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What is the effectiveness of Yoga in Outpatient Treatment for Eating Disorders?
When it comes to yoga, many of us may think of this practice in terms of funky poses on a mat, but the magnitude of the practice of yoga goes far beyond this generalization. Specifically in the realm of eating disorder treatment, yoga therapy has been shown to be effective in healing and restoring the mind and body, both which become seemingly disconnected when engaged in an eating disorder. Many eating disorder treatment programs will integrate some form of yoga therapy, but is yoga therapy something that should be continued on an outpatient level?
Practicing Yoga in Outpatient Therapy
A recent research study examined the effectiveness of integrating yoga therapy and practice in an outpatient setting among a group of adolescent females with eating disorders. In this particular study, participants were required to attend one yoga class weekly to determine whether yoga therapy would be effective in reducing anxiety and depression, promoting self-acceptance, and improving overall mood [1]. For many individuals, the practice of yoga offers a safe and healthy outlet for many symptoms associated with eating disorders with the added physical benefits of gentle exercise.
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Following completion of the 12 week study, researchers found a significant decrease in eating disorder related symptoms among participants, including a reported decrease in depression, anxiety and body image disturbance, which were attributed to the consistent involvement in yoga. From these results, researchers confidently determined that yoga practice is indeed an effective part of outpatient eating disorder treatment, particularly for combating symptoms that are commonly experienced by those in recovery, such as depression, anxiety, and body image disturbances [1].
Integrating Yoga in Treatment
Recovery is an ongoing thing, no matter how long you have been on the journey. From research findings such as the study described above, it is worth considering if yoga is something that should be integrated in your current treatment practices, particularly in the outpatient setting. It is important to note that yoga therapy cannot take the place of multidisciplinary treatment though can complement efforts that are already integrated for eating disorder recovery. If you are interested in making yoga practice a regular part of your current treatment, talk with your current treatment team about this possibility and to determine how to best integrate yoga in treatment.
Community Discussion – Share Your Thoughts Here!
How has yoga helped you in your own recovery?
About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Director of Content and Social Media for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
References:
[1]: Hall, Allison; et al. Use of yoga in outpatient eating disorder treatment: a pilot study. J Eat Disorders. 2016; 4:38The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on January 8, 2017
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
Baxter Ekern is the President of Eating Disorder Hope. He is responsible for the management and operations of Eating Disorder Hope. Baxter has been lending his services to Eating Disorder Hope for several years but came on board as the full-time president in November 2016.
