Mental Health and Yoga

Coinciding with #Navaratri, today is the #WorldMentalHealthDay, an #international day when everyone talks about #mental #health. Should we not talk do (something) about it? Enough talking! But having one day devoted to the #mental #health at least will turn everyone's attention to it and maybe the #governments will #issue their stance on it. But that isn't enough!

In England, #therapies such as #yoga and #meditation, are still considered as "alternative" and not suitable for national health or part-funded cost. However, the effects of #yoga, #meditation and #mindfulness on #mental #health #illnesses are far much better than those of some #medication. Don't get me wrong! I don't advocate stopping medication, I am merely in favour of some 'alternative' solutions to solving the problems, since the #mentalhealth problems can be very deep and very complicated. One size never fits all - therefore why doesn't the government explore these #alternative therapies more and includes them in treatment of mental health.

In England, 1 in 6 people suffer from #anxiety or #depression, very common mental health problems. And last year, I was one of those people.

I had a very demanding job in an investment firm, spent around 3 hours commuting every day, and looked after our still young children on my return from work. Few years of this, coupled with an unreasonable senior management and tight #deadlines, meant that my systems were shutting down. Sleepless nights, whether caused by my young children, or by not meeting the unreasonable deadlines at #work, meant that one day I was broken. I was even more shocked when the doctors diagnosed a #nervous #breakdown. And so, I was prescribed rests, walks, counselling (was on a waiting list for weeks) and #cognitive behavioural #therapy and of course, anti-depressants. There was no #prescription for #yoga or #meditation #classes. I certainly mentioned it and the doctors recognised that it was a way forward, but not as part of the NHS treatments. Yoga and Meditation was not covered by NHS. The most widely recognised form of talking therapy to tackle mental health is #CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). However, this does not work with everyone. 

So, I tried the #medication, but it didn't work, I suffered side-effects so I stopped it. I tried the walks, and as I was already a yoga teacher, I tried #pranayama (breath awareness) #practice and #meditation. I #persevered in my own #remedy. I was fortunate enough to have a very #supportive #husband and #family. I left my highly demanding #career in the city and I managed to get better, by simply #breathing and #meditating. Practicing #yoga, #non-attachment, family #unity, mindfulness and #detachment.

 

Navaratri is the time when we #turn #inwards, but when suffering from mental health problems, turning inwards may mean further #depression. Alternative therapies, meeting people, talking about it, physical yoga practice may be a better solution. And sometimes, it is medication - but not as cure more like suppressant of the underlying problem. Whatever the solution, it needs to be explored and it needs to be recognised.

So I wonder, why doesn't the #government consider changing the #NHS rules about 'alternative' and #holistic #therapies. Why don't they consider the #benefits of #yoga and #meditation and make it more #available to wider public? Why don't they bring in #yoga and #mindfulness classes to schools as part of the #regular PE activity? Yoga and Meditation will be there to help minimise instances of #anxiety and #depression, #nervousbreakdown and other more serious mental health issues. Unless something is changed, in this #economic #environment, we are bound to see an increase in #mental #health #patients.

In my next blog, the benefits of yoga