Yoga and mental health issues

[rydra_wong]

Because I'm guessing I'm not the only person in the comm who's dealing with some form of crazy, I thought we might talk about it a bit.

How does yoga affect your mental health issues? For example, do you find that yoga is helpful in coping with anxiety or depression? Is it helpful at some times but not others? Or is it more something that happens alongside whatever issues you may be dealing with?

Conversely, how do your mental health issues affect your yoga? How do you manage to keep a consistent practice when you have a Bad Brain Day? Or do you have to accept that sometimes, practice just ain't happening today?

For me, it's been hard to acknowledge that yoga is not going to change my depression directly, even though it's been a lifeline for me through it. And when I'm feeling terrible anyway, beating myself up for not practicing doesn't help.

Comments

[muck_a_luck]

I am pretty sure yoga didn't really lessen the impact of SAD, though I practiced regularly (about every other day) through the dark months. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't help my PMS because PMS usually causes a who-the-hell-cares mentality for a few days where I don't DO anything, but I EAT lots of things. *nods* Too bad I don't have a mommy to make me do my yoga whether I care or not.

I do find that during the time I am doing yoga, clearing my mind, focusing on my breathing and movement, I am very centered and calm, with the occasional dash of excited accomplishment, even when I am down or stressed otherwise. And days that I do yoga I am happier, because I know I had some good exercise for the day. And I know that days I do yoga I feel healthier all day, either for psychological reasons, or from actual physical effects of this type of exercise. (I'm guessing a little of both.)

So as you have also observed, I'm not sure yoga "fixes" anything, exactly. But the movement meditation, and the reality of having done strenuous physical activity, with the contingent awareness of that fact, do seem to carry through my day with positive aspects.

On the even larger scale, I definitely like having physical fitness and the ability to manage my own body weight through arm balances, lunges, squats, inversions and backbends as part of my self-image. I'm slimmer than I have been in 15 years, and probably more physically fit than I have been in my entire life. That definitely makes me feel good about myself.

[rydra_wong]

But the movement meditation, and the reality of having done strenuous physical activity, with the contingent awareness of that fact, do seem to carry through my day with positive aspects.

Oh yes. The fact that it can't fix my brainweasels doesn't mean it doesn't do a lot for my mental wellbeing in the broadest sense (as and when my brain permits).

That definitely makes me feel good about myself.

A sense of achievement can be a damn good thing. At really bad times, it's helped me to feel that at least one thing in my life is progressing.

(My consultant gets reports: "Well, I think we may need to tweak the meds, but I can do full splits now.")

[muck_a_luck]

we may need to tweak the meds, but I can do full splits now

Ahahahaha!

The conversation continues: "If only they could put Shoulder Stand in a pill. Or Gomugasana. Can we get that added?"

:D

[rhi]

My GP recommended 100 mg of B6 daily for PMS (when I started hitting 10 days of mood swings a month ::shudder::). It started helping me in less than two months. No idea if it'd help you, but mentioning it anyway.

[muck_a_luck]

Interesting! I will ask!

[rhi]

Good luck!

[rydra_wong]

(Btw -- and feel free to ignore if you've already tried this, it's obnoxiously obvious, etc. -- but you've got a lightbox for the SAD, right?)

[muck_a_luck]

I have not yet gone full-on lightbox. I have a natural light lamp, extremely bright, that is over my desk all day at work, but that may not be enough. Next winter I'm doing the lightbox thing. Also, I just started taking D3, in which I would not be shocked to find out I was deficient, and which can impact mood. Hoping that will help with SAD next year, too.

[rydra_wong]

Yep, natural light lamps are lovely to have, but the intensity of a regular light is completely different from a lightbox (which is basically drug-level light; a few people actually get agitated or manic if they use the light for too long).

D3 sounds like a very smart idea. The other thing that might be worth trying is an Omega-3 supplement (fish oil if you're not vegetarian, or one of the vegetarian alternatives) -- there's a fair amount of evidence that they can help mood.

[muck_a_luck]

In early March - or maybe late February - there was an incredibly sunny day and I did my yoga that afternoon in front of our wall of windows with the full, not sun beating down on me. I did a nice long practice, over an hour. When I was done, I *was* manic. I think after weeks and weeks of dark and cold, all that light and heat had very drug-like effects! Which was when I realized that it was me and a light-box next winter, because the effect was SO dramatic.

[rydra_wong]

I hope that was colloquial "manic" (bounce around feeling hyper and up-up-up) as opposed to clinical "manic" (I AM ON THE ROOF BECAUSE I CAN FLY, ALSO I HAVE ORDERED A FERRARI ON MY CREDIT CARD).

Assuming the former, then it sounds like there's a good chance a lightbox will be the thing for you *g*.

[muck_a_luck]

:D I suppose I should choose my terminology more carefully in a thread that is actually about actual mental illness.

No, I do not have a new Ferrari or a massive head injury. :D But I did have a fantastic rest of my day!

[rydra_wong]

You see why I felt the need to check *g*.

(Anything with an antidepressant effect can tip people with bipolar disorder into mania or a mixed state -- it's a big problem in treatment -- so I meant "manic" in the clinical sense.)

But yeah, it sounds from that as if a lightbox should work wonders.