.

Optimizing the diet is important in the process of normalizing functional states. For example, a lack of necessary beneficial minerals, vitamins and other substances in the body necessarily leads to a decrease in resistance. As a result, it appears fast fatiguability, stress reactions occur, etc. Therefore balanced diet and the inclusion of mandatory products in it is one of the current preventive methods of unfavorable conditions.

One of the most ancient and widespread methods of influencing personal state is pharmacotherapy. However, only the most natural preparations should be used as preventive measures.

No less wide application received a combination of functional music with color and light effects. Also considered interesting is the method of bibliotherapy - therapeutic reading, proposed by Bekhterev. This method is implemented by listening to some fragments of them works of art, for example, poetry.

Mechanisms of self-regulation

In almost all methods of self-regulation, two main psychophysiological mechanisms are used: a decrease in the level of wakefulness of the brain to a certain extent and maximum concentration of attention on the task being solved.

Wakefulness can be active or passive. Active wakefulness occurs when an individual is reading a book or watching a movie. Passive wakefulness manifests itself in cases when the subject lies down, closes his eyes, relaxes all his muscles, and tries not to think specifically about anything. This condition is the first step on the path to falling asleep. The next stage, a lower level of wakefulness, will be drowsiness, i.e. superficial drowsiness. Next, the subject, as it were, goes down the steps into a dark room and falls asleep, plunges into deep dream.

Based on the results of the research, it was revealed that the human brain, which is in states of drowsiness and passive wakefulness, acquires one rather important property - it becomes maximally receptive to words, to the mental images and ideas interconnected with them.

It follows that in order for targeted words and their corresponding mental images and ideas to have a pronounced effect on individuals, they must be passed through the brain, which is in a reduced state of wakefulness - a state that resembles drowsiness. This is the main essence of the first mechanism, which is used in methods of mental self-regulation.

The second important mechanism of self-regulation is maximum concentration of attention on the task being solved. The more focused the attention, the higher the success of the activity to which the subject is paying attention at the moment. A person is designed in such a way that he is unable to simultaneously focus attention on several phenomena or objects. For example, it is impossible to listen to the radio and read a book at the same time. Attention may be focused either on the radio or on the book. And when attention is directed to the book, a person does not hear the radio, and vice versa. Most often, when trying to do two things at the same time, the quality of doing two things suffers. Therefore, there is no point in engaging in two activities at the same time. However, very few people know how to completely disconnect from interfering factors. In order to learn to fully control your own attention, you should train every day several times a day, trying to hold your attention on something for a couple of minutes. During such training, you should never strain yourself. You need to learn to maintain concentrated attention without straining yourself either physically or psychologically.

Among the fundamental mechanisms of the motivational level of personal self-regulation, which are most effective in critical situations, there are semantic connection and reflection.

The mechanism of self-regulation, in which the formation of new meaning occurs through its emotional saturation through the connection of neutral content with the semantic and motivational spheres of the personality, is called semantic binding.

Reflection allows an individual to look at himself from a different perspective, transform his attitude towards something, rearrange his world, and adapt to an ever-changing reality. Reflection is a way of personal self-development, in contrast to unconscious forms of self-regulation (psychological defense).

So, self-regulation is a systemic process that can provide transformation and plasticity of an individual’s life activity at any stage that is adequate to the circumstances. This process is characterized by the purposefulness of the subject’s activity, which is realized through the interaction of various phenomena, processes and levels of the psyche. Self-regulatory processes determine the integrity and systemic integration of the psyche.

Speaker of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"