Stress, anxiety, and depression have become a companion of many these days. Blame it on work pressure, financial worries, relationship issues, or environmental factors, these mental stressors are not showing any signs of leaving the people alone. When these challenges overstep the boundaries, they become causes of mental illnesses. While there are ways to tackle mental disorders or mental illness, how effective is ayurveda medicine for mental disorders?
The body, mind, and spirit when in equilibrium make an individual perfectly healthy, states Ayurveda. Vata, pitta, and kapha are energies of the body made from the combination of five elements or panch bhootas. These doshas manage physical and mental functions. Mental health problems, as per Ayurveda, occur from the disparities in tridoshas (three doshas; vata, pitta, and kapha). Imbalances of these doshas happen due to poor diet, bad habits, lifestyle, and a few other factors, leading to mental problems.
Ayurveda aims to regain the balance of doshas with individualized treatment approaches, that include herbal remedies, diet plans, changes in the way one lives, panchakarma, massage, yoga, and meditation. Before we get on to the treatment part of Ayurveda, let's first understand how mental disorders or “unmada” are classified in ayurveda. These are a few mental problems from the mental disorder list in Ayurveda:
Anxiety and Stress: Termed Chittodvega in Ayurveda, anxiety is related to the combination of vata dosha with raja guna imbalance. The person with anxiety loses control over his thoughts, is restless, easily gets fatigued, is irritable, and lacks sleep.
Depression: The kapha dosha and tama guna disparity cause vishada or depression. A feeling of worthlessness, fatigue, diminished interest in enjoying life, marked weight loss, reduced sleep, agitation, and in severe cases recurrent suicidal thoughts are some of the symptoms of this mental disorder.
Mania: Due to the influence of pitta and raja guna imbalance, a state of mania occurs. Talkativeness, irritability, decreased need for sleep, and flight of ideas, are the mental illness symptoms of mania.
Schizophrenia: Tama and kapha are the predominant doshas in schizophrenia. The person with this mental disorder withdraws from social life, has a flat affect, is hypersensitive to environmental stimuli, and has periods of hallucinations.
Herbal Remedies: Ayurveda bases its treatment mostly on herbs and natural oils. Herbs that have nootropic properties and are adaptogenic are used in ayurvedic medicines for mental illnesses. The most common herbs in ayurvedic treatment for mental illness are ashwagandha, brahmi, Vach, Jatamansi, and shankhapushpi.
Nutrition: Nutritional plan in ayurveda aims at balancing tridoshas. Dosha-aggravating foods are advised to be avoided and dosha-pacifying foods are suggested to be included.
Lifestyle: Daily activities or dinacharya are set in a manner that includes regular sleep, regular exercise, and daily self-care.
Massage: Oil massage or abhyanga is included in self-care practice to balance the vitiated doshas.
Meditation: Meditation and yoga help calm the mind, balance doshas, and reduce stress. Breathing exercises are advised according to one's bodily dosha constitution.
Panchakarma: The five procedures of snehana, swedana, vamana, virechana, and siravyadha are carried out to balance the tridoshas for different types of mental illness. Where deep-seated imbalances or chronic mental health problems exist, panchakarma is advised.
Ayurveda has been there for thousands of years, unfortunately, it is still waiting to get scientific validation from modern science for treatments of schizophrenia, and other types of mental illnesses. Studies have shown positive results of ayurveda medicine for mental disorders.
Ashwagandha: The clinical trials have shown the effect of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on stress and anxiety. An experimental study published in “Medicine” established that ashwagandha has a stress-relieving effect.
Brahmi: Research published in the National Library of Medicine showed the efficacy of Brahmi in managing schizophrenia.
Panchakarma: Shirodhara in panchakarma can relieve stress. This was proved in a clinical trial where, after undergoing Shirodhara, a significant improvement in serum biomarkers and blood pressure was observed.
No one can wipe out stress, anxiety, fear, and the causes of mental illness wholly from their lives. By following the Ayurveda way of life and mental health medications like pills for stress relief or stress-reducing pills, one can enhance mental well-being and enjoy life to the fullest. For those who prefer ayurveda for mental health, it's better to complement Ayurvedic medicine for mental disorders with the prescribed conventional therapy.
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