Treatment Of Depression Without Medication: A Case Study

Fighting Depression without Medication

It took barely two weeks for Anoop to get back to life. He woke up mentally and exclaimed… “I need to bloody work!”

Here is Anoop’s Story in his own words:

I feel revived and I could live again joyfully.

Past few years, I went into a depression and I really couldn’t ground myself to my being around. I used to work, I used to eat, I used to enjoy, I used to sing, I used to dance but, I was not really grounded. I couldn’t feel anything of what I was doing.

I felt everything was a waste. infant, I was wasted. But, somehow I had to come back to the mainstream like the way I was… like the way Anoop was.

So, that’s when I got in touch with you.And you analysed me with your divine examinations, I can say. And you gave me a few tools to work on! And some techniques involved in them, and I practiced them for I think… two weeks!

And I was born again. Literally… literally, I have to tell you this, that I was born again. I was back in action and I could feel that I haven’t done so much. Now I need to do it.

After doing the practices, now he feels…”I need to bloody work now!”

Case Discussion:

Classical Ayurveda has the objective of relieving all suffering and disease, including that associated with chitta, including psychological, psychological and emotional suffering. Ultimately the secret to wellbeing on all levels is recalling one’s true nature as spirit.11 If one recalls this fact and abides in this understanding, one selects actions that are congruent with wellness and wholeness. As opposed to identifying with the chitta, the private consciousness, since itself, one recognizes one’s wider identity (or lack thereof) as a drop of water from the sea of consciousness, a part of the larger whole and not distinguished from it.

In Ayurvedic thought, consciousness, or chitta,’ describes the totality of the contents of the mind, such as conscious, unconscious, and superconscious thoughts, thoughts, emotions, sensations, energy, will, memory, intuition, intuition, love and religion.8 Chitta comprises all attachments and memories, all psychological conditioning that distorts our perception and disrupts our emotions.9 The expression chitta’ encompasses the totality of our internal world, and Ayurveda and its sister science Yoga teaches us that by learning how to look inside and observe the contents of chitta with clarity, we could develop emotionally and spiritually. As human beings, we’ve got the capacity to perceive through the part of consciousness called’buddhi,’ or intellect.

Scientific Study

In 2017, a study was conducted on sixty three male patients between 40 to 45 years of age who had been diagnosed with moderate depression on the grounds of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. These patients were divided into 3 groups (A, B and C). They have been given Ayurvedic treatment with psychological counselling. Group A had 20 patients who were prescribed Shavasan and Anulom vilom pranayama. Group B had 17 patients who were granted panchkarma therapy of Nasya, Shirodhara along with aforementioned yoga and pranayama. Group C had 25 patients that were prescribed two ayurvedic formulations namely Saraswatarishta and Ashwagandharishta along with therapy prescribed to Groups A and B.

After three weeks of therapy, an improvement of 60, 72 and 84 percent, respectively was detected in three classes. A remarkable improvement with positivity in feeling and thoughts of happiness was noticed. Results obtained demonstrated that mental health ailments such as depression can be effectively handled by Ayurveda along with emotional counselling.

References:

1.. Halpern, Marc. “Anxiety and Depression.” www.medicinecrow.com. Webcast Lecture. Personal notes. February 1, 2011.

2.. Halpern, Marc. Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine. Textbook. 10th edition. 2010. Hay, Louise. You Can Heal Your Life. Hay House. Carlsbad, CA: 1984.

3. Aarti Sharma, Clinical study on management of depression through Ayurveda, 28th International Conference on Psychiatry and Mental Health, November 20-21, 2017 Melbourne, Australia Govindrakshak Ayurvedic and Acupuncture Centre, India