Concept of Mental health and illness:

an ancient Indian perspective

Overview

• Western and Eastern perspective

• Atharva Veda
• Ayurveda
• Buddhism
• Yoga
• Upanishad
• Advaita Vedanta
• Unani
• Sufism
 Western and eastern
Perspective of mental health
and illness
Western perception Eastern perception

• Statistics model Ideal model

• Abnormal Behaviour Does not focus much on symptoms

Ancient Indian medicine begins where modern medicine ends — when acute
phase of an illness is over- and efforts must be directed to maintain normal health
and well-being.
Perception of self and body

• Reductionist approach

• Holistic approach
Atharva Veda
Bodily as well as mental diseases are caused by:

• Evil spirits
• magic spells
• Sinful actions

first verse of Atharva Veda - ” now may Vachaspati assign to me the strength and
powers of those who, wearing every shape and form, are wandering around”
While the hymns of the Rig Veda are addressed to divinities, the hymns of the
Atharva Veda are more secular, used at home and in society. They are of twofold
character:

1. wholesome- intended to expiate sins or appease evil forces and augments

ones happiness and welfare
2. Harmful- for use against enemies.
According to Singh(1977) the mental disease referred to in Atharva Veda could be
classified into:

• Severe mental disorders like Unmada,insanity

• Soka( depression)
• Moha( sexual and other delusion)
• irsya( jealousy)
• evil dreams

While the hymns of Atharva Veda are rich in therapy, they are poor in terms of
description of symptoms.
According to Singh, two causes are given in Atharva Veda for insanity,

1. Devansat- sin against gods

1. Rakshaspari- influenced by a demon

Ayurveda
Psychiatry was known in Ayurveda variously as Bhutavida and Grahacikitsa.

Ayurveda looks at the human personality as a composite whole consisting of the

body, mind, and self.

Ayurveda seeks to restore not only physical health but also mental health.
The classical texts of Ayurveda say that the physician who does not enter into the
inner being of a patient fails to treat him.

The relationship between the mind and the body is like that between ghee and an
iron vessel. When one he is heated
Ayurvedic theory of health is based on tridosha (primary life forces or biological
humours). The five elements (panchabhuta) combine in pairs to constitute the
three doshas-

• vata (ether and air),

• pitta (water and fire) and

• kapha (water and earth).

The combination of these doshas inherited at birth indicates an individual's unique

constitution. The dynamic balance of tridoshas creates health.
Charaka looked upon mental disease as caused by the imbalance of the three
Gunas:

• Sattva

• Rajasa

• Tamasa
Charaka classified mental abnormalities into two group: severe and mild

Severe
• unmada( insanity)
• apasmara( epilepsy)
• durmana( neurasthenia)
• madatya( alcholoism

Mild
emotional disturbance resulting from fear, anxiety, jealousy, anger, greed, etc.
 Signs of Mental Health as per Ayurveda
o Good memory

o Taking the right food at the right time

o Awareness of one's responsibilities

o Awareness of the self and beyond self

o Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene

o Doing things with enthusiasm

o Cleverness and discrimination

o Being brave
o Perseverance

o Maintaining cheerfulness irrespective of the situation

o Fearlessness in facing situations

o Sharp intellectual functioning

o Self-sufficiency

o Following a good value system

o Ability to proceed steadfastly against all odds.

Sushruta has not defined health but has elaborated certain parameters of health.
They are:

• Samdosha — equilibrium of body humours,

• Samagni — uniform healthy digestion,
• Samadhatu — normal body tissues,
• Malakriya — normal process of excretion and
• Prasannatmanendriyamana — coordination of functions of body organs, mind
and soul to maintain happiness (Verma, 1979).
Disorders of Dhatu
The origin of ‘Dhat’ has come from the Sanskrit word ‘Dhatu’, meaning the elixir
which constitutes the body -Sushruta Samhita.

Charaksamhita (ancient Indian literature) describes the disorders of Dhatus viz.

• Shukrameha (Spermaturia) in which patient passes semen resembling urine or
urine mixed with semen,

• Sitameha (Phosphaturia) in which patient gets frequent micturition, which is

exceedingly sweet and cold, and
• Suklameha, where the patient passes urine having white colour like that of
pasted floor.

Seven types of Dhatus have been described. Semen is considered the most
important dhatu among all.
Buddhism
In an absolute sense everyone, except the arahants has “mental illness”

There are seen to be beings who are seen to be free from bodily illness for long
periods of time, but very difficult to find people free from mental disease even for a
moment.

The mental states are the result of what we have thought.

