Abstract

SATTVAVAJAYA CHIKITSA IN ANXIETY DISORDERS: AN AYURVEDIC AND CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVE

Vd. Milind Aware*, Vd. Bhavana Dande, Vd. Yudhojit Shrikisan Survase

Abstract

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses worldwide and significantly contribute to global disability, impaired quality of life, and psychosocial dysfunction. Contemporary management primarily relies on pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy; however, recurrence, adverse drug effects, and incomplete remission remain major clinical challenges. Ayurveda conceptualizes mental disorders under Manasika Vikara, where vitiation of Raja and Tama Dosha disturbs psychological equilibrium. Sattvavajaya Chikitsa, one of the three principal therapeutic modalities described in Ayurveda, represents a unique psychotherapeutic approach aimed at restoring mental balance through regulation of the mind. Aim: To critically analyze the role of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa in the management of anxiety disorders from classical Ayurvedic and contemporary psychotherapeutic perspectives. Materials and Methods: This narrative review was conducted using classical Ayurvedic texts including Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya, and relevant commentaries. Contemporary scientific literature was retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate using keywords such as ―Sattvavajaya,‖ ―Ayurvedic psychotherapy,‖ ―anxiety disorders,‖ ―mind-body medicine,‖ and ―integrative psychiatry.‖ Relevant peer-reviewed articles, WHO reports, and neuroscientific studies were critically analyzed and synthesized. Discussion/Results: Ayurvedic concepts such as Chittodvega, Bhaya, Udvega, Vishada, and Anavasthita Chitta demonstrate close resemblance with anxiety spectrum disorders. Sattvavajaya Chikitsa, centered on Mana Nigraha (mind regulation), includes Jnana, Vijnana, Dhairya, Smriti, and Samadhi, which correlate with modern psychotherapeutic modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, resilience training, and emotional regulation therapies. Contemporary neuroscience suggests that these interventions influence neuroplasticity, neurotransmitter balance, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis modulation, and psychoneuroimmunological pathways. Conclusion: Sattvavajaya Chikitsa provides a comprehensive psychotherapeutic framework with substantial relevance in anxiety disorders. Its integration with modern psychiatry may contribute to holistic, patient-centered, and culturally adaptable mental healthcare. Further evidence-based clinical and translational research is necessary to establish its therapeutic efficacy and integrative applicability.

Keywords: Sattvavajaya Chikitsa; Anxiety Disorders; Ayurveda; Manasika Vikara; Integrative Psychiatry; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Mind-Body Medicine.