Depression and yoga

Yoga vs Depression

Depression, being a medical term,stands for a condition more serious than a occasional sadness andnegative mood. Depression is a long term state of mind where thesadness, negative feelings and expectations, grief and otherdiscouraging emotions may lead you to the development of numeroushealth problems. Eventually, depression, lacking treatment, may leadto suicide. Thus, it is a serious condition needing timely anddedicated treatment.

Yoga, being a discipline which helpspeople find their inner happiness and a relaxed, positive self, hasbeen proven useful for treating depression many times. Even thoughantidepressants and other medications against depression may help,yoga is completely healthy and natural, without any side-effects.

Dangers of Medications Being Usedagainst Depression

Drugs like SSRIs, Prozac, Zoloft andother antidepressants of this type have shown effectiveness infighting depression symptoms in many sufferers. However, these arealso capable of triggering many unwanted and dangerous side-effects,making things worse. Basically, these drugs trigger the production ofserotonine, causing people to feel happier and less tensed.

Nevertheless, the same effect can betriggered through yoga and physical exercises it encompasses. Everymildly depressed person, changing his/her lifestyle, introducingphysical exercise, yoga and increasing their omega3 fatty acidsintake, can treat depression with ease.

Naturally, medications are capable ofhelping in certain cases and should not be completely ruled out.However, you should definitely try healthier methods first.

Living with Yoga, Living withoutDepression

Depression affects people differently.Thus, the yogic treatment varies, depending on the problems a personmight have. So, those who have troubles waking up in the morning,walking with their backs and shoulders straight and looking as iftheir bodies have been deflated, need a specific treatment which willdeal with their lack of energy and improper posture, as well asinadequate breathing.

On the other hand, there are those whosuffer from depression which makes them angry, restless, stiff andcommonly agitated. These people also have troubles with breathing andthey are in a desperate need of proper, yogic, treatment.

Deep inhalations, or asanas, areexercises which are excellent for treating depression. Sunsalutations, and arm balancing can prove to be more than useful forself discipline, relaxation and concentration boosting. During backbending and other yogic exercises of this type, people areconcentrating on the physical processes, clearing their minds ofnegative emotions. This has the desired, therapeutic effect. Camel poseand full back bends are bound to be great for these purposes,especially for the first type of depression.

Second type of depressed people mayfind back bending too agitating. These people need demandingexercises in order to challenge them, interest them and, therebyrelax them. These patients are recommended to do exercises with openeyes, focusing on breathing.