The author describes his experience with the use of yoga in the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug related problems, in psychosomatics, neuroses, geriatric psychiatry, and in some other areas. He deals with problems of the use of yoga in psychiatry like compliance, systems aspect, competitiveness and respecting specific indications in regard to health status and contraindications with personal differences. The usefulness of yoga in the prevention of stress and burn-out in health care professionals is emphasized.