…or, a psychiatrist’s perspective on REST.
REST is often discovered through other things we do to take care of ourselves. It can be a great compliment to something like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).
Aside from that, I found this article interesting from an educational perspective. This is why it’s no longer referred to as sensory deprivation, but instead Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy, or REST. The following is a quote that shows a common misconception about REST. It is not sensory deprivation in the torture sense. It is the reduction of environmental stimulus that enables you to more easily pay attention to internal stimulus, like hunger, pain or obsessive thoughts, for example.
“During my medical training, I learned how sensory deprivation can be harmful to patients. In the hospital, patients can fall apart from a psychiatric standpoint when left in seclusion . For inmates in correctional settings, solitary confinement can cause profound mental health issues, including hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. So I was intrigued to hear that some patients were using sensory deprivation as a way to heal.‘
