CORRELATIONAL STUDIES OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY WITH ROOT CHAKRA SCALE IN THE GENERAL POPULATION

Abstract

Depression and anxietyare commonly diagnosed in primary care practices. Spiritual beliefs greatly influence patients' overall health. There have been few studies correlating depression as well anxiety and spirituality. Spirituality in itself is a less explored topic which prevents it from being mentioned as a parameter to define health by WHO. There are many stressors present in many communities, such as increased rates of poverty, crime, and chronic illness, so a patient's spiritual life could be an important coping mechanism, especially with limited support systems. This pilot study is done to see the spiritual beliefs arising from root chakra which according to Indian scriptures holds beliefs which if changed lead to depression and anxiety. Correlation is studied between depression as well anxiety through DASS21 score and root chakra belief system obtained through chakra scale with added questionnaire in 34 subjects from general population. Moderate correlations are found in both the cases with r being 0.44 and 0.40 respectively for depression and anxiety.