Frontiers publishes systematic review on the effects of yoga on major psychiatric disorders
The Primary Care study, carried out by WHO, found that 60% of patients were still depressed after a year of being treated with an anti-depressant and a National Institute of Mental Health funded research showed remission in only one-third of patients.
“The search for improved treatments, including non-drug based, to meet the holistic needs of patients is of paramount importance and we call for more research into yoga as a global priority,” said Doraiswamy. “If the promise of yoga on mental health was found in a drug, it would be the best selling medication world-wide,” he added.
There are many benefits associated with practicing yoga for improving mental health, including, fewer side effects, relatively low cost, generally good access and the improvement of physical fitness, added the authors.
The authors also note that while the results are promising, the findings should be viewed as preliminary because all studies of yoga to date have consisted of small samples, and more rigorous research will be needed before the exercise can be applied to help patients with mental health disorders.
Yoga and Mental Health
Mental health is a term generally used to describe one’s psychological and emotional well being. Being mentally healthy is more than just the absence of mental illness; it’s a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being. It’s the ability to enjoy life, function well in society, bounce back from adversity, and go through every day life with little or no difficulty. Lots of things can adversely affect your mental health, including negative experiences in your family, at work, in relationships and past trauma. One study showed as many as 65% of individuals who practiced yoga for three months reported improvements to their mental health and general well-being.
Yoga and Mental Illness
Mental illnesses are health-related conditions in which a person’s behavior, mood or thinking affects their ability to function normally. Mental illness can generally be classified into six categories: mood disorders (such as depression and bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders (such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD), Schizophrenia, eating disorders, personality disorders, and organic brain disorders. One study showed that after three months of yoga, study participants reported their depression improved by 50% and their anxiety improved by 30%. Other studies of individuals with bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia also reported a significant drop in levels of anxiety, depression, anger, tension, hostility and fatigue.
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Researcher Contact:
Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy
Duke University Medical Center
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Gozde Zorlu
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Frontiers