A Comparative Study on Effects of Yoga As An Adjuvant With Standard Treatment of Depressive Disorder

Abstract

Objective: This doctoral study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of integrating yoga as an adjunctive therapy alongside standard treatments in individuals diagnosed with depressive disorder. The rationale for this research lies in the emerging interest in combining evidence-based complementary therapies with conventional treatments to optimize therapeutic efficacy and address the complex nature of depression. newlineMethod: Participants enrolled in the study using purposive sampling, wherein individuals diagnosed with depressive disorder as per DSM 5 criteria were allocated to either a yoga adjuvant group or a standard treatment control group. The yoga intervention protocol was designed to incorporate evidence-based yoga practices, including postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), mindfulness, and meditation. The present study was carried out in the Psychiatry outpatient department at Smt Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, which is a tertiary care hospital. The study was designed to include 160 patients who received treatment for depression on an out-patient basis. Out of the total sample, 80 outpatients were selected for the intervention group who received combination of both oral antidepressants (SSRI) along with yogic intervention. The rest of the participants belonged to the control group i.e., who received only oral antidepressants (SSRI). A semi-structured proforma was utilized to gather sociodemographic data, history, and conduct mental status examinations. The study design aimed to evaluate treatment responses between groups over 90 days using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, assessing depressive symptom severity serially. newlineResults: Based on the Severity of Depression as per Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Day 0), in the Yogic intervention adjuvant to SSRI group, on the assessment of severity of depression, 58(72.5%) subjects were found to the moderately depressed and 9(11.25%) subjects had mild depression.