[The application of relaxation techniques and biofeedback to an outpatient with depression disorder: a nurse's...

This paper reports on a nurse's experience helping alleviate psychosomatic symptoms in a psychiatric outpatient suffering from depression. It was found that the OPD patient had been suffering from depression as well as long-time tension and pain. Between April 10th and July 24th, 2008, the author employed holistic nursing assessment and collected data through both observation and interview. Three major care problems were identified, including ineffective individual coping, chronic pain, and sleep disturbance. Focusing nursing care on relaxation techniques and biofeedback, the author discussed the problems with the patient and then implemented relaxation training and biofeedback training sessions as well as nursing care plans, which averaged 45~60 minutes per time for 8 times. Sessions included interviews, relaxation techniques (e.g., progressive muscular relaxation, meditative relaxation, meditation, music and abdominal breathing) and visual feedback measured by a biofeedback device with a thermistor sensor. During sessions, the patient was clearly motivated to change and participated actively. Furthermore, the patient not only became gradually aware of both the inner feeling of relaxation and etiology of psychosomatic symptoms, but also learned relaxation strategies for coping with life stressors. After therapy, the patient's self-control over relaxation had improved considerably and care problems were resolved satisfactorily. Also, the patient could increasingly incorporate relaxation into daily life routines.