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Sudarshan Kriya Can
Help Treat Depression
21 March, 2002
The Times of India
By Kalpana Jain
New Delhi
NEW DELHI: Yogic breathing exercise such as Sudarshan kriya has
been found to achieve results as good as the best drugs in
treating depression patients as well as alcoholics, say
researchers at premier mental health institution, the National
Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-sciences in Bangalore.
Presenting the results at a
recently concluded international symposium, organised by the
All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in association with the
Times Foundation, additional professor of psychiatry BN Gangadhar
said the results of this exercise compare favourably with
imipramine, an established anti-depressant drug. Sudarshan Kriya
is part of the stress management package offered by the Art of
Living Foundation.
Another researcher at this
institute, Dr A Vedamurthachar, found this exercise proving
effective at the de-addiction unit as well. The 30 alcoholics, who
agreed to participate in the study, were found to have reduced
levels of depression and anxiety, he said.
The role of breathing exercises on
depression patients was studied by Dr Gangadhar and his colleague
N Janakiramaiah at NIMHANS as all available therapies had their
limitations. Drugs are not only expensive but can have potential
side-effects as well. Depression, which affects close to 350
million in the world, is the commonest mental health problem.
Dr Gangadhar, who carried out these
studies systematically, with different groups of patients, using
different techniques, reached the same conclusion in all: The
exercises lead to certain neurophysiological changes which helps
cure depression.
For instance, in one study he put
the patients of acute depression randomly through either of the
various treatments, such as shock therapy, drugs, or breathing
exercises. The final results showed that the results may have been
best with shock therapy, but the breathing exercises gave better
results compared to drugs.
In another study, he put 46
patients of chronic depression on breathing exercises. At the end
of a three-month trial 26, who were practising it regularly showed
improvement, Dr Gangadhar said. Close to 150 patients have been
studied by putting them on this method. The findings have been
published in various national and international journals.
Dr Gangadhar said there are
problems in doing such a study. For instance, it is difficult to
get placebos and controls for a fair assessment. And it is not
known yet for how long the effects of these exercise last. Also,
he believes the courses need to be re-designed to suit the needs
of specific patient group. In this case, he adds, the courses need
to reduce the sessions on talking and incorporate only breathing.
For information on Art of Living,
contact, Head, Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All-India
Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr Vinod Kochupillai, Phone:
6516821.
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