If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-
departing shadow.
Impure mind Pure mind

Craving ( attachment) generosity

Aversion ( anger) Loving kindness, compassion

Delusion( Ignorance) wisdom

Everyone influenced by lobha, dosa, and moha generates different degrees of anxiety,
depression, discontent etc. When the degree is high, we call it mental and behavioural disorder
Mental Sickness

Obstacles to mental well being

1. Kāmacchanda : sensual desires

2. Byāpada : Ill will

3. thīna-middha : Sloth and torpor

4. Uddhacca kukucca : Restlessness and worry

5. Vicikicchā : Sceptical doubt

Tranquility can be achieved only when these hindrances subside considerably

Yoga
Qualities of a mentally healthy person are enumerated in the Bhagavad Gita as follows:

• Beyond passion, fear and anger

• Devoid of possessiveness and egoism

• Firm in understanding and unbewilder

• Engaged in doing good to all creatures

• Friendly and compassionate to all

• Pure hearted and skilful without expectation

Patanjali has defined health as ‘optimal utilization of one's physical, intellectual and
emotional faculties to maintain harmony with self without undue preoccupation
with the environment.’ (Verma, 1979).

It stresses on avoiding undue and excessive comparison with others which is a

major source of unhappiness.
Patanjali has observed that there is a constant rhythmic interaction and harmony
between all the element of the mind, that is, Cognitive apparatus, Psychological self,
Physical self and Social self (Verma 1979).
The shat ripus (six foes) —
• Kama (lust)
• Krodha (anger)
• Lobha (greed)
• Mada (Pride or aggression)
• Moha (desire) and
• Matsar (jealousy)

These instincts increase the vulnerability of an individual (Verma, 1979).

These can be compared to the Id in Freudian terms.
Patanjali also enumerates manifest symptoms such as concomitant expressions of
mental disturbances such as:

• Duhkha - mental or physical pain

• Daurmanasya -sadness or dejection

• Angamejayatva- anxious tremor

• Shvasa prashvasah -respiratory irregularities

Upanishad
Katha Upanishad
Yama and Nachiketa

Essential prerequisite of yogic method:

1. Distinction between the good and the pleasant

2. Distinction between knowledge and ignorance

The real object of yogic quest: Immortality

Yama compares the body to a chariot, the bodily senses to the steeds, the object
of senses as the path in which the steeds move; the mind is compared to reins,
Reason is compared to charioteer, and the soul is described as the master of the
chariot.
Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedantic model of personality
The Vedantic jiva (referring to the human form) has been described as a five-
layered entity, one enveloping the other similar to the sheaths of an onion.
• Annmayakosa

• Pranamayakosa

• Manmayakosa

• Vijnanamayakosa

• Anandmayakosa
Anandmayakosa is the layer of the jiva and is thus the seat of the true Self, the
Atman.

Since the true Self or Brahman is at the core of each and every human being,
blissfulness is therefore our essential nature.

fundamental attributional error- whereby the true self is identified with the
nonself and vice versa.
Psychiatric Disorders(Gupta,1977)

Unmad was the term for psychosis. Mental disorders were named after Gods and
devils.
Endogenous disorders were provoked by humours or tridoshas. They are:
• Vatonmad — similar to schizophrenia,

• Pittonmad — similar to mania,

• Kaphonmad — similar to depression, and

• Tridoshonmad — Depression.
Exogenous disorders

resembling schizophrenia were — Bhujang graha vyadhi, Rakshasa graha vyadhi,

Pishachha graha vyadhi, asura graha vyadhi etc.

Those resembling mania were — Daiva graha vyadhi, Yaksha graha vyadhi and
Gandharva graha vyadhi.

Pitru graha vyadhi resembled depression (Gupta, 1977).

The following factors were described as causative:

• Weak will and nervous temperament;

• Wrong diet;

• Lack of healthy habits, indulgence in wrong activities,

• Preoccupation with shat ripus.

• Preoccupation with something,

• Exhaustion and

• Demonological possessions (Gupta, 1977).

Unani
Based on Humour theory

Unani english

BALGHAM Phlegm

DAM Blood

SAFRA Yellow Bile

SAUDA Black Bile

UMOOR E TABAIYA (Fundamentals of Physique):

ARKAN Basic Elements

AKHLAT Humors

MIZAJ Temperament

AAZA Parts of body or organs

QUWA Faculty of power

ARWAH (ARVAH) Soul or Vital forces

AFAAL Function
Sufism
There is another soul (nafs) that Sufis regard as the seat of passions. The nafs has
to be transformed from

nafs-e ammara (lustful soul)

nafs-e lawwama (self-blaming soul)

nafs-e mutmaenna (peaceful soul)

7 stages of development of the nafs

1. An-nafs al-ammara- greed, frivolity, pride, the wish to be famous, jealousy and the lack
of any higher consciousness

2. Lawwama-disapproval, reflection, contraction and self- appraisal.

3. Molhama -detachment, satisfaction,knowledge, humility, repentance, patience and

perseverance.

4. Motma'inna -generosity, trust in God, wisdom, devotion, gratitude and contentment.

5. Radiyya -asceticism, sincerity, scrupulousness, the letting go of everything which
is not of your concern and loyalty.

6. Mardiyya -noble character, the letting go of everything but God, subtlety and
service towards other creatures.

7. Kamila- perfection
 Conclusion

• Currently movement from a reductionist approach towards a holistic approach.

• Recognition of spiritual well being for mental health by WHO.

• Popularity of Yoga and mindfulness and other techniques.

• Focus again shifted towards Consciousness

• Mixing of both Western and Eastern treatment techniques for a better outcome
Thank you!