integrative approaches to mental health

28-30th May, 2015 First Latvia-India International Scientific Network and Business Forum, University of Latvia

INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO MENTAL HEALTH IN AYURVEDA

Dr. J.S.R. Anjaneya Prasad,Associate Professor & Head,

Department of Sanskrit StudiesUniversity of Hyderabad


Objectives

Health Mental Health Disease Mental Disorders Prevention Integrative approach to Mental disorders Discussion


1. AYURVEDA


What is Ayurveda? The science which tells us about 'Ayus' is called

'Ayurveda.' What is Ayus?a) Continuous flow of vital energy in the bodyb) The conjunction of the 'body,' 'senses,' 'mind,'

and 'soul' is called 'life' whereas their disjunction is known as 'death.'

Causal relation is observed between the cognitive process and sense perception


Why Ayurveda? Goal of Ayurveda?

“The first and foremost goal of this science is to help maintain the health of a healthy individual and bring the state of equilibrium of the diseased.” Ayurveda is a 'patient centric' medical science than a 'disease centric' science. Subsequently this gives rise to the concept of 'holism.'

The fundamental doctrine is called 'tridosha'


Eight limbs of Ayurveda

1.Internal Medicine2. Surgery3. ENT4. Gynaecology&Paediatrics5. Toxicology6. Psychiatry7. Rejuvenation8. Aphrodisiacs


2. DEFINTION OF HEALTH


Definition of Health

One who is observed to be maintaining the equilibrium of all doshas, metabolic fire, seven tissues, three wastes, plesant state of the soul, senses and mind is called a 'healthy person.'

Hence, 'man' is not merely a material body, but a complex combination of the mind, soul, senses and body.


Australian Aboriginal people generally define health thus “…Health does not just mean the physical well-being of the individual but refers to the social, emotional, spiritual and cultural well-being of the whole community. This is a whole of life view and includes the cyclical concept of life-death-life.”

http://www.who.int/bulletin/bulletin_board/83/ustun11051/en/




Tripod of Life

Mind, soul and body these three are considered like a tripod. Entire world is sustained by their combination. They constitute the substratum of everything.


Interrelation of Mental & Physical Health

SukhAyus – Happy Life

DuhkhAyus – Unhappy Life

HitAyus – Useful Life

AhitAyus – Harmful Life


SukhAyus (Happy Life) SukhAyu (happy man) is the one who is not afflicted

with two types of diseases

SukhAyu Is the one endowed with the following: Youth, enthusiasm, strength, virility, reputation,

manliness, boldness, knowledge of arts and sciences, ability of the sense organs, riches, various luxurious articles for enjoyment, progressive in all aspects

He, who is endowed with such qualities, leads a perfect 'happy' life.


DuhkhAyus (Unhappy Life)

'Quite contrary to the traits described before!'


HitAyus (Useful Life)Who is called a HitAyu?

Well-wishers of all creatures, who do not aspire for the wealth of others, truthful, peace loving, who examine things before acting upon them, vigilant, who enjoy the three important desires of life, who respect superiors, who are endowed with the knowledge of arts, sciences and tranquility, who serve the elders, who have full control over – passion, anger, envy, pride and prestige, who are constantly given to charity, meditation, acquisition of knowledge and quite life, who have full knowledge of the spiritual power and are devoted to it, who makes efforts both for existing as well as the next life, endowed with memory and intelligence.

Useful Life is nothing but the life endowed with perfect Mental Health.


AhitAyus (Harmful Life)

'Quite contrary to the traits described before!'


Ethical behavior has been linked with promotion of good health. Unethical behavioral tendencies have been described as that which creates imbalances in the body. Indeed, seen from a modern perspective undesirable behavior has been seen to produce a whole lot of disturbed endocrinological, nervine and enzymatic imbalances in the body.


3. DISEASE IN AYURVEDA


Disease

Diseases mainly occur because of imbalance in the three doshas.

Three primordial factors of disease are described in Caraka Samhita.

Volitional Transgression Contact with incompatiblesense objects

Spatio-temporal changes,Aging etc.


'Volitional transgression' held the root cause of any disease at material and spiritual levels

Irregular lifestyle is the prime culprit in affliction of diseases.

However, 'Duhkha' is the direct cause of diseases having considered the volitional transgression.


VOLITIONAL TRANSGRESSION

CONTACT WITH INCOMPATIBLE SENSE

OBJECTSSPATIO-

TEMPORAL CHANGESAGING etc.

DISEASE


Disease Cycle

Volitional Transgression

Irregular Lifestyle

'Duhkha'

Disease


An Analogy in Kathopanishad

'Know the Self to be sitting in the chariot, the body to be the chariot, the intellect (buddhi) the charioteer, and the mind the reins (F. Max Muller 1879).


Disease Types

CARAKA

Natural

Accidental

SUSRTA

Diseases due to injuries

Diseases due to vitiation in three humors

Diseases due to three primary factors of psyche

Diseases due to aging etc.


