Melissa's research paper : Restoring the Mind and Body

Yoga: Theory, Culture and Practice
Restoring the Mind and Body
Melissa Uva
Lesley University

Abstract

Research was done to look deeper into how yoga could help improve teens with clinical depression. Its sad but true that depression among teens is more widespread than people realize. Its also found most in teens due to all the hardships and changes going on in their lives. By creating this study, and looking deeper into things, its clear that yoga could help overcome depression in a number of ways. Those out there doing yoga and working with their disorders have only improved. Not only mentally, but also in a physical state too.







Within the United states, depression is the most common mental health disorder among teens. Nowadays, we know that depression comes along with several negative effects. Such as sadness, loss of interest, weight changes, sleeping problems, loss of energy, thoughts of suicide, and the list goes on. Though there are millions of teens all over the world struggling with this disorder on a day to day basis, there are several ways to work through and eventually overcome it. Yes, there are the common cures such as antidepressants, or therapy, but there are also other better alternatives. One way being through the culture and practice of yoga. Not only used to overcome depression by the movements with the body and thought process, but also by the breathing exercises as well. Over the years, yoga has become the source and solution to many disorders.
For starters, many may not realize how far back the practice of yoga actually goes. Just because its the new sensation now in America, doesn't mean that people haven't been practicing it years ago in other parts of the world. We don't know much about the history of yoga, as in when it originated, but we do know that the culture began years ago. Based on evidence and research, we are able to grasp an estimated time in which Yoga began. “A path to enlightenment that winds back 5,000 years in its native India, yoga has suddenly become so hot, so cool, so very this minute”1. Since it began, the culture spread rapidly. Not only did the culture spread all over the world, but different types of yoga began to form off of the idea. Over time, various schools of yoga have been created. For example, Hatha, Bikram, Iyengar, etc. All of these examples of yoga express different styles and emphasis. Though there are different ways
of practicing yoga, many follow the same aspect and share similar ideas of restoring the mind and body. “Study (svâdhyâya) is in fact an important aspect of many branches and schools of
Yoga.”2. Its interesting to see that many study the culture and origin in order to become one with yoga, and get a further understand of the practice itself. Also, to get the idea of whats behind yoga, and what its all about.
After studying the effects of yoga and depression, it is clear that yoga has a positive out come in helping teens cope and overcome the disorder. “Depression is a disorder of the mind caused by dysfunction of both the body and the brain”3. With that said, it is easier to grasp the understanding as to where yoga fits into the healing category. Yoga could help work with the mind and help one find themselves. “When we practice yoga, were clearing the space within - dissolving tension in the body and mind”4. It also allows us to understand that we don't have to live with this negativity and depression, that theres a way to move past it. Its proven that you have the power to clear your mind from all of the chaos. Not only could it help in that way, but also making someone feel better about themselves in several other ways. By improving on themselves in controlling the mind process and also working on flexibility, muscles, energy, and health. “yoga is seen as the control of five senses and a reduction of mental activity, eventually
allowing nirvana like state to be achieved”5. This statement portrays the central india idea of easing the mind so that you can be free from suffering. In this case, getting a further
understanding as to how yoga could ease the thought process and help move past the depressed state of mind. The practice itself could help someone find themselves and cure the depression.
The beauty of yoga is that anyone can do it. There's an appropriate practice for every body. Whether it be more of a mental state of yoga, or a more of an active practice. It all depends on how extreme the depression is, and what works best to help control the mind for each and every individual. Each yoga practice usually falls under the category of ‘clearing the mind’ and it could be done under certain circumstances. For example, you could do an active yoga workout and while doing so, your mind is cleared from everything else in life. For some they need complete silence and deep breathing practices. Which would contain the fewest movements as possible in order to become one with their mind. In this case they would do more of a thought and mind yoga instead of woking more with the body. No matter which practice is used, yoga in general has been proven to help teens cope with these issues. “Study has shown that teenagers, who are often angry and depressed at the start of a yoga class, find relief from their worries and are less depressed afterwards.”6 Therefore stating that it really does have an effect and can help relieve any tension that is causing the depression, no matter how severe.
From our understanding, depression can cause a lot of negative effects on someone. Its horrible to see a loved one not enjoy the activities that they usually enjoy doing. Those who are effected in a negative way usually aren't fun to be around, and slowly become less admired by
those around them. Due to the fact, that they cant be themselves with all of these negative traits. Many people don't realize that they are actually depressed until these negative factors in their lives kick in. Even though one can be diagnosed with this disorder, there is no way to explain the
cause of it. It is found that a range of factors can contribute to the disorder. Factors such as genetics, hormonal imbalance, hormonal factors, stress, and even medical illnesses. Teens are especially prone to this disorder more than any other age, because of all the experiences and changes that they are going through in this stage in life. Its not easy to work past these negative thoughts or feelings, but if yoga is introduced and tried, theres no saying how much the patient could improve. They aren't only getting the practice to help with their mental state of mind, but they are also improving in their appearance. For example being more toned, and more flexible. This may boost their self esteem and make them have a positive out look on life in a few different ways.
After working through the study of how yoga can help with depression, its easy to see that yoga could have a positive effect on those with the disorder. A study shows on the improvement in those who took yoga for depression,“Significant positive change in attitude in yoga”.7 This so called ‘positive change’ was happening during the treatment and seen in the follow-up. Not only by working with the mind and body, but also by comparing it to other ways to overcome depression. If you have a natural way of overcoming this disorder, why would you allow someone to take antidepressants. Antidepressants have negative effects and could open up to a whole bunch of other issues. Furthermore, paying for therapy could be very expensive over time. Sometimes, even therapy cant help people on a day to day basis, so why waste your money. With yoga, you could find a nice place, and pay a decent amount to go there. With addressing the disorder, its necessary to frame it by a satisfactory theory of the relation between mind and body. With doing so, yoga would be the best fit to work with the two, because thats the main goal of yoga practices. Becoming one with your mind and body is most important, and could be such a positive outlook for those suffering with depression. Yoga could really open their outlook in life and help them move past the negativity in life, that way they can enjoy everything around them.
All in all, in order to help those with depression, you must work towards the mind and body as a whole. In that case, yoga can be the best cure to help work towards healing and becoming a stronger person. No one person would use the same practice, because there are so many different ways of approaching yoga. In order to become one with the mind and body you must find out which practice would work best for you. Not only is the practice important, but also grasping outside knowledge on yoga and learning about the history will help those understand the meaning of it all. This could be the best way to move past depression and strengthen the thoughts and actions of those with the disorder. Hopefully more teens open to this idea, and start to turn to yoga for these sort of disorders. It has worked before and has made changes in others lives, who knows what effect it could have on the world.

Works Cited

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