Preface

by Richard Brown

Depression is a worldwide epidemic. It is the leading illness in adults and often occurs with other serious illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, and arthritis. It predisposes sufferers to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and accelerates aging of the body and brain. In the United States, we have an unprecedented rise in the rates of child and teen suicide. The depression epidemic is even worse in developing countries and will increase as people live longer. Women and older people have an increased risk of depression.

What causes depression? In mainstream medicine, it is believed to be an overactivation of the stress-response part of the nervous system. Recent evidence indicates it is also associated with underactivation of the well-being (parasympathetic) part of the nervous system.

The current medical treatment of depression predominantly focuses on antidepressants, which calm the stress-response system. This approach has numerous drawbacks. Antidepressants have immediate side effects. Consequently, many people are reluctant to start medication or become unwilling to continue it for more than three months. The lack of any solid data on the long-term side effects of antidepressants is a growing concern. Furthermore, prescription antidepressants are costly. People without prescription insurance coverage and those living in less industrialized countries cannot afford to see doctors or to pay for these medications. Surprisingly, even in Australia, the socialized health service budget for medication is projected to go bankrupt by 2005, primarily because of the cost of antidepressants and secondarily the cost of arthritis drugs.

Finally, what I have seen so often is that medication reduces the des-peration and suicidality that the depressed person feels, but it does not touch the whole being. It does not bring out the feelings of joy and love-inside all of us. Five years ago, while speaking at a United Nations sympo-sium on natural treatments for worldwide depression. I discovered a wealth of medical and psychiatric research on how Yoga breathing and other Yoga practices effectively relieve depression. Since then, I have trained to bring these healing techniques to a wide range of people, including patients and health care providers, who suffer from stress and depression.

I met Amy in the course of her research for this book, and was impressed by her loving spirit and depth of character. In this book she describes from her own experience and that of others how to use the eight limbs of Yoga to overcome depression. Yoga otters an alternative to the problems of conventional medical treatment for depression. It does not have detrimental side effects; it has side benefits for the body and mind. It is extremely cost effective and can be taught to large groups. Yoga practices address the root cause of depression: the energy drain caused by the overreactions of our mind of the stresses of our world and the pressures of our own fears and desires. By activating our innate mental, physical, and spiritual healing capacities. Yoga practice strengthens our feelings of joy, peace, and connectedness.

To establish an effective Yoga practice requires discipline, commitment, and time. These are the greatest impediments, but only through effort and commitment can we hope to grow. The choice is yours.

Reading about Yoga is the first step. The next step is experiencing Yoga under the guidance of a skilled teacher. This book is your map to finding the right teacher and the best practices to help you heal yourself. Read it and apply the practices to your daily life.

Richard P. Brown. M.D., is associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. New York, NY, and co-author of Stop Depression Now; SAM-E.

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© 2003 by Amy Weintraub.

Tags: Yoga, Depression