Yoga for Anxiety
Anxiety impacts approximately 25% of 13-18 at some point (Merikangas et al., n.d.). Anxiety that no longer signals danger can become pathological when it is excessive and persistent (Upadhyay, 2016). According to Upadhyay (2016), this type of pathological worry known as anxiety is a major component of an unhealthy lifestyle. Excessive worry is an indicator of anxiety and it is believed that yoga is effective due to its emphasis on focusing on the present moment rather than focusing on the past or future (Khalsa et al., 2011). Yoga outside of psychotherapy can improve emotional regulation and mental health functioning in youth. Participants obtained skills to breathe and use movement to calm down and learned to pay better attention to their thoughts, body, and feelings (Beltran, et al., 2016). Another study conducted by Upadhyay (2016) found that after a 12-week yoga program adolescents saw a decrease in anxiety scores on Becks Anxiety Inventory and reported a decrease in tension, depression, and anger. Another unique form of therapy that is utilized for anxiety is Yoga-Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Y-BT) (Khalsa, et al., 2011). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a theory used in a clinical setting that targets maladaptive thought patterns to seek behavioral change. Y-CBT uses this therapeutic process and also incorporate yoga during the process. This is because CBT trains the individual to identify and replace maladaptive thoughts and yoga and meditation often reduce the tendency for the thoughts to happen in general. The study utilizing Y-CBT saw a significant improvement in anxiety levels and a significant decrease in symptoms of comorbid depression and panic in participants diagnosed with ...
... middle of paper ...
... limitations to the reviewed studies. It would be valuable to create a yoga program that was specifically for anxiety so there is clarity in regards to the methods used in the studies. Also, setting up studies with control groups would be beneficial. Finally, using randomized samples that are not convenience samples or individuals who have volunteered to be a part of the study would tremendously decrease the chance of bias and making it more generalizable to a population. Lastly, I believe that further research in regards to the benefits of physical activity and its effects on anxiety would be beneficial for regarding gaps in the research. It would be interesting to study whether yoga has an impact on anxiety or if other forms of physical activity such as swimming, running, or biking have a similar impact on anxiety that has been indicated from practicing yoga.
Streeter, C. C., Gerbarg, P. L., Saper, R. B., Ciraulo, D. A., & Brown, R. P. (2012). Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical hypotheses, 78(5), 571-579.
Mindfulness is used as a therapy to treat many problems related to mental health such as stress, anxiety or even eating disorders (Hooker and Fodor, 2008). In addition majority of techniques used in mindfulness originate from Buddhist traditions (Rosenberg, 1998, Cited in Thompson and Gauntlett-Gilbert, 2008). Professionals working with children in mental health settings may find mindfulness applicable. The different techniques used in these types of settings teach self-awareness, increased impulse control and decreased emotional reactivity to difficult events (Thompson and Gauntlett-Gilbert). Research conducted on adults has shown that these effects can be obtained in the long term which suggests that mindfulness can be applied to children who are going through developmental challenges and have still yet to encounter
Yoga and Meditation being used as a form of physical therapy has been going on for thousands of years. We, the western society, have picked this up and created a yoga boom doing researches with results showing that it can improve physical health.
As the world leaps into the future, it seems that mental illness is becoming more of a problem among many people. One of the most common types of illness's among the current population is anxiety disorders. It is evident that there is a rise of anxiety disorder among the Western World. There are three main factors that contribute to this, they include our education system, technology and media, and the treatment and decreasing criticism anxiety patients receive.
While the research of Blumenthal et al. (2007) focused on exercise being effective in reducing self-reported depressive symptoms, Diaz and Motta (2008) and Motta, Kuligowski, and Marino (2010) looked at the positive effects of exercise on depression, anxiety and PTSD. The theory of exercise’s positive effect on mental health has heavily been focused on depression and anxiety, but PTSD is becoming a newer area of research as it contains not only depressive and anxiety based symptoms as well as other symptoms. Libby, Pilver, and Desai (2012) and Blumenthal focused their studies specifically on PTSD.
