City hospitals using yoga to treat addicts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had underlined how practising the ancient form of exercise helped control diabetes on the International on Yoga Day. Modi in his 21st edition of the Mann Ki Baat programme on Sunday emphasised on yoga’s role in mitigating diabetes.

The medical fraternity has started examining the benefits of yoga, especially to understand its effectiveness in treating diseases such as cancer, heart ailments and diabetes. Some rehabilitation centres in major Delhi hospitals are relying on yoga to rehabilitate drug addicts with a focus on the young.

Talking about the rising drug abuse, especially among the youth, a senior psychiatrist at the GB Pant Hospital said, “We run our OPD for de addiction on Wednesday and get around 30 patients. Most of the patients are addicted to alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.”   

He added: “We put more emphasis on yoga, than medication and detoxification in treating patients. The effect of yoga on the mind is what makes it more effective.” The yoga centre at the hospital relies mostly on raj yoga to rehabilitate patients.  

The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital also has a deaddiction centre, where yoga classes are held regularly for patients.  “We use yoga to treat addicts in our institute too. However, it is just one form of treatment of the many that we provide to our patients”, said Dr Nimesh Desai, director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS).