From: David Orme-Johnson [mailto:davi...@earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 4:10 PM To: David Orme-Johnson Subject: Myth of the Relaxation Response
Dear Colleagues, I have just posted Myth <http://www.truthabouttm.org/truth/Research/ComparisonofTechniques/Relaxatio nResponse/index.cfm> of the Relaxation Response, a paper I wrote some time ago, under the section on Comparison of Techniques. A link to it and the Abstract appear below. It documents that all techniques do not have the same acute or long term effects, but rather have effects that are tailored to what the specific techniques do. I plan to update it and send it to a journal, but since so many people ask me about this, I decided to post what I have for now. I also posted the new paper by Sarina Grosswald and colleagues on the <http://www.truthabouttm.org/truth/IndividualEffects/ResultsforEducation/TMa ndADHD/index.cfm> effects of the TM program on ADHD. -------------------------------------------- Issue: Are all techniques of relaxation and meditation the same? The <http://www.truthabouttm.org/truth/Research/ComparisonofTechniques/Relaxatio nResponse/index.cfm> Myth of the Relaxation Response by David Orme-Johnson, Ph.D. Abstract Although relaxation and meditation techniques have been hypothesized to produce the so-called relaxation response, a review of the literature finds that the acute physiological changes that occur during most techniques are not significantly different from uninstructed rest, sitting eyes closed. Compared to rest, some techniques produce specific acute changes resulting from their specific methodologies, such as reduced muscle tension in muscle relaxation techniques, reduced respiration according to the well known orienting response in techniques that require focused attention, and reflexive entrainment of the heart rate with the breath for techniques that control respiration. The relaxation response was originally modeled on the changes produced by the Transcendental MeditationR (TMR) technique, but some changes that occur during TM, such as increased cardiac output, skin conductance, and plasma adrenaline, are in the opposite direction of the relaxation response, and many other changes, such as increased cerebral blood flow and EEG coherence, are unpredicted by the relaxation response. With regard to clinical outcomes, randomized clinical trials that controlled for expectation, placebo, and other design features, as well as meta-analyses and reviews of over 790 studies, provide strong evidence that different techniques are not equivalent and they have specific effects. For example, it appears that muscular disorders are best treated with muscularly oriented methods, while autonomic dysfunction such as hypertension and migraine headaches are more effectively treated with techniques that target the autonomic nervous system. The Transcendental Meditation technique appears to be the most effective treatment overall for a broad range of stress-related disorders, including hypertension, anxiety, substance abuse, and mental health. David W. Orme-Johnson,Ph.D. <mailto:davi...@earthlink.net> davi...@earthlink.net <http://www.truthabouttm.com/> www.TruthAboutTM.com www.Orme-JohnsonPaintings.com/ 191 Dalton Dr. Seagrove Beach, FL 32459 850-231-2866 850-231-5012 Fax
