Schizophrenia is a complex brain disorder impacting mental health of affected person. It disrupts the thought process, perceptions, emotional behaviour and social behaviour of the diseased person.

Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and reduced motivation or emotional expression. It affects approximately 24million people or 1 in 300 people worldwide. Men tend to experience the onset of symptoms earlier in their early 20s than women, usually have symptoms in their late 20s

Though there's no cure, schizophrenia can be effectively managed with Ayurveda treatment.  The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, researchers believe, schizophrenia is caused by a combination of factors, like genetic predispositions and environmental influences that affect brain development and function. Specific factors include brain abnormalities like neurotransmitter imbalance and structural differences, prenatal issues like viral infections or malnutrition, and the use of certain drugs.

 Treatment of schizophrenia typically involves a combination of antipsychotic medications and psychosocial therapies to subside or control the symptoms. Ayurveda explains a systematic treatment protocol for Unmada (psychotic disorders- schizophrenia is one of them) which is based on three principles: 1) treatment based on spiritual approach 2) treatment based on clinical manifestation and 3) psychotherapy, aiming to manage symptoms and improve a person's quality of life.

 

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a chronic and complex brain disorder that affects person’s thinking, perception, and behaviour. It's characterized by many psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions, disorganized thinking and behaviour, and negative symptoms like reduced emotional expression and motivation. This can lead to significant impairments in various aspects of life, including social interactions, work, and personal relationships. 

Causes;

The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, researchers believe, schizophrenia is caused by a combination of factors, like genetic predispositions and environmental influences that affect brain development and function.

  • It has a strong genetic component, but it's not caused by a single gene. Instead, it's likely that multiple genes, combined with environmental factors, contribute to the risk of developing the schizophrenia.
  • Changes in brain structure (like enlarged ventricles and reduced grey matter) and an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters (like dopamine and glutamate) are linked to schizophrenia.
  • Environmental Factors like stressful life events, complications during pregnancy or birth (like malnutrition or exposure to viruses), and trauma during childhood may also play a role, especially in individuals with a genetic predisposition. 

Signs & Symptoms;

The signs and symptoms of schizophrenia are grouped into three main categories: positive, negative, and cognitive. Symptoms, which typically first appear between the ages of 16 and 30, can vary from person to person and often develop gradually.

Positive symptoms

These are thoughts or actions not based in reality, often referred to as psychotic symptoms. And they represent exaggerated or distorted perceptions, thoughts, and behaviours. Like 

Hallucinations, Delusions, Persecutory, Referential, Grandiose, Disorganized thinking and speech, Disorganized or unusual motor behaviour.

 

Negative symptoms

These represent the absence or reduction of normal behaviours and emotions, and can be more difficult to recognize than positive symptoms. 

Flat affect - No expression of emotions, Avolition - lack of motivation, A logia – very less speech, A sociality- withdrawal from social interactions, Anhedonia: Lack of feeling of happiness 

Cognitive symptoms

These are subtle changes in memory and thinking that can be difficult to notice but significantly affect a person's daily life. It shows difficulties with attention, memory, and executive functions like planning, decision-making, problem-solving. These includes;

Poor executive functioning: Difficulty with attention, concentration, and planning, making it hard to follow through on tasks, Difficulty processing information, Impaired social cognition.

Ayurveda view of Schizophrenia 

Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of medicines, focuses on balancing the lifestyle and biorhythms (Vata, Pita and Kapha) through the application of herbal formulations and Panchkarma detoxification procedures. Ayurveda understands all psychotic and schizophrenia spectrum disorders as Unmada. According to Ayurveda texts, this condition arises when both psychological and physical stress and other causative factors disturb the three humors—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. This disturbance causes the humors to move upwards towards the manas (mind), triggering a diverse range of mental and physical symptoms.

The ancient text, Charaka Samhita, details five subtypes of Unmada:

  • Vataja unmada: Caused by the aggravation of the Vata humor
  • Pittaja unmada: Caused by the aggravation of the Pitta humor
  • Kaphaja unmada: Caused by the aggravation of the Kapha humor 
  • Sannipataja unmada: Caused by the simultaneous vitiation of all three humors.
  • Agantuja unmada:  due to exogenous causes like non-observance of spiritual disciplines or supernatural things

Based on Ayurveda principles, Unmada (psychosis) involve a disturbance of various personality aspects, though symptoms can differ depending on which Dosha is affected These commonly include the following:

  • Mana -thoughts/mental faculties.
  • Buddhi (intellect): Impairs judgment and understanding.
  • Samjna (awareness) and gyana (orientation): Impacts perception and sense of reality.
  • Smriti (memory): Causes confusion or memory loss.
  • Bhakti - desire, liking, or social attitude
  • Sheela - habits and temperament
  • Cheshta (psychomotor activities): Affects physical actions and movement.
  • Achara - routine activities of daily living

These changes may manifest acutely or take a chronic progressive course, resulting in the affected person losing touch with reality and his ability to sustain himself in society.

Ayurveda management of schizophrenia 

At Ketav’s Ayush health paradise we follow trividha chikitsa (three kind of treatment protocols) for schizophrenia.

Daivyaparsya Chikitsa -- treatment based on spiritual approach which help the patients from negative influences and makes them more positive about the healing. We make them to listening healing mantras, performing homas and manglya aushadhi bandanna (tying auspicious aushdies on the body), witness or perform the auspicious rituals etc.

Yukti vyaparshya chikitsa - treatment based clinical manifestation.This involves a proper planning of set of therapies as per the predominant symptoms and signs and prakrity of the patient.

Yukti vyaparshaya chikitsa focuses on the logical and systematic use of medicines (aushadha), diet (ahara), and lifestyle modifications (vihara) to address the root cause of the imbalance in the doshas (functional energies). Panchkarma therapies includes, Shamna palliative treatments and Shodhna (detoxification) treatments. The major therapies includes Snehana -oilation , swedna- fomentation, shirovirechna- expelling out the toxin from the nose, basties – medicated enema therapies to expel out the toxins, shiro basti – nourishing therapy to head and nervous system , dhooma- medicated smoke inhalation therapy , sangya prabodhna – set of therapies to restore the consciousness and cognitive functions etc.

 Sattvavajya chikitsa-  psychotherapy: aiming to manage symptoms and improve a person's quality of life. It involves controlling the mind by restraining it from unhealthy objects, improving Buddhi (intellect), Dhriti (memory/stability), and Smriti (memory). It uses methods like, consolation, sound therapy , mantras, aroma therapy, providing gifts, self-realisation, vriksha therapy, breathing techniques to control the mind , meditations like tratak and encouraging self-knowledge to bring the mind back to a normal, healthy state.

Through a holistic treatment approach, the equilibrium of the doshas is restored, promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

https://ayushpanchkarma.com