![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on April 12, 2003, at 20:56:48
Hi,
Has anyone ever tried yoga for depression, apparenlty it works, just wondered if anyone had any experience ? I can see why it works for anxiety.
Thnaks Janejj
Posted by Katia on April 14, 2003, at 14:47:36
In reply to Yoga for depression , posted by janejj on April 12, 2003, at 20:56:48
Hi!
I actually began yoga about five years ago subconsciously to help a depression that I didn't acknowledge as such. If you live with depression all your life as I have, I just figured I was just wierd and something was terribly wrong with me and I needed to hide this part of me from everyone.
Sooooo, it helps, but not enough. A year and a half ago, I actually went through a yoga teacher training course (in combo with grad school, maintaining an overseas relationship, working full-time) and I fell into a major depression. It can also bring up "stuff" for you and that's essential to be aware of. For me, it seems the only thing left is medication. I've tried everything and I feel a lot of these holistic methods are great and valid, but for me work as a complementary healing to hopefully the medication. (as soon as I find the right one). It certainly doesn't hurt to do yoga, but know that it can bring up stuff and it's also wonderful and relaxing. It has been a life saver for me too in some respects.
Posted by baracuda on April 15, 2003, at 23:27:56
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » janejj, posted by Katia on April 14, 2003, at 14:47:36
yoga works for everything in my opinion - the problem is that when im in a depression i cant even get out of bed, much less gear up to yogi.
Posted by bluedog on April 17, 2003, at 2:12:21
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » janejj, posted by Katia on April 14, 2003, at 14:47:36
Hello Jane,
I believe that Katia's response is very relevant to your question about Yoga for depression!!!!
> Hi!
> I actually began yoga about five years ago subconsciously to help a depression that I didn't acknowledge as such. If you live with depression all your life as I have, I just figured I was just wierd and something was terribly wrong with me and I needed to hide this part of me from everyone.
> Sooooo, it helps, but not enough.
I have been doing Yoga for 18 months now and I agree that it helps but I tend to agree it is not enough on it's own!!!>A year and a half ago, I actually went through a yoga teacher training course (in combo with grad school, maintaining an overseas relationship, working full-time) and I fell into a major depression.
Katia. I find this extremely relevant to my own situation. This is very interesting...I am currently considering doing a Yoga Teacher Training Course myself. Do you think it was the Teacher Training Course that brought you down or that it was more a combination of too many stressors in your life at one time. To what extent do you believe the Yoga Teacher Training Course contributed to your depression????
>It can also bring up "stuff" for you and that's essential to be aware of.I find the same thing....The physical stuff is great but some forms of the meditation that we practice can bring out some EXTREMELY powerful and scary feelings that make me descend into depression. This happened recently and my Yoga teacher is going to do some research on a possible connection between the meditation and the feelings I experienced. Make sure you have a teacher who is aware of your condition and is extremely knowledgeable about the effects that some yogic practices can have on the psych, especially in relation to depression. Also if you experience any adverse reactions make sure you let your teacher know!!!
>For me, it seems the only thing left is medication. I've tried everything and I feel a lot of these holistic methods are great and valid, but for me work as a complementary healing to hopefully the medication. (as soon as I find the right one). It certainly doesn't hurt to do yoga, but know that it can bring up stuff and it's also wonderful and relaxing. It has been a life saver for me too in some respects.
I agree completely.
By the way for those posters that live in Australia there is actually a special being shown tonight (Thursday 17th April) on the ABC on "Catalyst" at 8.00pm local time depending on which city you live in that looks at Yoga to treat Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in Australian Vietnam War Veterans. I'll definitely be video-taping this special. Here a link showing the time etc. http://www.sofcom.com.au/cgi-bin/TV/detail?date=Thursday_17_April&chan=2&state=Sydney&descrip=CATALYST&fta=1&fox=0&opt=0&time=8%2e00+pm
Warm regards
bluedog
Posted by Katia on April 17, 2003, at 15:30:19
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » Katia, posted by bluedog on April 17, 2003, at 2:12:21
Hi Bluedog,
To answer your questions, I think a lot is intertwined so it's hard to say what it was exactly that threw me into a major depression. I think it was definitely brought on by tooooo much going on in my life (stressors). It was building and then just after I finished the yoga teacher training program (Dec. 2001), I moved to Scotland to be with my (then) boyfriend and that move threw me down even further. (esp. in the midst of a Scottish winter!) (i live in America).
(another topic, dealing with depression in relationship when you don't know that it is depression between the two of you). I didn't realize that it was a depression until the big crash and burn of the relationship just before the summer and my move back here alone, and what happened at the end of the relationship threw me even deeper. I came right close to losing my mind totally and couldn't quite pull myself off of the floor day in and day out, crying, screaming, etc. That's the rock bottom point that told me "wait, this could be depression". (duh!) It's so hard to see when you're in it because it feels too real to "just be depression". So that's when I started on ADs for the first time and also started addressing this lifelong depression of mine.
