Mental & Emotional 
Wellbeing

Persistent low mood, sleeplessness, lack of sense of purpose or meaning, overeating or lack of appetite, irritability and impatience, low self-esteem, constant worrying and rumination.... Do these sound familiar? From a traditional yoga perspective, as well as Ayurveda, each of these is embedded within the other. If possible, a balance is sought that brings ease (sukha) and wellbeing to both the mind and the body (svastha).

 

Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) is a constellation of symptoms dependent upon context, genetics, and a pervasive, underlying trigger: Is one depressed because one is anxious and therefore tends to overeat, leading to sense of guilt, weight gain, and avoidance of social situations? Or is it vice versa—feelings of social isolation or alienation lead to overeating for comfort and a consequent sense of guilt perhaps leading to disordered eating, resulting in sleeplessness due to gut imbalances and nutritional deficits. Perhaps a lack of sleep has led to physical exhaustion and the brain's inability to repair and clear metabolites has led to irritability, a feeling of weakness and general unsteadiness, and general depressive outlook on life, relationships, and work. 

 

Mental and emotional wellbeing can be perceived as a list of symptoms which lead to a label—anxiety, stress, depression, ADHD, dysphoria and others. Looking through a holistic lens, a more dimensional, whole-person picture emerges: engaged in life but feeling discouraged, fatigued and in chronic pain, having difficulty maintaining focus, and casting about for a sense of purpose and meaning in daily activities or their spiritual life. Perhaps there are overarching, health related factors underlying these manifestations, such as low dopamine levels in Parkinson's or underactive thyroid function in Hashimoto's. For many, lack of sunlight and living in an urban setting with no access to nature can contribute significantly to seasonal mood swings. Identifying a precise, root cause may not be possible; however, with time, persistence, and proactive effort, a positive, sustainable shift in emotional wellbeing may be achieved. Whether through supportive yoga therapy in your home in the Bloomington area, walk-and-talk sessions in a natural setting, nutritional counseling and lifestyle therapy, the first step is to take a step forward. Please let us know how we can help.​​​​