Schizophrenia

October 11, 2006

'Schizophrenia' is a state of mind and a result of deep thinking on aparticular area, and the vision differs. Aldus Huxley, Newton, Nash allhad 'Schizophrenia' and were 'treated' by so called psychiatrists whichwas not even an illness. John Nash (Nobel Laureate for Economics) saidabout how psychiatrists were unable to understand him. After his mentalretardation, he then became a normal person, and got a Nobel. This iaproblem that now the judgment is made by mentally retarded persons andfor a conformist society, it is a norm.By psychiatric standard, lord Shiva after achieving an unusual state ofrealization has no same life as do others. That cannot be labeled as adisease. K G hi krishna, and everybody else too,i think its important to consider however that a chronic, relapsing "psychotic" state presents obvious challenges and difficulties, and so in a sense may require some kind of "treatment", although not necessarily psychiatricsee: http://www.islandnet.com/~hoffer/hofferhp.htmDr. Hoffer has provided us with many, many case histories of how simple nutritional treatments can have a dramatic impact upon this conditioni think its also interesting to note that the DSM IV has a category of "spiritual emergence" which satisfies the criteria for some types of psychosishttp://www.spiritualcompetency.com/jhpseart.htmlsometimes the diagnosis of schizophrenia is just plain wrongi recall a patient a had who had taken LSD at a rock concert as a young man and had a bad trip that really freaked him out for days afterwardshe subsequently told his parents what he was going through and they rushed him to a psychiatrist who immediately put him on anti-psychoticsi saw him 8 years later, and he was still on the meds and hadn't suffered any pyschosis (no doubt the drugs were "successful")unfortunately he now had developed hyperthyroidism, which is an unfortunate side-effect of several antipsychoticsa sad case..., because he was now so debilitated that he couldn't hold a job, and was completely dependent upon his parents, and their insistence he stay on the drugs, and now, radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid...in contrast, i have a very close friend whom i originally saw as a patienteventually i decided it would be better for her to be student, rather than a patient, and learn how to take care of herselfi can't say she always does well, but like all of us, she is a work in progress and at least she knows how to take care of herselfhere is an excerpt from a piece i wrote on schizophrenia:"The holistic treatment of schizophrenia is at best supportive: proper nutrition and spiritual guidance are the best tools that a health care practitioner can offer a schizophrenic. In the final analysis it must be recognized that schizophrenia represents a transformational state of the soul, and that the only one that can cure the schizophrenic is him or herself. We are all alone.Among the more useful techniques for a schizophrenic is how to quiet the mind naturally. Repetitive tasks such as mindfulness of breath, drumming, rubbing two stones together, long walks, weeding, washing the dishes, and dancing to trance-like and hypnotic music are very useful techniques to get out of the head and into the body. Because schizophrenics have poor ego-identification they must become aware of their physical bodies to a greater degree, to ground and harmonize their energies in the rhythm of the Earth. The natural environment is very important healing tool in schizophrenia, as is working with soil and plants, or other animals.Many schizophrenics experience other beings and entities in their visions. It is important that the patient not be told to discard these as delusion: for the patient these communications and encounters are real, and should be given due respect. Sometimes these entities are malignant or simply mischievous. It is important to be able to track the impact of these beings on the spiritual body. To that end a schizophrenic can be taught to do a body scan, to see if there has been any impact on the energetic body. Various techniques can be used to negate the impact of these actions, such as sending a powerful healing light that emanates from the heart, clears obstructions and repairs damage, and fortifies the energetic body against invasions.All schizophrenics in one way or another need to express their visions, but they need to be selective with whom they share. An important adage for a shaman-in-training is “to know, to dare, to keep silent.” But expressing themselves artistically is very therapeutic. Drawing or painting the characters or locales of the vision is very beneficial, as is writing poetry of the same things. All of these activities will strengthen that schizophrenic's ideation of self, of recreating places, people or things that can visited again and again with a sense of purpose and identity.Sleep and adequate rest is very important for schizophrenics, as deprivation will almost certainly bring on psychosis. Please refer to the treatment options described under insomnia.Substance abuse is common among schizophrenics and every effort should be made to avoid them, especially coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, and psychostimulants like amphetamines. Cannabis may help to relieve psychosis when used occasionally but it can make symptoms much worse. Psychotropic drugs like LSD, magic mushrooms or ayahuasca have been used successfully by schizophrenics while in psychosis to help gain a better sense of self. Needless to say, such methods should always supervised for the duration of the trip by a non-user.Nutrient deficiencies are very common in schizophrenia. The vitamin B complex is needed for proper neuronal functioning and should be supplement along with omega 3 fatty acids (i.e. EPA/DHA), and choline and lecithin. Schizophrenics may benefit from taking increased doses of niacin, which has been used for years by LSD-trippers to inhibit hallucinogenic visions. Schizophrenics will often fail to achieve the characteristic niacin “flush” when taking this supplement, indicating a deficiency. An iron deficiency has also been observed in schizophrenicsThe