Izmir Multiple Sclerosis Association opened a yoga course for MS patients a while ago and started implementing film therapy sessions. Members of the association do yoga once a week to reduce the symptoms of the disease and participate in therapies with an instructor. MS patients try to overcome problems such as fatigue, numbness in hands and feet, numbness, and balance posture with yoga.
It is aimed to change the perspective of the individual with MS with film therapy.
Film therapy, carried out with the participation of Yaşar University Lecturer Kerem Kaban, provides patients with features such as self-expression, interpretation and comparison. After watching the movie, the characteristics of the story and characters are discussed in a special class established in the association.
The aim of this study is for individuals with MS to spend time with art, to interpret the perspective of a person with the disease through the film, and then to change their perspective.
Yoga and film therapy open the doors to a calmer and healthier life for MS patients.
“It makes us more comfortable and happy.”
Yoga instructor Şerife Coşkun said that exercises have a very strengthening and healing effect on diseases whose cause has not been identified, such as MS.
Coşkun explained that blood circulation in the target area is increased by repeating easy movements and said:
“Actually, we aim to reduce stress in a way. Yoga makes us more comfortable and happy. When we can remain calm, our views, decisions, and movements are in balance with the whole body. “With a holistic work, we improve many points and get away from problems.”
Nur Akkor said that she has been struggling with MS for 22 years. Stating that he benefited from yoga therapy, Akkor said:
“Yoga seems like magic to us. I am an ex with MS and I get very tired during the day. I feel better with yoga. There is a misconception that fatigue is a symptom in many MS patients. They think, 'I'm already too tired, I shouldn't move.' However, fatigue changes as you move.”
“I can walk longer distances now”
One of the patients, Hüseyin Güzlük, said that he was diagnosed with MS in 2015. Explaining that he is a survey engineer and spends most of his day in the field, Güzlük said, “We sometimes travel long distances because of my job. When I walk too much, my feet get tangled. After yoga we eliminated this. Yoga relieved. Muscle movements are very good for fatigue in our legs. "With yoga, I can now walk longer distances," he said.
Ways to cope with the disease
Lecturer Kerem Kaban also emphasized that they aim for process-oriented relaxation with film therapy. Pointing out that they wanted to show that life is the same as the movie, Kaban said:
“Everyone has a life story. Maybe the movie is a dream of the director. We are thinking of entering that dream. We become one of those characters. “Through the film, we are looking for ways to connect with life, understand ourselves, and cope with this disease while understanding ourselves.”
Source: AA