In the modern world, with its frantic pace of life, the treatment of mental problems through official medicine is increasingly coming to a standstill. Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to such diseases, influencing the causes of their occurrence.
– an ancient Ayurvedic treatise – defines health as a state of complete biological balance, in which the sensory, mental, emotional and spiritual elements are in harmony. The concept of Ayurveda is based on the three doshas. The five elements come together in pairs to form the doshas: . The combination of these doshas, inherited from birth, constitute the constitution of the individual. The dynamic balance of the three doshas creates health.
is the branch of psychiatry in Ayurveda that deals with mental illness. Some scholars interpret “bhuta” to refer to ghosts and spirits that cause abnormal mental states in a person. Others speak of bhuta as microscopic organisms such as viruses and bacteria. Bhuta Vidya also explores causes in the form of past life karmas that have no explanation in terms of the three doshas. Mental illnesses are generally divided into doshonmada (physical causes) and bhutonmada (mental basis). Charaka in his treatise Charaka Samhita describes eight major psychological factors that are influenced by mental disorders. They are .
Symptoms of mental balance (according to Ayurveda):
- Good memory
- Eating healthy meals at the same time
- Awareness of one’s responsibility
- Self-awareness
- Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene
- Presence of enthusiasm
- Mind and insight
- Courage
- Perseverance
- Optimism
- Self-sufficiency
- Following Good Values
- Resistance
Dr. Hemant K. Singh, Research Fellow, Central Indian Medicines Research Institute, Government, states: . In one of his articles, Dr. Singh summarizes the classification of a wide range of mental conditions described in Ayurvedic treatises: The main psychological problems are caused by the following disorders.