Yoga Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar depression is more likely to involve irritability, guilt, unpredictable mood swings, and feelings of restlessness. People with bipolar depression also tend to move and speak slowly, sleep a lot, and gain weight. In addition, they are more likely to develop psychotic depression – a condition in which they have lost contact with reality – and to experience major disability in work and social functioning.

A growing body of research suggests that there are significant differences between bipolar depression and regular depression, especially when it comes to recommended treatments. Most people with bipolar depression are not helped by antidepressants. In fact, there is a risk that antidepressants can make bipolar disorder worse – triggering mania or hypomania, causing rapid cycling between mood states, or interfering with other mood stabilizing drugs.

Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy for bipolar disorder can control one’s mood shift by bringing more awareness to the fluctuating moods. Practice of yoga brings awareness to the body and mind. The Practitioner learns that the moods or any sensation of the body and mind are temporary. One develops self-awareness that helps control some of their manic tendencies. Practice of asana can reduce depression, anxiety, anger and neurotic symptoms.

Pranayama helps to control breath, which stabilise and enhance the activity of the brain. Meditation and yoga nidra (guided meditation) can induce total relaxation and self-control. This is curial in case of any relapse or to cope with bipolar disorder.

Proper Yoga Therapy helps most people with bipolar disorder gain better control of their mood swings and related symptoms. An effective maintenance treatment plan includes medication and psychotherapy for preventing relapse and reducing symptom severity. Therapy and self-help strategies play important roles.

The symptoms can be controlled by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, eating right, monitoring the moods, keeping stress to a minimum, and surrounding oneself with supportive people.

Yoga is a fantastic anti-depressant and prefect mood stabilizer. It is psycho physical science which brings physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual well-being.