Can Yoga prevent and tackle mental health disorders?
While yoga is often regarded as a wellness practice enhancing physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, ancient philosophical concepts have paved the way to contemporary scientific research on the idea that a regular practice of yoga (the term yoga as a whole includes meditation dhyana and breathing exercises pranayama) may prevent and mitigate some of the most common mental health disorders such as chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Back in 2011, the World Health Organisation estimated that “depression will impose the second biggest health burden globally by 2020”
To what extent can the practice of yoga prevent and reduce major depressive disorders? (as opposed to chronic sadness or low mood). Similarly, can yoga and more particularly meditation lead to developing mental adverse effects?
In the UK, the ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) sets the international standards for healthcare diagnosis. According to its diagnostic criteria, depression is characterised by 10 key symptoms: persistent sadness or low mood, loss of interest and pleasure, fatigue or low energy. Combined with associated symptoms such as low self-confidence, disturbed sleep or poor appetite, depression can be qualified as mild to moderate to severe. Duration and regularity of the symptoms are also a significant variable. The etiology of depression can vary and includes biological, genetic and environmental factors. Stressful life events and severe and prolonged stress which characterise our modern society are the most common factors leading to depression. In addition to medical treatments and cognitive behaviour therapy, ongoing scientific studies have shown that the practice of yoga can have a strong impact on our mental wellbeing by changing the brain’s response to stress and anxiety
Yoga’s effects on depression: a philosophical approach
The ancient Buddhist text, the Dhammapada, compiles Buddha’s sayings in the form of verses. Its first verse titled “The pairs” describes that “Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief”. Buddhism is at the core or working with the mind, using different techniques of meditation that aim at calming and concentrating the mind. We could argue that ancient Buddhist ideas have greatly influenced modern therapies such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) often used today by mental health professionals today.
Influenced by Buddhism, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali written between 325-425 CE form a collection of 196 sutras and is considered as the most authoritative text on yoga. Those ancient yogic ideas and theories have greatly influenced contemporary scientific research on the mental benefits of yoga. While sutra 1.2 “Yogaścittavṛtti nirodhaḥ” identifies yoga as a process used to dissipate the constant fluctuations of the mind using various techniques, sutra 2.29 “Yama niyamasana pranayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhi astau angani” enumerates the 8 limbs of yoga as the technique leading to stillness of the mind: “yama” the restraint of behaviours that cause suffering, “niyama” the development of behaviours that ameliorate suffering, “asana” posture, “pranayama” breathing control, “Dhyana” meditation, “dharana” concentration, “samadhi” bliss.
Yoga’s effects on depression: modern scientific research and therapies
Not only does yoga increase our level of physical fitness, flexibility and strength but it can also help regulate our self-response to stress and emotions, creating a significant impact on our wellbeing.
From a physiological point of view, the vagus nerve (the longest cranial nerve in the body) runs from the brain, chest, abdomen and connects the brain to the major systems in our body (stomach, lungs, heart etc). The vagal tone, in turns measures the tone of the vagus nerve and is calculated by measuring the heart rate and the breathing rate. If the vagal tone high, the nervous system is more likely to move into a parasympathetic response, or “rest and digest” as opposed to a sympathetic response “fight or flight”.
A study on loving-kindness meditation conducted by Pr. Barbara Fredrickson (University of North Carolina) proved that meditation “boosted positive emotions, which then led to having a greater zest for life”
Other research have shown that meditation can, overtime develop our meta-cognition which is our ability to differentiate ourselves from our thoughts (we have thoughts but we are not our thoughts), this is one aspect that medical treatment cannot necessarily help with. More recent studies and neuroimaging have proven that meditation can change the neuroplasticity of the brain (physiological and structural changes).
A number of therapeutic tools inspired by mindfulness and meditation have been developed over the past years and are widely used today by mental health specialists such as Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT). In their book “Mindfulness, a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world” Mark Williams and Danny Penman offer an 8 weeks MBCT program and concluded that “MBCT may be an effective strategy for those whose depression is not responding to other approaches [..]”
The adverse effects of yoga: the kundalini syndrome
As surprising as it can be, meditation can have reverse side effects. Some authors on the topic of yoga and meditation, advise their readers to seek advice with the spiritual emergence network if they are confronted with feeling overwhelmed with the experience of growth and transformation that is linked to the practice of meditation. Sometimes, a person can suffer from a sense of not being able to cope if he/she is not ready for increased awareness and greater sensitivity acquired with the practice. Reading about this phenomenon led me to enquire about the so called “kundalini syndrome”. According to Tantric teachings, the awakening of Kundalini (latent life energy located at the base of the spine) changes our state of consciousness to a greater extent. If the practitioner is not ready for those changes, it may lead to a state of crisis.
In terms of regular meditation, meditation could be a factor of risks for those who have conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and PTSD.
Scientific research has demonstrated that yoga can help with tackling major depressive disorders. Certain cases may require medical treatment and use yoga as a complimentary therapy but overall, it’s a proven fact that yoga has a positive effect on building resilience to the way we respond to stress. Given that medication can have sides effects, we could argue that yoga could be used as a preventive therapy to limit the number of depression sufferer relapse and even prevent suicide. The way we teach yoga as also adapted to the need to tackle mental health issues in our society (yoga therapy, yoga for anxiety, yoga for depression etc). Further investigation would help understanding the negative side effects of meditation. As with any practice, more importantly with an interoceptive practice such as meditation, receiving guidance and seeking help when in doubt are paramount.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking out new landscapes but in having new eyes”
Marcel Proust, La Prisonnière
