As a professional stand-up comedian living in London, my job is to create laughter, which can be a by-product of happiness. But laughter does not mean happiness and happiness does not mean vitality. In fact, this article isn’t even about comedy, it’s about my other passion: yoga. Well, yoga and depression.
depression
In the past few days, an article by a yoga teacher named Hemalayaa has been making the Facebook rounds. The author of the article expresses shock and disappointment at the use of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications by yoga teachers who, she opines, are just taking a “happy pill” rather than doing the hard work of dealing with their issues. She then offers suggestions as to how to get yourself over the hump of depression, such as practicing yoga, taking baths, dancing around your space, and going outside and breathing in the light.
Practices in cognitive restructuring, like mindfulness meditation and self-compassion exercises, can help relieve stress and anxiety and improve your mood. And so, yoga on. Cognitive restructuring? Sounds a little 1984/The Matrix sci-fi. Get out of our brains! But the truth is we’re all guilty of some sort of cognitive distortions at one time or another. Taking [...]
Science is a science. Yoga is… A review of more than one hundred studies looking at 16 different different high-quality controlled studies focusing on the effects of yoga on depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, sleep complaints, eating disorders and cognition problems has concluded with positive results. Yay. Yoga gets a lot of hype. Can it live up to it? [...]
In the interview below with Eva Norlyk Smith, Managing Editor at YogaUOnline.com, Amy discusses her new book and emerging perspectives in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
In case you were, oh we don’t know busy back-to-working/schooling this week, here are some news bits you may have missed… followed by a moment of silence (don’t worry we can’t hold it for too long). Back Pain Eased With Yoga (scientific proof!) There’s been a study, a scientific one with real researchers and everything, [...]
It’s a fine, fine week for Yoga Heroes, and especially poignant for those in the military. We’ll tell you why… First! Let’s all meet the self-described Kung-Fu Panda! or as we’d like to refer to him, Special Officer Cares-A Lot! He may not rank high in the armed forces, but he’s aces in our book! [...]
What good is history if we can’t learn from it, right? Lots of experts, and non-perts, are pontificating on comparisons of today’s financial meltdown to 1930’s Depression Era America. And they’re finding plenty of similarities in the political and financial departments – big banks, bubbles, unemployment, New Deals – but what of the nation’s health? [...]
