Curing Schizophrenia with Ayurveda

Understanding Schizophrenia:

Schizophrenia refers to a spectrum of disorder or a single condition that affects the person’s ability to think, behave or taking any decision. It is a serious mental disorder in which a person interprets reality abnormally or we can say they have lost touch with reality. It results in combination of delusions, hallucination, behavioral disorders and extreme thinking disorders. The condition is distressing for themselves, for their family and friends also. With schizophrenia a person finds it difficult to focus on everyday activities. It is severe and chronic mental illness. To a person with schizophrenia the world may seem like a jumble of confusing sounds, thoughts and images. A sudden change in behavior and personality is being noticed in the person with schizophrenic episode.

Keynotes:

• Schizophrenia affects all areas of life including personal, social, family, occupational or educational.
• Discrimination, stigma, violation of human rights are common with schizophrenic person
• More than 2 out of 3 people in the world do not receive mental health care

What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia symptoms may include cognitive, psychotic and negative symptom are as follows:

• Persistent delusion
• Persistent hallucinations of the touch, feel, smell or feel
• Highly disorganized behavior
• A person may experience that one’s feelings, impulses, actions or thoughts are being controlled or influenced
• Negative symptoms such as limited speech, restriction in expressing emotions, social withdrawal etc
• Unpredictable or inappropriate emotional or behavioral responses
• Extreme agitated or slowing of movements
• Abnormal body movements
• Having trouble in planning and sticking to activities
• Having very low energy and spending a lot of time in doing passive activities
• Problem in concentrating and memory
• Suicidal thoughts and behavior
• Lack of motivation
• Irritable or depressed mood
• Trouble in sleeping

Ayurvedic outlook on schizophrenia:

Schizophrenia is termed as Unmaad,  a Manshika vikara (mental disorder) as per Ayurveda. Ayurveda explained three physical energies (vata, pitta and kapha) and three psychic energies (satva, raja and tama). When the manshik doshas raja and tama are vitiated, blocks the channels of mind and nerve impulses affecting the functioning of brain and intelligence. The accumulation of toxins (ama)  in the srotas (channels) and impaired movement of vata dosha leads to disease.  In this person fails to differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary. Consuming unhealthy and contaminated foods and thoughts, poor lifestyle are the basic reasons for  the vitiation of doshas that leads to  Unmada.

Risk factors:

• Genetics or family history
• Environmental factors like winter season
• Extreme stress for longer period of time
• Developmental and birth circumstances like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, malnutrition or vitamin D deficiency while pregnant
• Teenage drug abuse such as marijuana (cannabis) etc
• Childhood traumas
• Losing loved ones
• Exposure to viral infections

How is Schizophrenia treated with modern medicines along with its adverse effect:

• Psychosocial therapy: It includes various therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Individual Psychotherapy, family therapy, Rehabilation. These therapies help the individuals to learn to manage their symptoms and identify relapse or warming signs and making mind stronger.

• Medications: primary medications given in Schizophrenia are antipsychotics. These medicines only help in overcoming symptoms not curing Schizophrenia. Some examples are Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, clozapine, olanzapine

Side Effects:

• Confused and agitated
• Dry mouth and tooth decay
• Drowsiness
• Constipation
• Blurred vision
• Erectile dysfunction
• Hallucination
• Weight gain
• Hormonal imbalance

Curing Schizophrenia with Ayurveda:

Ayurveda focuses on managing schizophrenia by balancing dosha to its actual state. Ayurveda recommends three types of chikitsa:

• daivavyapashraya chikitsa (divine or spiritual therapy): These includes mantra, (incantation), oushadhi (sacred herbs), mani (wearing precious gems), homa (sacrifice), upahara (offerings), prayaschitta (ceremonial penitence), niyama (vows), mangala (propitiatory rites)etc.
• yuktivyapashraya chikitsa (physical medicine): These includes ahara (diet) and ousdhadha (drugs). The essential herbs used balances all the doshas inside the body and cleanses the channels from ama (toxins). It also includes some panchkarma disorders such as:
• Virechana (medicated purgation)
• Basti (enema)
• Nasya (nasal therapy)
• Abhyanga (poleation therapy)
• Shirodhara (porunig medicated oil or decoctions on forehead)
• Dhoopan karma (fumigation)
• Shirolepa
• Raktamokshana (blood letting with leech etc)

• satwavajaya chikitsa (psychotherapy): This refers to restrain the mind from unwholesome objects. These includes verbal interaction with patients and approaching jnanam (knowledge), vijnanam (analytical thinking), dhairya (courage), smriti (scriptural learning), and samadhi (concentration). And controlling over the emotions like kama (excessive desires), shoka (grief), krodha (anger), irsha (jealousy), moha (infatuation), harsha (excitement) , bhaya (fear) etc. Along with this calming the patient with the words of assurance, religious and moral importance.

