Depression and its healing as per Ayurveda
Today in this article we are going to discuss about depression and some concepts of Ayurveda and its role in healing depression. WHO estimates that one in four people in the world will be affected by mental disorder at some point in their lives. WHO also reported that "Depression is ranked as the single largest contributor to global disability" Let's talk about what depression really is and how it actually affects us.
INTRODUCTION
Depression is a mental disorder which affects our mental, social and physical well being with behavioral changes. Depression makes our lives miserable. It interferes with a person’s daily life. It can affect people of all ages, rich, poor, men, women, adolescents, teens everyone.
In recently published reports from the centers of disease control and prevention, researchers found that women between 40 and 59 have the highest rate of depression (U.S).
Depression is a serious and common illness which is treatable.
Let’s have a look on signs and symptoms of depression we all should know.
Mood swings
Hopeless
Feeling sad too often
Agitation
Excessive crying
Irritability
Restlessness
Social isolation
Excessive hunger or loss of appetite
Fatigue
Lack of concentration
Slowness in activities
Weight gain or loss
Repeatedly going over thoughts
Feeling of guilt
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
Insomnia or restless sleep
Thoughts of suicide
Trouble remembering things
Unexplained physical problems such as back pain or headache
These symptoms can vary from mild to severe, differ from person to person.
These symptoms should remain for minimum 2 week or more, then only we can say that “person is suffering from depression”
Let’s take a look about depression in Ayurveda.
DEPRESSION AS PER AYURVEDA
In Ayurveda, depression is included in "MANAS VIKAR". Mann is main source to complete or to do any activity on daily basis. Our thoughts whether negative or positive, our imagination, dreams in all these Mann is involved and plays a major role. Mind (brain) and heart are two organs involved while doing any work and Mann is the chain between these too. Our every negative thought act as catalyst , it overpower our mind with the involvement of Mann and our mind start adding these in one corner, which later becomes our memories whether bad memories or good memories and these memories lead us on the way to depression.
DOSHAS INVOLVEMENT
Sharir dosha:- Vata increases with some Pitta and decreases Kapha
Manas dosha:- Rajas and tamas
Example
In Ayurveda we have a "Vish" type called "DUSHIVISH". DUSHI VISH is a type of poison which remains in our body in very low quantity and it increases in favourable condition and starts showing symptoms, the same thing happens in depression. Depression is a slow poison, it kills the person slowly. It takes months to years to diagnose depression.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Physical, sexual, emotional abuse
Other people have much more personal control over person's life
Drugs, alcohol, some medicine (Drugs) like benzodiazepine, corticosteroid, anticonvulsant, beta blocker etc
Personal conflicts or dispute
Death or loss of loved ones
Career, job, admission issues
Stress
Poor nutrition
Hereditary factors
Women have more stress than men due to hormonal changes
Environmental factors
COMPLICATION
Major life risk like suicide
It could affect sexual desire and sexual performance
Trouble sleep
It could cause chronic illness like heart pain, blood pressure
Higher risk of being unemployed
Negative impact on the immune system
It could affect the person’s status in society
HEALING METHODS AS PER AYURVEDA
Aahar
Balanced diet
Fresh vegetables
Increase Fruit intake
One should avoid stale food
Avoid junk food ,packed food
Eat light food
Vihaar
Start exercise daily
Wake up early
Bath daily with refreshing soaps
Maintain minimum 3 hour gap between food intake
Avoid day sleep after food
After dinner walk 100 steps
Massage your head and foot with oil before going to bed
Do Yoga, asana and Meditation
DIET AND HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS BY PLANET AYURVEDA
Plantbased Ayurveda is a leading Ayurvedic company. They make their own pure Ayurvedic formulation. They have well qualified doctors and pure ayurvedic medicine which gives great relief to patients. In this topic we have discussed about depression and below is the medicine to get rid of depression.
“Depression Care Pack” which contains:-
Medhya Churna
Gotu Kola Capsules
Memory Support
Stress Support
1. Medhya Churna
This ayurvedic formulation is very effective. It contains Ashwagandha, Shankhpushpi, Vacha, Brahmi, these four are mind boosters and really help in stabilizing the mind or Mann. It also contains some other dravyas like Maricha, Pippali, Jeera, Ajmoda, etc. These dravyas help to boost our immune system side by side by taking care of our digestive system. It is very useful in managing depression.
Dosage: 1/4 teaspoon once daily with 1 spoon of Cow Ghee (Clarified Butter).
2. Gotu Kola Capsules
These capsules contain Gotu kola (Mandukparni) which is the shreshta dravya for sangyasthanpan and help to boost up our brain functions. In depression it acts on our mind, stabilizes it and relaxes our mind from negative thoughts and it really helps in building concentration, which is lacking in depression.
Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily with normal water.
3. Memory Support
This ayurvedic formulation is very effective. It contains Ashwagandha, Shankhpushpi, Vacha, Brahmi, these four are mind boosters and really help in stabilizing the mind or Mann. It also contains some other dravyas like Maricha, Pippali, Jeera, Ajmoda, etc. These dravyas help to boost our immune system side by side by taking care of our digestive system. It is very useful in managing depression.
Dosage: 1/4 teaspoon once daily with 1 spoon of Cow Ghee (Clarified Butter).
4. Stress Support
This product contains tagar which maintains blood circulation and supports the heart and stables the person's activities and thoughts, which makes the person positive.
Dosage: 1 capsule twice daily with normal water.
CONCLUSION
So we have discussed about what depression is, how it affects our health, ayurvedic perspective in depression, symptoms, causes, treatment everything. We also stated that this disease is curable with herbal remedies and also elaborated the action of different medicines in depression. So it's a better choice to choose herbs to tackle depression.
"Sometimes, life will kick you around but sooner or later, you realize you're not just survivor. You're a warrior and you're stronger than anything life throws your way." (Brooke Davis)
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