Ayurvedic Management of Depression

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Depression, which has traditionally been viewed as a syndrome with

an affective core accompanied by associated problems such as sleep,

appetite, decreased concentration, loss of interest, fatigue, and

suicidal behaviors, is by all means a living dysfunctional hell. That

is until you get hold of something that pulls you, step-by-step, and

cautiously so, out of it.

 

AYURVEDIC CONCEPT

 

This is a mansik vikar, where mann stands for psyche (and often

represented as mind) and vikar an abnormality. Depression, known as

mansik absad is one of many mansik vikars that afflict human beings.

Mann is elaborated beautifully in this shploka, an Ayurvedic hymn:

 

"Manyatu abbudhyati gyayate anen iti manati"

 

If transliterated, the sholoka means that mann is a virtual element

in the body which feeds the soul thoughts, ideas, knowledge, wisdom,

ego, and intelligence.

 

Depression could be sahaj, which means it could be by birth.

Depression could also be agantuk or acquired. Acquired depression is

further of vata, pitta and kapha type. Vata-type depression thus

becomes vatic absad of which anxiety is the most common sign. In case

of pittic absad, anger and obsession are the most important signs to

distinguish, and in kaphaj (or sheeshmik) absad, suicidal tendencies,

melancholia and constipation are the most common features.

 

Furthermore, acquired form of depression finds its causes in any

loss, real or fantasized, that you may have suffered at an early

stage of life, rejection from society, or excessive anger and

frustration in life. If these causes are clubbed with a stressful

lifestyle, the resultant repressed feelings may reactivate themselves

in the form of mansik absad.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Depression is manageable but may take some time before the ultimate

fitness levels of the patient are achieved. It is best manageable by

person-specific regimens of herbal combinations, dietary and

lifestyle modifications. Patients should avoid relying on over-the-

counter Ayurvedic products available on health shops or various

websites.

 

A number of Ayurvedic combinations are used, the dosage and method of

which is decided after analyzing the patient conditions. However, on

a symptomatic level, or as an adjuvant to other therapies, products

as brhami ghrit, saraswatadi churna and ashwagandharishta etc may be

used.

 

Panchakarma, yogasanas like shavasana, sheershasana etc are very

helpful in minimizing, or in certain cases, completely curing the

disease. Some Indian classical ragas have proved of immense help and

worthy of appreciation by the modern scientific community.

 

Rajasic and tamasic foods are totally bad for depression patients,

since these trigger negative thought processes in the mind. Best

suited is the sattvic food, which comprises mainly of vegetables.

Indiscriminate use of vegetables, however, is also not advised. A

particular vegetable that may suit one depression patient may not be

good for use by another. A lot depends on the dosha character and

personal constitution of the patient.

 

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