Yoga as an Integrative Therapy for Mental Health Concerns: An Overview of Current Research Evidence

Background: Because the prevalence of mental health concerns is high and access or full responsiveness to pharmacological psychotherapeutic treatment for many individuals low, there has been increased interest in yoga as a potential therapy concerns. Approach: We synthesize critique current research on efficacy relative approaches anxiety disorders, mood posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive eating disorders. Results: Yoga tested mostly complementary standard psychiatric approaches. Findings from trials largely support notion that can help reduce symptoms conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, above beyond effects achieved by treatments alone; however, most evidence poor moderate quality. Plausible transdiagnostic bottom-up top-down mechanisms yoga’s therapeutic have advanced but remain untested. Conclusions: While results should be considered preliminary until more rigorous available, appears provide people suffering with additional relief at relatively little cost. may viable challenges.