Care for Depression
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Depression or Clinical Depression is a mental state of low mood with aversion to activity which affects the individu-al's thoughts, feelings, behavior and sense of wellbeing. Depression is a psychiatric disorder which is character-ized by feelings of extreme sadness, helplessness, hope-lessness, despair, guilt, insomnia, loss of energy, loss of appetite or overeating, inability to concentrate or focus, withdrawal from social contact, irritability, low self-es-teem, discouragement and thoughts of death and suicide.
Depression may result as a reaction to a particular nega-tive life experience such as loss of loved one, physical ill-ness, loss of job, relationship troubles or social isolation. It can also result as a side effect to drugs or medical treat-ments. These former cases may not require profession-al treatment. Prolonged depressive mood may lead to a medical condition such as a mood disorder, in which case professional help of the individual is required. Treat-ments vary according to the sub-divisions of depres-sion, as determined by severity and length of affliction
Step to be followed
(See Figure 1 p.115)
PRANA MUDRA
- Sit on Padma Asana (Lotus Pose)
- Keep your eyes closed and focus on your breath.
- Keep your hands on your thighs.
- Touch the tips of your ring finger and little finger to your thumb. The index and middle finger should be pointed straight.
- Feel the life force as it rushes through your body.
- Stay on this pose for 3 minutes.
Step 1
- Keeping the eyes closed, inhale and exhale as deep ly as possible
- Do this 3 times
Step 2
- Put the left heel under the perineum and Stay on it
- Contract the abdominal muscles to expel the maxi mum amount of air from the lungs
- Hold the breath outside as long as possible
- When you can't hold any more, slowly inhale
- Do this 11 times
Step 3
- Release Moola Bandha (you can take your left heel out)
- Inhale slowly and fill the abdomen and the lungs as much as possible 3. Hold the breath inside as long as possible
- Then exhale very slowly
- Do this at least 11 times
Step 4
- Exhale completely by contracting your abdominal muscles
- Retain the breath outside as long as you can
- When you inhale, inhale and fill your lungs and abdominal muscle
- Hold the breath inside as long as you can
- Do this 21 times
END OF KRIYA