Everyday society assumes yoga is just a physical health practice that will make people substantially fit. Social media is making people believe that Yoga is mostly good for exercising in a social, trendy fashion environment. What society does not know is Yoga plays a huge role in emotional hygiene, more so than physical health, Yoga develops a healthy emotional stability for its participants that lead to a healthy lifestyle. Emotionally, Yoga can develop a healthy emotional lifestyle for its participants while leaving a person with more positivity, determination and strength in the human mind.
Cognitive therapy approaches of psychotherapy have proved to be one of the most effective psychological approaches for a wide range of behavioral problems. “CBT teaches anxiety reduction skills that people can use for the rest of their lives. Research shows the
Yoga is a practice that anyone of any age can complete anywhere at anytime. It originated in ancient India and is estimated to be nearly five thousand years old. Through yoga, one is able to find his or her path to peaceful bliss within him or her self (Finney 25). The mind and the body become balanced with each other, giving one the sense of enlightenment (The Magic of...Meditation). Depending on the styles and poses a person is to choose, yoga benefits a person not only physically, but mentally as well.
• According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey on the use of mental health approaches by Americans, yoga improve quality of life; reduce stress; and lower depression, hence helps to stable the brain. • .Yoga encourages one’s brain to relax, slow the breath and focus on the present, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system, hence responds in controlling major depressive disorder. McCall T. New York: Bantam Dell a division of Random House Inc; 2007.
In a world full of skepticism towards the alternative, Yoga has created a place of growing belief for itself. As Timothy McCall, M.D. states in his book Yoga As Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health & Healing: A Yoga Journal Book:
Thus, it has been deemed a complimentary modality for health illnesses. Harinath et al. (2004) considered at the effects of Hatha yoga in conjunction with meditation on cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile and melatonin secretion. The study was based on a convenience sample of 30 middle-aged healthy males. Half were the control group performing stretching for 40 minutes, jogging for 20 minutes in the morning and participated in physical games for an hour daily for three consecutive months. The experimental group practiced Hatha yoga and breathing for an hour in the morning and yoga, meditation and breathing for an hour in the evening daily for three consecutive months. They measured orthostatic tolerance, vitals consisting of blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, lung function with spirometry, and psychologic profile with a questionnaire at baseline and after 3 months. In addition, blood was drawn throughout to monitor melatonin levels. The interesting findings were that the experimental group improved cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile, and increased in melatonin after three months of Hatha yoga, meditation and breathing practices. The other outcome measures were not statistically significant. Thus, breathing, yoga, and meditation practice may increase secretions of melatonin leading to improvements in the
The purpose of this research proposal is to focus on the advantages and benefits of complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. Taking Yoga as an example of CAM, its effects on anxiety disorders will be studied. Yoga is a program that integrates all the life aspects of mind, body, and spirit may allow participants to find greater improvements of overall well-being. This will further help individuals to broaden their view of psychopathy and understand the importance of the connection between the mind and body. Patients with anxiety disorders will be prescribed Yoga Therapy for a period
Web. 13 April 2014. McCall, Timothy. A. Yoga as a medicine. New York: Bantam Dell, 2007. Print.
The pros of exercise can maintain the levels of stress and anxiety in a variety of ways. Simple exercises like walking around your neighborhood or on a treadmill can ease the amount of stress in your life. Scientists say that a 10-minute walk temporary reduces anxiety and depression levels by 25% over the next 5 years of your life (Exercise for Stress and Anxiety). This study shows how simple,...
The goal of this study was to identify the ways in which engaging in yoga practices would alter psychological well being, and allow people to engage more fully in their lives and flourish in health and happiness. The pre and post test set up of this study allowed the researchers to see the ways in which students had been affected by their participation in the yoga teacher training. Yoga training students were engaged in a four week program. They were administered tests and the beginning of the study, prior to engaging in the program, at the end of the program, after completion, and then again at a 3 month follow up. Multiple factors were assessed, however the significant and important ones which relate directly to our understanding of healthy, happiness and wellness and the course content are extremely