following herbal and nutritional recommendations can play a very important role is limiting psychotic episodes, enhancing health and immunity, and bring a greater sense of self-awareness:BotanicalsoFor grounding: Withania, Avena, Ganoderma, Panax quinquefolium, Centella oFor psychosis: Valeriana, Viscum, Lobelia, Piper methysticum, Tilia, Scutellaria, Hypericum, Verbena, Artemisia, Acorus, Mucana, Astragalus, NardostachysSupplementsovitamin B complex, 200-300 mg dailyofolic acid, 1 g dailyovitamin C, to bowel toleranceovitamin E, 800 IU dailyocalcium/magnesium, 1:1, 500 mg each t.i.d.omanganese, 15-30 mg dailyozinc, 50 mg dailyochromium, 200 mcg t.i.d. oiron, 20 mg daily oEPA/DHA, 1000 mg each daily Dietoimplement an elimination challenge dietoensure adequate protein, low gluten, lots of leafy greensono refined foods or sugaroavoid stimulating foods and beverages such as coffee, tea, aspartame, MSG, and chocolateAromatherapyolavender, rose, vetivert, sweet marjoram, bergamont, lemon, clary sage, myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, cinnamon (Vata)ochamomile, lavender, rose, gardenia, honeysuckle, ylang, vetivert, jasmine and sandalwood (Pitta)ocedar, pine, rosemary, basil, frakincense, myrrh, eucalyptus, cajeput, camphor, ginger and clove (Kapha)Topicalocold water showers in manic states; paste of Sandalwood powder mixed with cool milk applied to forehead (Pitta)owarm oil massage in asthenic conditions (Vata) ocranial sacral therapyOtheroensure proper bowel eliminationorule out candidiasisorule of reactive hypoglycemiaoemphasize hatha yoga, tai chiorecommend classes and lectures on spirituality and shamanism"and following this, a few tales of the shaman "sickness", from an excellent website written by a "schizophrenic": http://website.lineone.net/~crowseed/sands/skzdead.html"I had been sick in bed for a long time, and the fever had plagued me badly. Finally my spirit left its body and flew away. I came to regions where I had never been before and the further I went, the duskier it became. I crossed a large ocean through wondrous forests and high mountains. Finally I reached a ridge of high hills from which I could see a black river. There were many people in the black river all trying to escape from it. Some of them sank even deeper into the stream and they tried in vain to work themselves out. Others climbed the smooth mountain slopes until their bloody hands were no longer able to continue and they would fall down again. In the river there was a tremendously high pole which many climbed. Large birds were flying around the pole and terrified the people so that they would lose their grip. Others drove back and forth on the river without trying to escape, but fished and had a good time on the sandbanks.In the forests above the river, people were hunting and living just like on earth. A few of them were there with their entire families; others waited for their wives and children. After I had looked around, I walked on for a while and then went to sleep. When I awakened I found myself back on earth and the sun was just rising. Its rays awakened me and I felt completely healthy. Only when arising did I notice that I had been dead, for my mother had dressed me beautifully, brought me outside and covered my corpse with a bark mat, as one is accostomed to do with the dead. My mother told me later that I had died toward evening but that the rays of the sun had given me new life....a member of the Samoyed tribeWhen I shamanize, the spirit of dead Ilya (a brother, who was himself a shaman) comes and speaks through my mind. I was forced to become a shaman by my shamanic ancestors. Before I began to shamanize, I lay ill for a whole year. I became a shaman at the age of fifteen. The sickness that forced me to become a shaman caused my body to swell up and I frequently fainted. When I began to sing, the sickness usually passed away. After that, my ancestors made me into a shaman. They separated my bones and counted them. My flesh they ate raw. When they counted my bones, they found that there was one too many. Had there not been enough bones I could not have become a shaman....the Tungus shaman Semyon SemyonovI fell into a trance and saw a vast fine territory. In the middle of it a house stood. I stepped into it, and I beheld my uncle Tsigwee who had been a medicine man (halaait). He had died several years before. Then another uncle appeared - Gukswawtu. Both of them had been equally famous in their day. I heard them sing many songs. While they were singing, a Grizzly ran through the door, and went right around. Then he rose into the air above the clouds in a circle, and came back to the house. Each of my uncles took a rattle and placed it into one of my hands. That is why I always use two rattles in my performances. In my vision I beheld many fires burning under the house. As soon as I walked out of the house, my trance ended. From then on, I sang those chants just as I had learned them in my vision....Isaac Tens, a Gitksan Indian shamanThe Siberian shamans, Sunchugasev and Kyzlasov, were asked what kind of things the soul of a shaman might encounter on its journey to the Land of the Dead. Sunchugasev replied:His soul is taken to the shaman ancestor, and there they show him a kettle full of boiling tar. There are people in it. There are some who are known to the shaman. A single rope is fastened across the kettle and they order him to walk over it. If he succeeds, he will live long. If he falls into the kettle, he might still become a Kam (shaman), but usually they do not survive.Then the wife of Kyzlasov spoke up:That kettle is always there. Not only the shamans fall into it. They say that the soul of a sick person might also tumble into it. Some of the shamans cannot be persuaded to attempt passing over the kettle. This I know from certain people who told me that they were forced to pass around the edge of the kettle. They did it, and as they did not fall into the kettle, they became shamans."best regards... todd Todd Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG)Ayurvedic practitioner, Clinical Herbalistweb: http//:www.toddcaldecott.comemail: toddtel: 778.896.8894fax: 415-376-6736