SHYNESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION & RECOVERY

HIM · 10-03-2006, 06:00 AM

hi everyone,

i'm new to this site, so just wanted to say hello.

i was wondering if anyone has used yoga to get over / cope with depression and related problems.

i'm a very shy person and very isolated, as a result.

i know that regular yoga practice would help me to feel better about myself and make me more hopeful, positive and optimistic, in general, because i've disciplined myself to practice regularly in the past and it really helped. (unfortunately, though, i let my practice slip, and once my pattern is broken it takes me a long time to get back into a regular rhythm.)

i'm now going to start practicing regularly and frequently because i really want to sort my life out, once-and-for-all.

any words of encouragement would be very greatly appreciated. or, if anybody else is in, or has been in a similar situation, i'd love to hear from you!

Trinity · 10-04-2006, 02:32 PM

Hello,

I can definately relate to your feelings of depression. My yoga practice morphs and shifts with the seasons and with my moods. In fact - just yesterday I was overcome with that dark and heavy feeling. I knew that I was perpetuating my sadness by dwelling on my insecurities. I turned to my mat - thinking that a solid and heating practice would lift me out of my self-imposed fog. Instead, I surrendered to the floor and wept. I had a good discussion that night about . Are you familiar with dukha? I wrote a blog about it - here's the link.

A few words of encouragement...
Don't beat yourself up when your practice slips. You don't need to get in your mat at the crack of dawn to practice yoga - it's always there for you. Live your yoga. Also, make your practice something that feels so good. Put on some grooving music and dance all over your mat. Celebrate your whole life - the sadness and the sweetness.

blessings,
Trinity

InnerAthlete · 10-06-2006, 12:57 PM

Yes a yoga practice can help stabilize depression. It has to be crafted. that is to say the most effective work is not done at random but rather carefully sequenced and administered.

Yoga is not an aspirin that one pops and gets better. I'm not suggesting that is your take but merely adding it in for clarity.

Commonly teachers would suggest backbends and chest opening poses. and while this isn't "wrong" it's not complete information. Again there are some thing to do and some things not to do that a qualified teacher would hopefully know.

I'm not sure we ever sort out our life "once and for all". It's a lofty goal. Rather we can hope to come to some middle ground where we are not swayed too far one direction or another.

Yoga classes, in the right place, can add a sense of community and belonging.

yoga23 · 10-07-2006, 10:40 PM

i completely understand your feelings of depression. I too have struggled with this for 4 yrs now. It has been a long road for me, and finding yoga and meditation has been the one solid thing i have been able to count on to help me find clarity.
I have found that learning yoga has helped me look deeper into myself to help me deal with some underlying issues i have had from my past. Especially helping me let go of my neg emotions from an abusive ex boyfriend. I too have slipped from my practise but i know i will always find my way back. It's in my soul to live spiritually and i know that i am truly grateful for finding yoga.

sinu3in · 10-08-2006, 11:47 PM

I too have been into depression now that it has been 4 long years i have been taking medication to keep me going. But then two years back i started yoga and it was one of the best experience that i had all my life. I practised for about a year and because of hectic schedule at my work i stopped practising , immediately i put on lots of weight and my depression struck back since then i am on medication but i want to start practising again probably i have fixed a date for the same and i want to start of again to keep my mind calm and slim my body .

Hoping to be more confident with a positive approach towards life yoga is the only answer to all your troubles.

Cheers

Sinu

cathy · 10-12-2006, 02:59 AM

The best book on the market regarding "yoga for depression" is by Amy Weintraub. And find a counselor. A good one.
As a yoga teacher, counselor and one who has experienced depression I know that yoga helps me tremendously,, but there have been times when I just needed someone to help me through whatever it was that was pulling me down. With yoga, especially mindfulness based yogas, the student becomes more aware of everything and can usually bring up the cause of the depression, but this is best done with someone who can help. Seek a counselor. Maybe a yoga teacher/counselor.
Hope this helps.
Cathy

Anna Lyons · 10-15-2006, 03:03 PM

Hi Him, just to let you know I read your post and wish you well. I believe that yoga can really help you and want to encourage you to start your regualr practice again. If you managed to do it once, you can succeed again. My daughter suffers from depression and I keep encouraging her to practice her yoga, So, just get on your mat and the rest will be easy. Om shanti

justwannabe · 10-15-2006, 05:03 PM

Yoga is basically about energy, and creating positive energy in the body. Breathing good helps create positive energy, same as drinking pure water. Food also is about energy, it gives us the calories/energy we need to live. According to many yoga sources some things we eat are negative energy, meat, alchohol, vinegar, etc..... focusing on what you eat, has that been overlooked

HIM · 10-16-2006, 09:17 AM

thank you all for taking the time to read my post and reply.

i'm starting my practice again tomorrow morning and hopefully it won't be long 'til i'm feeling the benefit.

thanks, again, for your responses; i really appreciate it.

i may keep posting about my progress, if anybody's interested.

