Mental health signifies and dominates the way we think. How we handle stressful situations or our decision-making abilities are all factors of mental health. While other physical disorders and diseases are taken into cognisance and treated with medicines and other treatments, mental health has been largely ignored. 

Some facts on this issue:

• 1 to 5 children and youth have a mental disorder globally.
• There is a stigma attached to mental health issues and hence a lot of people who are suffering from this don’t treat it.
• 44% of adults get treatment for diagnosed mental health disorders approximately.
• People suffering from mental health are as productive as other workers.
• The therapies that are advised to soothe the symptoms of mental health issues are holistic therapies such as yoga, meditation, therapeutic massages, music therapy etc.

Ayurvedic perception of the mind

Young adults and children have many mental health issues and it is alarmingly on the rise, especially in India. According to WHO [World Health Organisation], children under the age of 14 are attributed to the majority of the 20% that suffer. There is a mental health epidemic about to emerge and India is standing at the threshold of it. 

Ayurveda is the perfect balance of mind, body and soul. Ayurveda has made its mark as the ancient and traditional healthcare system in India. Only recently, it has been included in CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine). In the event of any psychiatric disorder in the current times, allopathic medical practitioners advise a form of CAM, and alternative therapies. It has shown positive results in drug dependency, helping alter that. 

Age-old ayurvedic texts attest that a balance of psychological, physiological and physical elements in the body helps retain good health. “Ayu” means age and “Veda” is “knowledge”, together making Ayurveda the “Science of Life” or the “Art of living”. Ayurveda being a merger of mind, body and soul comprises comprehensive social, mental and spiritual health information too. 

The human body has three psycho-biological aspects and each of these governs different fundamental components of the same. Broadly speaking, mental health is a loss of understanding and different kinds of obscurity in recognition. But according to Ayurveda, this falls in the three categories given below:

1. Satvavajaya – This is to practice ethics, yoga, meditation, pranayama (breathing exercise) and self-imposed discipline in your daily life, as well as have supportive relationships with friends and family.
2. Daivavyapashraya – This is to have faith, both in self and our natural ability to heal oneself and ‘The Divine forces’. Spiritual rituals and chanting mantras can shift our inner vibration and clear negative energies.
3. Yuktivyapashraya – This is to balance the mind by bringing back the doshas and gunas, and by applying nutrition, diet, exercise, rejuvenating herbs, lifestyle, purification treatments, and mental cleansing appropriately.

 Ayurveda approaches mental health issues by the classification of the three “gunas” of the mind as: Satwa (Balance), Raja (Arrogance) and Tama (Procrastination). These are further classified into the three doshas, Vata, Kapha and Pitta. For any health disorder, may it be physical or mental, an imbalance and accumulation of the doshas is considered to be responsible.

Ayurveda has molded a system that works in tandem with the physical and mental states to ensure overall well-being as it firmly believes in the doctrine that each state is connected to the other in one or more ways. 

A regimental view for some in the modern world, Ayurveda has philosophies that support their suggested way of illness-free life. Follow these natural methodologies and visit the allopathic doctor less, very much like “An apple a day, keep the doctor away.” 

• Sattvic diet: Known much like the vegan diet in today’s terms, this diet is a meat-free, simple, less spice fare that has to be eaten at particular times. Ayurveda believes that the last meal of the day should be had before dusk and the first one at dawn. This aids digestion and is good for the physical and mental being.
• Yoga: Exercise of any kind is necessary for our well-being but Ayurveda advocates yoga due to the multiple benefits attached to the various asanas. Each and every one of the asanas is designed in a particular way to enhance bodily functions, both external and internal. This has been shown to improve mental health’s various aspects such as depression, low self-esteem, cognitive function, mood swings and anxiety disorders.
• Deep sleep: This is a no-brainer in layman’s terms. It is something that has been drilled into every human, 8 hours of sleep. Having said that, 8 hours of good “quality sleep”, this point has to be reiterated. Because that results in a significant change in mood, elevating it and encouraging a person to feel calm, gives clarity and complete functionality. 
• Being with nature: It is a well-known fact that being with nature is an instant mood-elevator. The greenery from the trees and grass brings a sense of grounding which in turn, makes a person become one with self.

Conclusion

Exploring the world of Ayurveda and its symbiotic connection between the physical reality, mental self and spiritual being is the beginning for some of you. But those who have experienced it know that it brings the senses and their workings to a higher level which is important for mental health. This holistic science has its roots firmly planted in the ground for centuries and hence the mysticism of India and its nature based sciences and belief systems continue to prevail and be the topic of discussion internationally. If you haven’t had the fortitude of experiencing this ancient science yet, an ayurvedic specialist can help liberate you from the mental prison all of us find ourselves in from time to time and recognise your actual self.

Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.

– B.K.S. Iyengar.