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material world. Yoga can enrich one's spiritual life regardless of one's particular religion. In this way the perspective beyond this physical life can be enhanced.
According to a Czech author, Samankovar, yoga can be very useful in children with attention deficit, hyperactivity disorders. She used yoga in a playful manner. Yogic practices and relaxation were presented in a way that children could easily understand and accept.
A considerable number of papers have been written about the effects of meditation in reducing the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Even so most of these papers are retrospective rather than prospective and uncontrolled rather than control
led. It is safe to consider yoga as a good preventive practice in Idealing with alcohol and drug related problems in most people.
The reasons why, probably include the following factors: 1. Stress, anxiety and depression relieving effects of
various voga techniques including relaxation and meditation. It is important, especially for people who would abuse alcohol and drugs because of mental distress. Safer socially and at work. Most of the people practising yoga refuse alcohol and drugs and their company is
beneficial because of that. 3. Increased self-awareness, both on mental and physical
levels, and improved self-control. The feeling of control is opposite to learned helplessness which often accom
panies alcohol and drug-related problems. 4. Safe management of minor psychosomatic problems
like insomnia, headaches, some painful problems, enab
ling avoidance of addictive analgesic drugs. 5. This is more esoteric: the condition of addictive people
is sometimes described as amplified. It is restlessness associated with depletion of energy/prana. The logical solution of these problems is yogic practice enabling
both recharging with energy and relaxation. I was able to include basic information about yoga in preventative publications for teenagers as one of the positive alterratives to alcohol and drugs. A chapter about yoga was also included in my recently published handbook for problem drinkers and in the book for parents about prevention of al
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