I still do yoga and it works for me. It helps and I'm glad I have it in my life as a healthy resource to relax and cope.
I wouldn't worry about starting a program in fear that it could bring up too much "stuff" as long as you have good support around that - meditation teacher, therapist, friends, etc. who are aware of what's going on.
anyway, hope that helps.
Katia
Posted by bluedog on April 18, 2003, at 13:34:29
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » bluedog, posted by Katia on April 17, 2003, at 15:30:19
> Hi Bluedog,
>
> To answer your questions, I think a lot is intertwined so it's hard to say what it was exactly that threw me into a major depression. I think it was definitely brought on by tooooo much going on in my life (stressors).Thanks for your response Katia. It was very helpful. It definitely sounds like you where overwhelmed!!!!
>It was building and then just after I finished the yoga teacher training program (Dec. 2001), I moved to Scotland to be with my (then) boyfriend and that move threw me down even further. (esp. in the midst of a Scottish winter!) (i live in America).
>That's amazingly similar to my own situation. I experienced my first major depressive episode when I moved to Europe to be with my (then) girlfriend. Coming from a very warm and sunny mediterranean climate in Australia the Northern European climate had devastating effects on my mood.....coupled together with culture shock and isolation from my family and friends back home in Australia.
> (another topic, dealing with depression in relationship when you don't know that it is depression between the two of you). I didn't realize that it was a depression until the big crash and burn of the relationship just before the summer and my move back here alone, and what happened at the end of the relationship threw me even deeper. I came right close to losing my mind totally and couldn't quite pull myself off of the floor day in and day out, crying, screaming, etc. That's the rock bottom point that told me "wait, this could be depression". (duh!) It's so hard to see when you're in it because it feels too real to "just be depression". So that's when I started on ADs for the first time and also started addressing this lifelong depression of mine.
>Again I had exactly the same experience. I also had absolutely no insight into the fact that I was suffering from a major depression and that absolutely devastated the relationship. I just couldn't figure out why I was so unhappy and miserable with that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach the whole time I was in Europe (nearly two years) What's worse was that even the summer in the European country I lived in was very wet and rainy and resembled something a lot closer to the winters that I was used to in my town (or VERY early spring or late autumn at best). Before too long my mood rubbed off onto my girlfriend and she also became depressed and like you say that plays havoc in a relationship especially when your not aware that depression is the problem.
I also crashed and burnt when I returned to Australia and it was only after I came home that I was finally diagnosed with and became aware of the fact that I was suffering from major depression. I also realised at that point that I had actually been suffering from a low grade depression and mood disorder since my teens and was finally able to start addressing (or redressing) the situation. Today I am a stronger person for the experience (but unfortunately still predisposed to depression)
> I still do yoga and it works for me. It helps and I'm glad I have it in my life as a healthy resource to relax and cope.
>
> I wouldn't worry about starting a program in fear that it could bring up too much "stuff" as long as you have good support around that - meditation teacher, therapist, friends, etc. who are aware of what's going on.
>
> anyway, hope that helps.
> KatiaThat helps a LOT. I'll definitely continue with my yoga and will probably undertake the teacher training. I think it will help me with my personal development and that I will become much more self aware......It will give me another weapon in my armoury to defend against my tendency to depression. Also my teacher and the support base for the teacher training is excellent.
My warmest regards and Thankyou
bluedog
Posted by jemma on April 18, 2003, at 16:12:42
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » Katia, posted by bluedog on April 18, 2003, at 13:34:29
Just as an aside, in addition to all the other good benefits - muscle tone, flexibility, mental focus, etc - yoga has been shown to lower cortisol levels, which helps fight depression.
- jemma
Posted by Katia on April 18, 2003, at 17:20:13
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » Katia, posted by bluedog on April 18, 2003, at 13:34:29
Hi Bluedog,
Thanks for your response. Wow, very similar situations indeed! It's doubly frustrating, because you're not only having to deal with the depression, which is big enough, but deal with the culture shock loss of friends, support, family etc. which exacerbates the depression and can bring it on. It's amazing in restrospect what I could have done with this insight. My misery too transferred onto my ex and he took on my misery as though he was failing to give me what I needed. It's so multi-layered....depression and relationships. it's difficult! But once there is awareness of it (the depression) helps heal a lot of the layers to the "problem".
Interestingly enough, it seems I've needed more than one of the same lesson to finally open my eyes to things that were always there, but not seen. B/c six years ago I again had a similar experience with a boyfriend in Australia. And it crashed and burned there for me too. One of my ways of self-medicating during my 20s was running around the world trying to escape this misery....
It's amazing how much insight can come from awareness of what's going on - depression. I'm a bit sad that I wasn't diagnosed and treated earlier. But then again, I wouldn't have seen the world! well maybe I would have and I then would have actually seen the places I visited instead of only the torment in my mind. yes, I know a strange and bizarre way to deal with depression.....
good luck with the yoga program!
I'm actually trying to get centered enough and get the energy to pursue teaching now. it's tough because I want to be fit and centered as a teacher....
take care,
Katia
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.