Abstract

MANAGEMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS THROUGH AYURVEDA AND YOGA

*Dr. Supriti Patnaik, Dr. Surendra Kumar Biswal

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Abstract

Mental health is an integral part of the complete health and is regarded as one of the basic factor for effective physical health and social wellbeing. Mental illness is a vast subject, broad in its limits and difficult to define precisely. There are major and minor illnesses. The major illnesses are called psychoses. Here, the person is "insane" and out of touch with reality. Mental and behavioural disorders are understood as clinically significant conditions characterized by alteration in thinking, mood (emotions) or behaviour associated with personal distress and/or impaired functioning. Mental health is not exclusively a matter of relation between persons; it is also a matter of relation of the individual towards the community he lives in. Generally it is observed that in society most of the people, family members as well as friends ignore the mentally ill persons knowingly and unknowingly which leads to a deep state of illness of mind consequently. Lifestyle changes and medicine described in Ayurveda and practice of yoga offer a holistic approach to mental health and promote emotional wellbeing and balance.

Keywords: Mental illness, Ayurveda, Yoga.