Therapeutic Effects Of Yoga On Depression - 1899 Words

Therapeutic Effects of Yoga on Depression in Men and Women Patricia A. Miller Ashley N. Saylor Toni A. Morris Jessie E. Yahner University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Abstract Much academic research has been conducted to understand psychological causes of and treatment effects on clinically diagnosed depression symptoms. More recently equal interest has included the neurochemical and physiological origins of depression and the implications of treating these imbalances using alternative, non-medical treatment modalities including yoga. Yoga has been identified as a powerful source of balancing neurochemicals vital to healthy brain chemistry. In review of current literature, however, it is apparent that little research exists comparing†¦show more content†¦Therapeutic Effects of Yoga on Depression in Men and Women This paper will explore what depression is, how depression effects males and females, and offer insight into how yoga can be a form of treatment for depression. According to the 2013 research of Holger Cramer, Romy Lauche, Jost Langhorst, and Gustav Dobos, depression has formerly been described as reflecting a primary disorder of biomedical and neurophysiological functions with evidence that alterations certain neurotransmitters including noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine, and GABA play a major role in the pathophysiology of depression (Cramer, et., 2013). Additional research regarding yoga practice and increased levels of dopamine, GABA and serotonin is widely available. The balancing of these neurotransmitters is widely suggested as essential to depression treatment by many researchers and clinical therapeutic practitioners today. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is a serious but common illness that interferes with daily life and causes pain for you and the your loved ones (National Institute of Mental Health, 2015). Depression affects males and females; however, females are more likely to be diagnosed with depression at any given year. Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and insomnia are amongst the most common reasons for individuals to seek out treatment