4. MENTAL DISORDERS


Mental Disorders

1. Anxiety 2. Binge eating disorder3. Depression4. OCD5. PTSD6. Schizophrenia7. Stress


Disease vs Natural Urges

Food, sleep and celibacy are the three sub-pillars of life

Suppressible and non-suppressible urges (Dharaniya – Adharaniya Vegas)

Ayurveda strongly recommends non-suppression of natural urges


UrineFaecesDischarge of semenPassing flatusVomitSneeze

BelchingYawningHungerThirstSleepTearsUrge of deep breath on

exertion

Non-suppressible Urges


FearGreedPrideGriefAngerEnvyOver attachmentNegative think about others

Suppressible Urges


4. INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH –

PREVENTIVE ASPECTS


“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”- Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)


Pointers for Integration Ahara -Diet Sadvritta – Ethical living Achararasayana – Rejuvenation through

behavioral modifications Daivavyapashraya cikitsa -Faith healing Vihara – Lifestyle Yoga philosophy


Importance of Food

न चाहारसमं कि�ञ्चि चदै्भषज्यमुपलभ्यते ।शक्यतेऽप्यन्नमात्रेण नरः �तु" किनरामयः ।।

Medicines are unnecessary for the patient who takes care - of food habbits Medicines

are unnecessary for the patient who do notcare .his food habbits

Consumption of incompatible foods is the .prime cause in context of mental disorders


Three types of food has been described in Bhagavad Gita:

1. Sattvika 2. Rajasika and 3. Tamasika

The Sattvika foods basically are light in nature, easy to digest and nourishing. The Rajasika foods are stimulating. The Tamasika foods are heavy and difficult to digest.


The Sattvika food nourishes the mind towardsJoy

Contentment andEnlightenment

For instance - Milk, fresh fruits, ghee, whole grains etc.


The Rajasika foods feed the instincts of Desire

Aggression and Jealousy

onion garlic, chillies, eggs and fish etc. increase rajasika trait.


The Tamasika foods generate:Grief

DepressionFear

Withdrawn behavior andLethargy

Fermented foods, stale foods, leftovers increase the above traits. Consuming stale food and decayed food has been stated as a cause for Maniac disorders and epilepsy. Dyspepsia and indigestion are mentioned as some of the Purvarupas of psychosis (Unmada).


Prescribed Foods:

Shashtika riceShali riceMudga (Mung bean)Saindhava (Rock Salt)Amalaka (Indian gooseberry)Barley flourAntariksha Jala (Rain water)ksheera (Milk)Jangala mamsa (flesh of animals found in dry areas)Madhu (Honey)


Old Ghee (older than 10 years) is recommended for psychosis.

Old ghee and meat are recommended to improve intelligence and memory.

Different medicinal compositions for psychosis make use of food items like garlic, Hing (Asafoetida), dry ginger, pepper, turmeric, yellow mustard, etc.


Prevention and cure of mental disorders is not accomplished without positive behavioral modifications and including of ethics and courteous life. The negative tendencies (Rajasika and Tamasika) gradually diminish when the positive tendencies (Sattvika) are consciously practiced.

Suppressive urges are the general negative mental urges which need to be controlled to prevent mental disorders

ETHICAL LIVING


Extremely harsh speech, spreading rumors, lying and untimely talk are the negative urges related to speech and these need to be controlled for mental well being.

Also, torturing others, stealing and violence are deeds that need to be avoided to keep mental health.


Behavioral Modifications (Acara Rasayana)

Achara means behavior and Rasayana the branch of Ayurveda that discusses rejuvenation and longevity. Achara rasayana therefore denotes code of behavior/behavioural modification to achieve rejuvenation and longevity. It is Charaka Samhita that documents Achara Rasayana.

A set of ideal behavior described in the text consists of speaking the truth, not loosing ones temper, abstinence from liquor and sex, being non violent, not being over worked, keeping calm, pleasant speech,engaging in pious activities, being perseverance, charity, engaging in spirituality, prayers,

Contd...


respecting gurus and elders, refraining from cruelty, being compassionate, waking up and going to bed at right time having milk and ghee in food, being aware of time place and measure and logic, not being arrogant, keeping sublime thoughts, refraining from narrow thinking and conquering one’s senses. Such persons are said to be endowed with rejuvenation capacity even if they would not take medicinal rejuvenators, they would yet be blessed with all the medical benefits that the medical rejuvenators and longevity promoters would promote.


Mental health is nurtured by following the rules of life style modifications – known as swastha vrtta.

Waking up Sleep Oil massage


Yoga Philosophy

All sorts of pain find their destruction in yoga and Moksa. Moksa can put an end to extreme pain. Yoga leads to Moksa. Definition of Yoga has been specified in the following manner by Caraka.

‘The interaction between Atma (soul), Manas (mind), Indriya (senses) and Artha (objects or environment) leads to perception of Sukha (joy/Health) and Duhkha (sorrow/diseases). When the mind is fixed in the soul then there ceases to be Sukha if a desired thing is obtained, and Duhkha if work is not being so. Then the body is under the control of the self. This is called Yoga.’


6. DISCUSSION


“Three types of Treatment in Ayurveda”


SUMMARY So far, we've discussed about the definition of Health in general

and mental health in particular. Disease and mental disorders have been discussed as per

Caraka Samhita Discussed about the preventive means to integrate approaches

to mental health Finally, controlling mind is the key to mental health Of late, 'Ayurgenomics' is gaining momentum. What if we think

to giving a try to prevent such mental disorders at the level of conception, based on the lifestyle modifications of the prospective mothers?


Thank you!!

integrative approaches to mental health

Health & Medicine