Yoga and Mental Health Pharmacotherapy - The Role of Yoga in Reducing the Need for Antidepressants and Anxiolytics - A Narrative Review
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences June 5, 2025 DOI: 10.21760/jaims.10.4.32 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Yoga pranayama (breath control) meditation |
| Key findings | Argues that yoga, used alongside pharmacotherapy, may improve treatment outcomes for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders by lowering cortisol, balancing neurotransmitters, and reducing medication dependence, while also reducing drug side effects. The authors contend that accessibility and adherence limit integration and call for standardized protocols and long-term research. |
Abstract
However, Yoga is widely regarded as a very old mind body practice with the potential to lead to mental health and wellbeing. In this study, the supplement of Yoga to pharmacotherapy in the management of mental health disorders was investigated. Although no pharmacological interventions still remain the bedrock of treatment for disease such as depression, anxiety or stress related, Yoga has a holistic approach to mitigate neurophysiological and psychological processes. It has been shown in research that Yoga improves neurotransmitter balance, lowers cortisol levels and increases emotional resilience, and thus can be used to enhance pharmacotherapy. In addition to that, practices like pranayama (breath control) and meditation help in the regulation of autonomic nervous system, and thereby creating relaxation and dependency on medication goes down over a period of time. Yoga combined with the standard pharmacotherapy has been shown to be a successful way of integrally adding this into the conventional pharmacotherapy, reducing the side effects of drugs and enhancing the overall treatment outcome. This paper reviews the physiological, psychological, and clinical benefits of yoga based on empirical evidence to establish Yoga as an important part of mental health care. Complemented with pharmacological treatments, Yoga can act as mechanisms that include neuroplasticity enhancement and stress reduction, discussed. Accessibility and patient adherence are also considered barriers to integration. This study thus advocates for a multidimensional treatment approach by suggesting that healthcare professionals consider Yoga as part of mental health care plans. There is a need for future research to standardize protocols for Yoga for specific mental disorders and long-term effects. The findings suggest that yoga may be a complimentary treatment with pharmacotherapy for mental health care and a more holistic approach to the treatment of mental health.