Yoga for depression

Depression

Introduction

Depression is a common mental disorder that afflicts a large number of people. It can negatively impact the way you think, feel and act. Often characterized by overwhelming sadness, lethargy, and a sense of hopelessness, depression can deeply impact one’s emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being. Understanding its causes, effects, and various approaches for cure is essential to address this widespread ailment.

Symptoms of depression

Symptoms can vary from mild to severe and may include:

• Feeling of sadness or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or ability to enjoy activities previously enjoyed
• Changes in appetite — eating too much or too little resulting in weight loss or weight gain
• Change in sleep pattern – sleeping too much or not enough sleep
• Lethargy, loss of energy, feeling always tired and listless
• Feeling of guilt, shame or total worthlessness
• Fogginess of mind – not able to think clearly, stay focused or make decisions
• Suicidal tendencies
• Strained personal relationships and a sense of isolation

What causes depression

A variety of situations can increase the chance of depression, including:

• Abuse. Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can make you more vulnerable to depression, especially later in life.
• Age. People who are elderly, especially those living alone and having a lack of social support, are at higher risk of depression.
• Conflict. Depression in someone who has the biological vulnerability to it may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends.
• Death or a loss. Sadness or grief resulting from the death or loss of a loved one can increase the risk of depression.
• Genes. A family history of depression may increase the risk. It’s thought that depression is a complex trait, meaning there are probably many different genes that each exert small effects, rather than a single gene that contributes to disease risk. The genetics of depression, like most psychiatric disorders, are not as simple or straightforward as in purely genetic diseases.
• Major events. Even good events such as starting a new job, graduating, or getting married can lead to depression. So can moving, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring.
• Other personal problems. Problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can contribute to the risk of developing clinical depression.
• Serious illnesses. A major, serious, prolonged illness can cause depression.
• Substance misuse. Many people with substance misuse problems also have major or clinical depression. Even though drugs or alcohol may temporarily make you feel better, they ultimately will aggravate depression.

Cures and Treatment Approaches for Depression

Some of the common treatment approaches may include:

• Psychotherapy: Talk therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help individuals learn coping strategies, address negative thought patterns, and develop healthier ways of thinking and behaving.
• Antidepressant Medication
• Lifestyle Changes: Engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep, and avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs can help improve mood.
• Incorporating yoga as a lifestyle: Yoga practices including asana, pranayama and meditation can help individuals manage stress, increase self-awareness, and promote emotional regulation. See details below under, “A Yogic perspective”
• Social Support: Connecting with friends, family, or support groups can provide a sense of belonging and alleviate feelings of isolation.
• Alternative Therapies: Some people find relief from depression through alternative therapies like acupuncture, yoga, or herbal supplements. However, these should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

It’s important to remember that depression is a serious condition, and effective treatment often involves a combination of approaches tailored to the individual. If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, seeking professional help from a licensed mental health provider is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning. 

A Yogic perspective

We have seen above some of the “external” events and situations that can bring about a state of depression for some people. It is worth noting that the same event or situation may impact different people differently. For example, losing a job may motivate one person to develop new skills and look for a new job with renewed vigor. On the other hand, it may devastate another person and throw the person into depression. It all depends upon the state of the mind one is in. Let us try to understand how the mind responds to any stimulus received.

Samskaras (past impressions)

Every experience in life gets etched in our memory. We also label every experience as pleasant/unpleasant, happy/sad, desirable/undesirable etc. Our natural tendency is to repeat the experiences that are pleasant and avoid those that are otherwise. When we repeat something over and over again, it creates a deep impression in the memory. In yoga terminology, these impressions are called “samskaras”. When we are presented with a situation which may seem unpleasant or threatening in any way, these samskaras prompt us to a “negative” response. It may result in a strong negative emotion such as anger, hatred etc. When a situation seems hopeless and brings about a sense of helplessness, it can lead to depression.

How yoga can help

Building self-awareness and learning how to stay in the present moment are key to developing a mind that is free of negative thoughts. As we saw above, when presented with a situation that seems threatening and overwhelming, we develop negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety, stress and depression overtake us. In order to be able to deal effectively with such situations, we need to learn how to stay calm and act with clarity and sharpness of the mind.

The philosophy of yoga, as outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, offers a comprehensive framework that can help us understand the cause of and remedy for depression.

