New Delhi, June 19 (IANS): Leading mental health experts have advocated Yoga as an efficacious tool for managing rising mental health issues in India, a statement said on Friday ahead of the International Yoga Day on June 21.

Crediting Yoga as an effective tool in holistic maintenance of health, Sunil Mittal, a senior psychiatrist at Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioral Science (CIMBS), New Delhi, said Yoga is beneficial as an "adjunct to mainline treatment".

"Yoga can be an effective preventive tool in fighting stress and other mental health concerns, and while Yoga may not be an alternate to medical intervention, it can be beneficial as an adjunct to mainline treatment," he said.

Sharing the experience of his team at CIMBS, Mittal added: "Yoga and medical intervention can compliment each other well."

"By combining the two, we have seen positive outcomes in the over-all well-being of our patients," he said.

"Scientific data indicates that Yoga improves mental, physical and even intellectual health, and can be useful in managing issues like stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, mood related disorders, and even sleep disorders," Mittal added.

Mitali Srivastava, senior clinical psychologist at CIMBS, acknowledged the potential and role of Yoga in a personal wellness plan.

"Therapies are beneficial in problem-solving and decision-making strategies but there are times when one just needs to get moving and work through the body. Yoga proves to be quite helpful in this," she said.