Real life story of how Kundalini Yoga helped OCD

The following quote is a personal reflection by a female patient (age 20) that has recently undergone KY (Kundalini Yoga) therapy. Her OCD symptoms began at age 10 and her BDD [body dysmorphic disorder - obsessive concern about physical appearance] and social anxiety started at age 17. Her OCD symptoms included only obsessions - the fear of harming others, she was convinced that if she called a relative or friend on their cell phones, she would cause a car accident, or something horrific. The fear she felt "was paralyzing." Her most prevalent OCD fear came in the form of not saying the correct thing in any situation, something that left her "constantly fearful and in check of her own thoughts and words."

However, her BDD involved rituals - that of looking in a mirror, sometimes for several hours a day. She had the fear that her right eye and right side of her face were distorted. Previously to entering KY therapy, she had undergone insight-oriented psychotherapy with several therapists for approximately one year. And again, after seeing me the first time and not following through with KY treatment she again saw a therapist while away at her university.

Prior to seeing me the second time, she also started using fluoxetine hydrochloride [Prozac] for about 6 weeks, and the side effects became too severe to tolerate and she was switched to paroxetine hydrochloride [Paxil] for 3 weeks. However she found the side effects again too severe to continue. In my experience, her short-term response to KY therapy here is typical.

"I first began my work with David Shannahoff-Khalsa and the Kundalini yoga practice during Spring Break of the year 2001. The break was taken from the university I was currently attending, where I am now still enrolled as an undergraduate student. I consulted David for various reasons; the main (and most difficult) ones being anxiety (in general social situations), stress (in the competitive nature of the academics at college), and body dysmorphic disorder. I had also been previously diagnosed three years before with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and depression, both of which I was still struggling with.

"The very first session that I had with David altered my experience of anxiety, so much that the rushing of thoughts that seemed so constantly harrowing before had dissipated to a state of calm and relaxation. In addition to this, the body dysmorphic disorder I was experiencing totally disappeared for the remainder of the day. And, finally, the OCD disappeared completely and the results again lasted for the remainder of the day

"Despite the immediate advantages, though, within a week, vacation had ended and I returned to my dorm room at college, complete with roommate, and my practice suffered. I rarely found the opportunity to continue with what David had taught me, and the anxiety became a major problem in my life again. The BDD flourished, consuming nearly 2 hours per day in front of the mirror. This was extremely difficult to manage, particularly in light of the fact that my homework often took a back seat to my obsessions.

"After this period, and another painful year following that (this time with 4 other roommates, and no practice of the yoga), I finally decided in the Summer of 2002 to return to David, this time with the knowledge and certainty that I would dedicate myself to improving my state of mind.

"Before seeing David at this time, my life had completely fallen apart. Up at my university, I had decided to consult a psychologist through a program at the university, and she had suggested that I try medication. Following that advice, I later consulted a psychiatrist who prescribed Prozac for me at 20 mg a day. Even under the influence of the drug for many weeks, I was so completely anxious and depressed simultaneously, that I began to harm my self, by self-mutilating my arm. First I started with the ends of cigarettes, and then, with a razor, cutting so deep on two places on my arm that they required stitches. I also had a severely diminished interest in eating to the point that I would actually avoid two meals per day and I started losing weight and my mother began to question whether I was also becoming anorexic. It was at this point that my doctor was suggesting hospitalization to my parents that I went back to see David.

"On the first meeting, everything became manageable again. At this time I also gave up use of the medication. The yoga put me in a state of balance, and gave me peace of mind immediately. I was able to quit cigarettes, and discontinue the self-mutilation as I worked at focusing on my breath and the exercises. I also started to have a normal appetite again. This all happened within a week of meeting with David and continuing the practice. The most beneficial aspect of the experience, however, was the immediate release from anxiety, depression, and OCD, that I received upon the first meeting with him again. The continuation of the practice led to a greater state of peace and general strength that has continued up to this day."

Work-Life Balance in Yoga

Yoga was a big thing during the 60s. However, it soon began to drop in popularity. People undertaking yoga as an exercise soon lost patience with the activity, due to its slow but steady results, and turned their interest to a faster pace of exercise such as aerobics. However, yoga has turned once again in the popularity ratings and become a very attractive form of exercise for people who are interested in working out rather than working towards a spiritual goal.

You will find that yoga is a great stretch and flexibility program. It is being used increasingly by those who have trouble balancing their work and personal life. The personal lives of modern day executives are affected by a stressful working environment and a frantic schedule, so they turn to yoga to help them bring a little peace to their mind and to adopt a perfect work-life balance.

It is also agreed by many runners, weight trainers, and aerobic dancers that exercise regimes do in actual fact add more stress to their lives rather than reducing it.

Many people use their lunch hour to work out, forcing themselves to keep up their exercise regime, and then return in a rush back to work. Yes, maybe this is good for them, but it is just an added pressure. Well, yoga is much less competitive, less stressful, and it gives you a wonderful sense of being.

The key to its renewed popularity is almost certainly its healing aspect. When people push their fitness levels they are bound to suffer with strained knees, aching backs and neck pains which are generated not only by the physical power that they put into it, but also the stress of making it a competitive world. Yoga is nowadays being recommended to patients by many orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors, and neurologists as part of their treatment plan.

The ancient practice is growing in interest in the mind-body connection and it is also boosted by research that suggests that it can reduce stress and blood pressure, as well as improve work performance and even slow down the effects of aging.

Mainstream hospitals and business are now teaching several techniques. This is being done using books, discussion groups, and even using the Internet.

The Army is even interested. It has requested that the National Academy of Sciences study meditation and other new age techniques that may enhance soldiers' performance.

Details do differ. However, a common theme is relaxing the body while the mind is kept alert and focused, whether it is on an object, sound, breath or body movement. If the mind wanders, and it generally does, you can gently bring it back down and begin again.

Stress related problems do in actual fact account for 60% to 90% of U.S. doctors visits, whilst mind-body approaches are very often more effective and cost effective, than drugs or surgery. For instance, 70% of insomniacs become regular sleepers, 34% of infertile patients become pregnant within six months, and visits to the doctor are reduced by 36%.