Five Kleshas

Patanjali provides a deeper understanding of suffering in the form of the five kleshas (sutra 2.3). Patanjali uses the term “klesha” to represent any kind of mental affliction, including anxiety and depression. He puts the kleshas into five categories listed below:

• Avidya (Misapprehension About the Real Nature Of Things)
• Asmita (Egoism)
• Raga (Attachment)
• Dvesha (Aversion)
• Abhinivesa (Fear of Death)

The root cause of all types of suffering is our ignorance of not knowing what our try identity is. We tend to identify ourselves with the mind and body whereas the reality is that we are nothing but pure consciousness. This ignorance leads to the ego playing a dominant role in our life. The ego forces us to choose only what is pleasurable, not what is desirable. We get attached to things that we like (called raaga) and avoid those that we dislike (called dvesha). This results in developing fear of losing what we like and the inability to get rid of what we don’t like. For more details on these kleshas, please visit my blog article on the subject here. 

For example, let us consider “loss of a loved one”, one of the causes listed above, to see how that can lead to depression. Long, loving association with the loved one creates impressions (samskaras) in the mind representing a deep sense of attachment with the loved one. When we lose a loved one, there is suddenly a sense of vacuum and the complete absence of the loving association of the past. This obviously leads to despair and hopelessness which can easily manifest in depression. This happens because our ego forces us to identify the essence of our existence with what is dear to us, and we are deeply attached to it. What the yoga sutras tell us is that we need to transcend the limitation posed by the ego and begin to realize our true identity as pure consciousness. When that happens, we accept the reality of the situation and do not cling to our past impressions (samskaras) thus freeing us from the feelings of despair and depression.

More from the Yoga Sutras

In chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali goes on to elaborate further on the concept of suffering (dukha). 

Patanjali tells us that for one who understands the reality of life, all life is suffering (sutra 2.15)¹. However, the suffering that has not yet come is avoidable (sutra 2.16)². The cause of all suffering is our ignorance about not knowing our own true identity (sutra 2.24)³. The only way we can remove the suffering is to recognize that the false identity with the mind-body complex must be eliminated so we can get to the state of self-realization (sutra 2.26)⁴.

Toward the end of chapter 2, Patenjali introduces the eight limbs of yoga as the means to attain the final objective of yoga – to eliminate suffering and attain self-realization (Kaivalya). The eight limbs of yoga are: Yamas, niyamas, asana (physical posture), pranayama (breathing practices), pratyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (final absorption). For an introduction to the Yoga Sutras and the eight limbs, please visit my blog post here. 

This 8-fold approach to life which, when followed regularly, can help develop a mind that can stay calm and peaceful in trying circumstances. Of the eight limbs of yoga, the most important is the practice of meditation which can help calm the mind and allow us to think and act with clarity of thought and purpose. The two other practical aspects of yoga which help us in the practice of meditation are asana (physical posture) and pranayama (breathing practice). It is recommended that you learn yoga from a qualified yoga instructor and then practice on a regular basis.

Recommended daily yoga routine

Please visit my blog or my youtube channel for instructions and demonstration for the following practices.

Asana (25-30 min)

• Cat and cow (Marjarasana)
• Surya Namaskara (sun salutation): 2 basic rounds
• Tree pose (vrikshasana)
• Bow pose (dhanurasana)
• Head-to-knee (janu-shirshasana)
• Seated forward bend (pashchimottanasana)
• Bridge pose (setu-bandhasana)
• Spinal twist (ardha-matsyendrasana)
• Relaxation (shavasana)

Pranayama (12-15 min)

• Kapalabhati
• Humming bee (bhramari)
• Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shuddhi)

Meditation (12-15 min)

[1] Sutra 2.3: अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः॥३॥ avidyā-asmitā-rāga-dveṣa-abhiniveśaḥ kleśāḥ ॥3॥
Ignorance, egoism, attachment, hatred, and clinging to bodily life are the five causes for afflictions.

[2] Sutra 2.15: परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधाच्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः॥१५॥ pariṇāma tāpa saṁskāra duḥkhaiḥ guṇa-vr̥tti-virodhācca duḥkham-eva sarvaṁ vivekinaḥ ॥15॥

To one of discrimination, everything is painful indeed, due to its consequences: the anxiety and fear over losing what is gained; the resulting impressions left in the mind to create renewed cravings; and the constant conflict among the three gunas, which control the mind. 

[3] Sutra 2.16: हेयं दुःखमनागतम्॥१६॥ heyaṁ duḥkham-anāgatam ॥16॥

Pain that has not yet come is avoidable. 

[4] Sutra 2.26: विवेकख्यातिरविप्लवा हानोपायः॥२६॥  viveka-khyātir-aviplavā hānopāyaḥ ॥26॥

“Uninterrupted discriminative discernment is the method for its removal.” 

[5] Sutra 2.24: तस्य हेतुरविद्या॥२४॥ tasya hetur-avidyā ॥24॥

The cause of this union is ignorance.