10-04-2006, 02:32 PM	#2
Trinity Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 41	Hello, I can definately relate to your feelings of depression. My yoga practice morphs and shifts with the seasons and with my moods. In fact - just yesterday I was overcome with that dark and heavy feeling. I knew that I was perpetuating my sadness by dwelling on my insecurities. I turned to my mat - thinking that a solid and heating practice would lift me out of my self-imposed fog. Instead, I surrendered to the floor and wept. I had a good discussion that night about . Are you familiar with dukha? I wrote a blog about it - here's the link. A few words of encouragement... Don't beat yourself up when your practice slips. You don't need to get in your mat at the crack of dawn to practice yoga - it's always there for you. Live your yoga. Also, make your practice something that feels so good. Put on some grooving music and dance all over your mat. Celebrate your whole life - the sadness and the sweetness. blessings, Trinity __________________ Trinity Yoga Teacher Training

10-06-2006, 12:57 PM	#3
InnerAthlete Mostly Good Egg Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Certified Purna Yoga Teacher - Seattle, WA Posts: 1,035	Yes a yoga practice can help stabilize depression. It has to be crafted. that is to say the most effective work is not done at random but rather carefully sequenced and administered. Yoga is not an aspirin that one pops and gets better. I'm not suggesting that is your take but merely adding it in for clarity. Commonly teachers would suggest backbends and chest opening poses. and while this isn't "wrong" it's not complete information. Again there are some thing to do and some things not to do that a qualified teacher would hopefully know. I'm not sure we ever sort out our life "once and for all". It's a lofty goal. Rather we can hope to come to some middle ground where we are not swayed too far one direction or another. Yoga classes, in the right place, can add a sense of community and belonging. __________________ ---- http://www.yogamojodojo.com http://www.teamyoga.com http://www.innerathlete.net/forum

10-15-2006, 03:03 PM	#7
Anna Lyons Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Teacher Posts: 32	Hi Him, just to let you know I read your post and wish you well. I believe that yoga can really help you and want to encourage you to start your regualr practice again. If you managed to do it once, you can succeed again. My daughter suffers from depression and I keep encouraging her to practice her yoga, So, just get on your mat and the rest will be easy. Om shanti __________________ Anna F Lyons

10-15-2006, 05:03 PM	#8
justwannabe pañcashata Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 539	Yoga is basically about energy, and creating positive energy in the body. Breathing good helps create positive energy, same as drinking pure water. Food also is about energy, it gives us the calories/energy we need to live. According to many yoga sources some things we eat are negative energy, meat, alchohol, vinegar, etc..... focusing on what you eat, has that been overlooked __________________ I am light, I am love, I am peace, I am kindness, I am happiness, I am here, it is now. I am, and so are you

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10-03-2006, 06:00 AM	#1
HIM Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3	hi everyone, i'm new to this site, so just wanted to say hello. i was wondering if anyone has used yoga to get over / cope with depression and related problems. i'm a very shy person and very isolated, as a result. i know that regular yoga practice would help me to feel better about myself and make me more hopeful, positive and optimistic, in general, because i've disciplined myself to practice regularly in the past and it really helped. (unfortunately, though, i let my practice slip, and once my pattern is broken it takes me a long time to get back into a regular rhythm.) i'm now going to start practicing regularly and frequently because *i really want to sort my life out, once-and-for-all. any words of encouragement would be very greatly appreciated. or, if anybody else is in, or has been in a similar situation, i'd love to hear from you!*

10-07-2006, 10:40 PM	#4
yoga23 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: telephone Operator Posts: 4	i completely understand your feelings of depression. I too have struggled with this for 4 yrs now. It has been a long road for me, and finding yoga and meditation has been the one solid thing i have been able to count on to help me find clarity. I have found that learning yoga has helped me look deeper into myself to help me deal with some underlying issues i have had from my past. Especially helping me let go of my neg emotions from an abusive ex boyfriend. I too have slipped from my practise but i know i will always find my way back. It's in my soul to live spiritually and i know that i am truly grateful for finding yoga.

10-08-2006, 11:47 PM	#5
sinu3in Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1	I too have been into depression now that it has been 4 long years i have been taking medication to keep me going. But then two years back i started yoga and it was one of the best experience that i had all my life. I practised for about a year and because of hectic schedule at my work i stopped practising , immediately i put on lots of weight and my depression struck back since then i am on medication but i want to start practising again probably i have fixed a date for the same and i want to start of again to keep my mind calm and slim my body . Hoping to be more confident with a positive approach towards life yoga is the only answer to all your troubles. Cheers Sinu

10-12-2006, 02:59 AM	#6
cathy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 35	The best book on the market regarding "yoga for depression" is by Amy Weintraub. And find a counselor. A good one. As a yoga teacher, counselor and one who has experienced depression I know that yoga helps me tremendously,, but there have been times when I just needed someone to help me through whatever it was that was pulling me down. With yoga, especially mindfulness based yogas, the student becomes more aware of everything and can usually bring up the cause of the depression, but this is best done with someone who can help. Seek a counselor. Maybe a yoga teacher/counselor. Hope this helps. Cathy

10-16-2006, 09:17 AM	#9
HIM Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3	thank you all for taking the time to read my post and reply. i'm starting my practice again tomorrow morning and hopefully it won't be long 'til i'm feeling the benefit. thanks, again, for your responses; i really appreciate it. i may keep posting about my progress, if anybody's interested.