HUBBALLI: For the mental health improvement of patients at Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (DIMHANS) hospital of Dharwad, the hospital authority has introduced yoga training for the patients. Inpatients are showing good interest in the yoga classes and hoping it helps for a speedy recovery.
The institute is one of the oldest mental health and neurosciences hospitals in the country and it is treating thousands of patients related to depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental health issues. Along with their regular treatment, counselling, yoga was also introduced in the hospital and they have appointed professional yoga trainer Vani Thuppad, who completed a diploma course and pursuing a master degree in yoga.
Dr Mahesh Desai, director of DIMHANS said due to chemical imbalance in the mind and for few other reasons, many people suffer from depression, anxiety, addiction, and other problems. Yoga will help to produce a healthy chemical in the brain which helps the patients to improve early as possible.
“In a scientific study on yoga conducted by National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, it has been proved that yoga will help to recover speedily. They have studied the brain structure of patients during pre and post-yoga courses where there were changes. DIMHANS was part of the study last year therefore we have decided to introduce the course,” he added.
Yoga is a lot of help to addicted patients. Performing yoga helps them control emotions and gives happiness and a positive feel to addicted people. Therefore now yoga, which includes some exercise, mediation, and breathing exercise, is also being used as a treatment, said another doctor.
There are around 165 inpatients in the institute and hundreds of people visit the hospital or get tele-counseling from the institute doctors. In the beginning, the yoga classes are introduced to the patients who are in the recovery stage. Before their discharge, 8-10 days of yoga classes will be conducted for all patients on alternative days.