Yoga and mental illness - Free Essay Example

One in five people suffer from a mental illness (Jasperson, 2015). These individuals often experience trouble getting the proper health care that is necessary for them, and available medications do not always provide pleasing effects. For this and other reasons, many individuals coping with mental health issues pursue different approaches to healing, including animal-assisted therapy and yoga.So why not combine the two? Goat Yoga! Animal-assisted therapy is well-liked for individuals who suffer from depression, as well as, other mental illnesses as the animals can help in their owner releasing chemicals that offer a sense of happiness and comfort. This type of therapy is popular and frequently used in nursing homes, prisons, mental health hospitals, as well as in peoples homes. Yoga has been studied as asuccessful treatment for mental illnesses for years. Yoga provides the chance to let go of any negative energy, stress, and tension by helping one shift their focus to the present and connect to all of your holistic bodies,mind, body and soul (Sandwood, 2018). Goat yoga was created to be a therapy for individuals in order to offer a happy distraction for those suffering from mental illnesses. This poster will explore the benefits of animal-assisted therapy for individuals who suffer with mental illnesses, as well as, the benefits yoga has on individuals with mental illnesses. Goat yoga is a new popular trend in the therapeutic recreation world and it is a great blend of the two recreational activities. After viewing this poster, individuals will walk away with a deeper understanding of how goat yoga can be extremely beneficial to those who suffer with mental illnesses and the different benefits that come from it. Significance The new trend of goat yoga is becoming more and more popular as it aims to reduce stress levels and encourage calmness especially to those of mental illnesses all by using goat interaction. Goat yoga can have the benefits of reducing the feelings of loneliness and isolation, increase ones socialization, diminishes boredom and overthinking, and can provide an individual with a form of inspiration and responsibility (Silver, 2018). Animal-assisted therapy and individuals being surrounded with animals has been found to release endorphins in the brain, a feel-good chemical which allow people to feel uplifted and to focus on something other than their illness alongside the negative impacts they bring (Adams, 2018). Goat yoga combines these effects with yoga for a double dose of relaxation. In mental health, it is essential that individuals are encouraged to find distraction techniquesto help cope with what they may be going through. These goat yoga classes are held in a group setting in which the goats are present for the duration of the class (Silver, 2018). All the goats are free to cuddle, roam, jump up, and interact with the individuals wanting to participate as they shift from pose-to-pose. Everyone in the recreational therapy profession needs to introduce this to their patients that suffer with mental illnesses as a fun way to escape the negatives and focus on their happiness with this new inventive trend.