Some herbs for Schizophrenia are:

• Brahmi (Bacopa monirrie)
• Ashwagandha (Withania somniferous)
• Sarpagandha (Rauvofolia serpentine)
• Jatamansi (Nardosetachys jatamansi)
• Vacha (Acorus calamus)

Managing Schizophrenia with Chandigarh Ayurved Centre

1) Detox Premium Powder:

Detox premium powder is composed of herbo-mineral preparation that contains ingredients such as moti pishti, shukta pishti, giloy satav, parwal pishti, kamdudha ras, akik pishti, gandhak rasayan, shankh bhasma, sutshekhar ras, shwet parpati, yavakshaar, & shudhyog tablet. These all ingredients in combination deal with the signs & symptoms related to Schizophrenia patients.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 sachet twice daily with normal water.

2) Active plus Tablet:

active plus Tablet is a pure herbo-mineral formulation prepared from best quality of herbs. This tablet is best for person mental and physical health, also helps to boost up the immunity. The herbal ingredients present in these tablets are used to maintain person’s health and refreshes the mind and body. These tablets improves digestion, eliminates constipation, stress, nourishes brain,  acts as antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, etc.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablet twice daily with normal water.

3) Brodley Syrup:

This syrup is prepared from the extract of various herbs that deal with the delusion, hallucination, disorganized behavior, lack of emotions, & inappropriate posture, etc. The syrup is prepared from herbs such as Shankhpushpi, Brahmi, Jatamansi, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Saunf. These herbs show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulator, & mind relaxant properties. These properties show good results in schizophrenia patients.

Recommended Dosage – Take 2 teaspoonfuls twice daily.

4) Mann Mitra tablet :

CAC Mann Mitra tablet is herbal and purely ayurvedic medicine. It is used in Ayurvedic treatment for psychiatric conditions and help to balance all the three doshas of body i.e vata, pitta, kapha. CAC Mann Mitra tablet improves intelligence and speech problems. It is helpful for making the nervous system strong and nerves as well. It contains various herbs like Bala, Vacha, Shankhpushpi, Nagkeshar etc that help you fight insomnia, anxiety, and stress. It works as a antioxidant, anti depressant, immuno booster, anti epileptic and as neuro protective drug.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablet twice a day with normal water.

5) Rasayan Vati:

Rasayan vati is herbo-mineral Ayurvedic formulation which contains various herbs such as Aswagandha, Shilajeet, Amla, Shatavar, Brahmi, Abhrak Bhasam, Mukta pisti, Praval pisti, Vang Bhasam, , Dalchini, Javitri, Gokhru, Kaunch Beej, Saunth, Mirch, Pipli, Manjith, Brahmi, Musali, Shatavar, etc. These ingredients show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, immune-modulator properties. This tablet provide good results in General debility, Psychological disorders, schizophrenia, and improves immunity.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablet twice daily.

6) Brain Relaxant Churna:

This churna is pure Ayurvedic which helps to rejuvenate the brain cells, improves memory, give strength to the body, & increases the concentration by calming down the brain. It is prepared from herbs that show calming effect on brain and gives you relaxation. Brain relaxant churna shows antioxidant, Neuroprotective, carminative and anti-inflammatory properties. Ingredients present in this churna are Amla (Emblica officinalis), Sonth (Zingiber officinale), Pippali (Piper longum), Marich (Piper nigrum), Haldi (Curcuma longa), Bala (Sida cordifolia), Suddha Gandhak, Lauha Bhasma. It helps to Maintain blood sugar level, Anti-depressant, Insomnia, Increase Haemoglobin levels, Cures indigestion, Helpful in Ulcerative colitis, and Nerve tonic. It helps in dealing with health conditions such as feeling delusion, hallucinations, disordered thinking, disabling, & impair daily functioning related to schizophrenia patients.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablespoon of this churna twice daily.

7) Calm Sleep tablet:

calm sleep tablet is an amazing combination of natural herbs like bhang, Brahmi, Tagar, jatamansi. It helps to relieve stressful conditions. They help to pacify the nervous system and also helps to calm minds and make your body relax and light.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablet twice daily.