Panic Disorder 411

Recovery Skills for Panic Disorder & Alcoholism

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

STEP 2 PMR was developed in the 1920s by Dr. Edmund Jacobson, who discovered that anxiety and muscle tension rise and fall together. By teaching patients to tense and then release specific muscle groups, he showed they could lower their physiological arousal and calm the mind. Modern research has repeatedly confirmed his findings: PMR reduces stress, eases anxiety, improves sleep, and helps people recognize and release tension and anxiety. It should be practiced frequently for lasting results.