CAN YOGA HELP EASE THE SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS?

You have heard the many benefits of Yoga being extolled over the years; even gaining prominence internationally as more and more celebrities begin to practice different forms of this ancient discipline. Your Yoga teacher will, in fact, tell you that practicing Yoga will considerably reduce stress and bring your body, mind, and soul into balance. But can Yoga alleviate or even eliminate the symptoms of Mental Illness?

If Mental Illness is triggered by stress, and Yoga controls and often completely eliminate stress, then the logical conclusion would be that it can help in controlling Mental Illness. Naturally, we recommend that you consult an expert on the subject before you draw any conclusions. However, the Director of a prestigious medical institution in the Country engaged the services of a well known Yoga Guru, to help research the benefits of Yoga in the case of depression. The Yoga Guru embarked on a study of the effect of Sudarshan Kriya on people with mild but chronic depression. These patients began doing 40-minute sessions of Sudarshan Kriya thrice a week, and their doctors found that they reported reduced levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can trigger depression. It was thus concluded, that when practiced under the supervision of a medical expert in conjunction with a certified teacher, Yoga does indeed produce substantial benefits to people suffering from mental illness. This is good news for those with chronic depression who do not want to be heavily medicated all the time. There is a chance that the doctors treating them will be able to recommend in which cases Yoga can prove effective.

The Yoga Guru involved with this study further derived that regular practice of Yoga led to a clear improvement in the condition of patients suffering from schizophrenia, depression, memory loss, ADHD, alcohol dependence, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and unexplained pain. He also found that Yoga not only lowered cortisol but also raised levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factors like proteins vital for learning, long-term memory and repairing the damage. Additionally, Yoga increased levels of Oxytocin and improved social interaction. Working out can create similar chemical changes in the brain, but a study undertaken by a leading medical institution reported that Yoga was found to be more effective than any other form of exercise, in alleviating symptoms in schizophrenic patients.

Yoga might not replace medication in Mental Illness, but it serves to elevate the mood and keep patients positive. However, always consult your doctor before you take up any new activity to help with the treatment of Mental Illness.