Medicine or Yoga For Anxiety And Depression?

Medicine or Yoga For Anxiety And Depression?

Anxiety or depression is a ubiquitous term for today’s mechanical lifestyle. To cope with time, everyone tries to give more and more effort to their work rather than working on themselves. Mental health is a fundamental issue and there are lots of yoga for anxiety and depression management techniques available.

An easy skip to way out from anxiety and depression is taking psychotic medicines but medicine or yoga, which is better for controlling anxiety and depression is a subject to be discovered.

Anxiety and Depression

Psychologically anxiety and Depression are generally a mood disorder that can come due to previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, messed up relationships, and family issues. Some people can have prolonged depression without acknowledging that fact. Depressed souls have generally persistent low moods and feel less energetic all day long and sometimes they can have suicidal thoughts also. Most patients from third-world countries try to go under self-harm by organophosphorus poisoning due to anxiety and depression.

Talking about anxiety, it is generally a feeling of fear of losing something. A person with anxiety disorder always panics to lose and lives in stress all the time. They have difficulties accepting the changed perspective of others and fear to get out of their comfort zone. The often are more susceptible to invaded by manic depression in the long run.

Medicine for anxiety and depression

According to a study in 2023, around 284 million individuals experience anxiety disorder, and 264 million individuals are suffering from depression all over the world. Some patient visits psychologists regularly and take medicines to manage anxiety and depression. Primarily medications like antidepressants, SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), and sedatives work as mood boosters but these drugs have several side effects in the long run. Most psychologists even advise practicing yoga for anxiety and depression. Common side effects of psychotic drugs:

  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth
  • Blurred vision
  • Mood booster drugs usually stimulate the central nervous system, thus, patients might suffer with insomnia by continuing medicine therapy for anxiety and depression.
  •  To overcome insomnia, patients can prescribed sedatives which can induce headaches.
  • Loss of sex drive.
  • Memory disorders

Yoga for Anxiety and Depression

Yoga is a unique technique that emphasizes physical exercise with providing amazing mental health benefits. Yoga came from traditional roots but nowadays, physicians also recommend yoga for mental health and physical health management. Some easy procedures of yoga for anxiety and depression are:

focused woman standing tree pose with arms extended her

Tree pose or “Brikkhasana”: This is a very effective pose that increases confidence level and works on concentration. A person needs to stand up and keep his/her eye focused on a single point. Then slowly raise and joint both hands up to the head. Later, bend one leg with the support of the other. Hold this pose for two minutes. By doing this exercise we are practicing concentration on a single thing which is very important for a person with anxiety and depression.

Triangle pose or “Trikonasana”: For the triangle pose, you need to stand and keep your legs distant from one another. Then hold your right legs with your right hand. Raise your left hand upward and look into the sky. Hold this pose for one minute and slowly change the side.

woman exercising side stretch
full shot woman meditating mat

Easy sitting or “Sukhasana”: Seat in your comfort zone and keep your hands on “gyaanmudra”. Close your eyes and feel yourself for a few minutes.

Breathing exercise; “Anuron-biron”: Anuron-biron is a type of breathing exercise that is good for pulmonary health and also best yoga for anxiety and depression. We continuously taking breath from nature to live. All you have to do for this asana is to sit in the sukhasana, hold your nose, inhale from your left nose, hold breathe for a few seconds and exhale from your right nose. Then do it in the opposite direction. Try to inhale less and exhale most.

woman meditating fitness mat with copy space 1

Final thought

Yoga for anxiety and depression is a very effective and safe way. Medicine can heal anxiety and depression for a short time but yoga for anxiety and depression management is for the long term. Yoga also provides physical health benefits with mental health management.

Pharmacologist I Researcher Research Coordinator Working site: Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi, Bangladesh Toxicology Society of Bangladesh