Current Psychiatry Online Vol. 4, No. 10 / October 2005
Yoga - a Breath of relief for Hurricane Katrina refugees
Stress-reducing programs relieve trauma symptoms,
perhaps by stimulating the vagus nerve.
perhaps by stimulating the vagus nerve.
Excerpts:
This article describes two programs shown to ameliorate anxiety, depression, insomnia, hyperarousal and re-experiencing (flashbacks) in survivors of war, terrorism, and natural disasters. We present a neurophysiologic model to explain how yoga breathing could have these effects.
Among Hurricane Katrina survivors…child evacuees who took a yoga breath course Sept. 7 (2005) at the Austin convention center said they felt less tense and less aggressive by the second or third day of the course. Their sleep and energy improved, and their writings reflected a more positive self-image.
Among Hurricane Katrina survivors…child evacuees who took a yoga breath course Sept. 7 (2005) at the Austin convention center said they felt less tense and less aggressive by the second or third day of the course. Their sleep and energy improved, and their writings reflected a more positive self-image.
Other sites where trauma relief breathing techniques have been taught:
In Russia, programs were offered for Russian soldiers with PTSD after more than 300 hostages were killed in the September 2004 Beslan school terrorist attack (Photo 1). Many Beslan civilians also participated in the yoga breath courses.
Advantages of yoga breathing programs for emergency trauma relief
1. Well-tolerated by recently traumatized survivors of mass disasters
2. Rapidly improve psychological and physiological symptoms of post-traumatic stress, including insomnia, nightmares, anxiety, depression, hyperarousal, overreactivity to triggers, re-experiencing, emotional numbing, social withdrawal, loss of appetite, angry outbursts.
3. Cost-effective group treatments.
4. Acceptable to survivors who do not want to be stigmatized by seeking "psychiatric" treatment.
5. Enhance group bonding, group support, and the empowerment of survivors to take responsibility for projects for the good of their communities.
4. Acceptable to survivors who do not want to be stigmatized by seeking "psychiatric" treatment.
5. Enhance group bonding, group support, and the empowerment of survivors to take responsibility for projects for the good of their communities.
In Southeast Asia, volunteers delivered supplies, set up refugee camps and orphanages, and provided a Breath trauma relief course to more than 15,000 survivors of the December 2004 tsunami.
Other disasters where Breath trauma programs have been offered include:
l floods in Jakarta (Indonesia), Poland, and Dresden (Germany)
l earthquakes in Gujurat (India) and Bam (Iran)
l terrorist train bombing in Madrid (Spain)
l war or civil strife in Chechnya, Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kashmir, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Kabul (Afghanistan), Ramallah (Palestine), Gaza Strip (Palestine), South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Sudan, and Malawi.
l floods in Jakarta (Indonesia), Poland, and Dresden (Germany)
l earthquakes in Gujurat (India) and Bam (Iran)
l terrorist train bombing in Madrid (Spain)
l war or civil strife in Chechnya, Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kashmir, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Kabul (Afghanistan), Ramallah (Palestine), Gaza Strip (Palestine), South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Sudan, and Malawi.
Russian soldiers taking part in Breath Workshop just after participating in the attack to free the Beslan School hostages where many were killed.
In tsunami hit areas courses were conducted for over 15,000 people to help them overcome post-traumatic stress disorders.
How effective?
For data on the effect of the breathing programs, we have drawn on pilot studies; reports from first responders, relief workers, and news reporters; and government documents. Our review shows that the breathing programs have advantages over traditional psychotherapy and are effective in relieving survivors' depression, stress, and anxiety.
Tsunami survivors. A wait-list controlled study of survivors of the December 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami found dramatic improvements in test scores for PTSD and depression after 8-hour BWS training (Descilo et al, manuscript in preparation).
Anxiety and PTSD. Studies of anxiety and PTSD using similar breath techniques document benefits in anxiety, student exam stress, and in Australian Vietnam veterans with PTSD. SKY reduced chronic PTSD symptoms in a pilot study of Australian Vietnam veterans
A 6-week study using breath techniques and other mind-body interventions significantly reduced PTSD symptoms in high school students traumatized by war in Kosovo.
Tsunami survivors. A wait-list controlled study of survivors of the December 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami found dramatic improvements in test scores for PTSD and depression after 8-hour BWS training (Descilo et al, manuscript in preparation).
Anxiety and PTSD. Studies of anxiety and PTSD using similar breath techniques document benefits in anxiety, student exam stress, and in Australian Vietnam veterans with PTSD. SKY reduced chronic PTSD symptoms in a pilot study of Australian Vietnam veterans
A 6-week study using breath techniques and other mind-body interventions significantly reduced PTSD symptoms in high school students traumatized by war in Kosovo.
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