Mental disorders and Aikido

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[javnitro]

I'm doing a paper about Aikido. I'm not an Aikidoka yet, but I was trying to get some ideas about Aikido and classic Psychology and Psychoanalysis.
Do you know how effective is Aikido as an aid for the treatment of deppression, anxiety, and other mental disorders?
I mean, is practicing Aikido sometimes enough to overcome mental disorders or people that practice Aikido and that are, for example, obsessive compulsive, keep being like that?
I'm not talking about the spiritual part of it, but more about the mind and its relationship with real life.
Please feel free to recommend books, videos, etcetera.
Thanks.

[PeterR]

Excuse the light-hearted response but Aikido-ist define obsessive compulsive behaviour. Generally speaking though Aikido training is very positive both physically and mentally and therefore very helpful in overcoming many neurosis. Its quite common to try and transform one neurosis into one less harmful.

Of course this all depends on what sort of problem you have initially.

[Arianah]

The people who wrote the articles below felt that aikido was helpful in this way. One is about autism, and the other (though not really a disorder) is about dealing with trauma (PTSD maybe?). I haven't read them in a while, so I don't remember how great they are. Give 'em a read.

http://www.bodymindandmodem.com/Daily/autism.html
http://www.bodymindandmodem.com/Daily/trauma.html
Sarah

[SeiserL]

Greeting and compliments,

Aikido Today Magazine featured an article a while back on Aikido and Depression by Susan Dalton which was very good. She aslo submitted on on addiction I don't think they printed yet.

Aiki-Extensions is a nonprofit organization that extends Aikido principles and philosophies beyond the traditional practice site of the Dojo. They have a cluster of professionals who focus on the healing arts.

I know of no direct reference with traditional psychoanalysis (Freud) and Aikido. If you look at the work of Carl Jung you may see the influence of eastern philosophy. The humanistics schools of psychotherapy offer some correlation too, especially the movement therapist. The Milton Erickson school of intervention has "utilization theories" which closely parrellel the "enter and blend" aspects of Aikido.

I have personally written several articles that express Aikido prinicples in mental health treatment. Also, currently compiling a book with the Aiki-Extension mentioned above.

I would be interested in hearing more about what you find. Please keep us/me posted.

Until again,

Lynn
Nidan Tenshinkai Aikido
Lucaylucay Kali JKD
Ph.D. Psychology

[Don_Modesto]

Originally posted by javnitro
I was trying to get some ideas about Aikido and classic Psychology and Psychoanalysis. Please feel free to recommend books, videos, etcetera.
Thanks.

http://userpages.chorus.net/wrassoc/articles/psychsoc.htm

[REK]

Javier,

There are no good research articles that specify aikido as part of treatment for the disorders you list. There are many articles in both psychodynamic (the root of Psychoanalysis) and cognitive-behavioral (an opposing school of thought) which detail the benefits of aerobic activity in the overall treatment of affective disorders such as depression and OCD.

No single therapy has proven completely efficacious in the treatment of psychotic disorders (e.g. schizophrenia). Medication is the most useful, but not in a vacuum.

As for connection to Psychoanalysis, I agree with Lynn that Jung is more likely to have writings consonant with spiritually-informed martial practice. Freud's work (especially as practiced in the British school of Psychoanalysis) would give rich suggestions and insight into the motivation to practice.

Rob
(Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist)

[javnitro]

Thanks you all for the help!