Wellbeing Causes of abnormal behavior Classification of abnormal behavior Treatment of abnormal behavior
Relationship with Western psychology
Indian ideas about health and abnormal behavior are influenced by many different traditions, including Ayurveda, mystical traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and tribal religions.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda in an ancient Indian medical tradition that goes back thousands of years.
According to Ayurveda, everything is made up of five forms of matter: earth, fire, wind, water, akasa (ether). There are three types of bodies: the gross physical body, the subtle body (soul that maintains the identity through many cycles of birth and death), and the causal body (pure self). The subtle body consists of intelligence, sense of self, heart, sensory organs, and potential energies that evolve into the gross physical body. The subtle body includes the mind. There are three physical humors and three mental humors. Health is based on a dynamic equilibrium of the body elements.
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Parts of the Mind 1. activation, direction, and coordination of sensory and motor movements 2. self regulation 3. reasoning 4. deliberation, judgment, and discrimination Physical humors 1. wind 2. bile 3. phlegm Mental humors 1. purity and light (sattva) 2. activity and passion (rajas) 3. inertia and darkness (tamas) |
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Mystical traditions
Most mystical traditions see a sense of detachment and oneness as the ideal state. Often followers of mystic traditions use meditation and the chanting of mantras in an attempt to reach enlightenment. Mystical traditions are often organized into cults that follow one wise leader or guru.
Tantra is an example of a mystical tradition. In Tantra, androgyny is the ideal. Tantric healing focuses on sex as a way to individuals are able to reach enlightenment by merging of maleness and femaleness.
Another mystical tradition cult of Mataji. In this cult, health is based on the circulation of seven charkas through the body.
Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, illness occurs when the humors become agitated and there is an imbalance in the humors. Agitation of the physical humors can affect the mind, and variations in mental humors can affect the physical body. Desire and revulsion cause disturbances in mental humors.
Mystical traditions
According to Tantra, there are three causes for not being in a state of nonsuppression and attunement.
1. impossible desires
2. trying to get enlightenment wrongly (usually due to incorrect perceptions or miscomunication)
3. undigested karma
Folk traditions
Local traditions based in Sufi Islamism, Hinduism, and tribal religions often see demons or spirits as the cause of mental disturbances.
Classification of abnormal behavior
Folk traditions
In Sufi Islamic traditions, evil demons that possess people are called balas. However, differentiation between balas is not seen as important.
For Hindus in India, malignant spirits are called bhuta-preta. There are several different types of bhuta-preta.
Bhuta souls of those who have met an untimely death
Preta soul of child who died in infancy, or was born deformed
Piaha-cha soul of a mad, dissolute, or violent-tempered man.
Churel ghost of an unhappy widow, or a woman who died childless.
Oraon Shamans (healers in a tribal religion) differentiate between two different types of madness.
Apropi endogenous madness due to excessive worry, anxiety, or physical illness.
Shaitani work of demonic spirits.
Treatment of abnormal behavior
Ayurveda
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The steps to curing illnesses using Ayurveda are: (1) purify, (2) pacify, and (3) remove the cause. purify This is done using purges, emetics, enemas, and bleeding. For mental illness, the doctor will often purge to the head with special nasal and eye drops. pacification This is done with external unguents and medicines derived from plants. removal of the cause Make the patient follow the rules of proper conduct. Give advice, exhortations, and suggestions to stop harmful activity and start desirable activities.
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Ayurveda doctors believe that medicine should focus on person & not disease. Other methods for curing mental illnesses according to Ayurveda are:
Satavavajaya A type of yoga designed to control the mind and restraining the mind from unhealthy objects.
Daivavyapasra Methods that use ritual and magical elements.
Folk traditions
Folk traditions rely on shamans and the use of talismans and rituals in order to exorcize demons.
Mystical traditions
Most mystical cults focus on the mantra (rhythmical repetition of syllables and phrases) as the key to solving problems and reaching enlightenment. Also, often cult leaders are seen as able to heal devoted followers.
Relationship with Western psychology
Lord Macaulay introduced Western education into India, and encouraged Indian students to be educated in English. English became the language of Indian scientists, and consequently, modern scientific thought in India was cut of from from ancient learning and traditions.
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Although psychology was
taught in Calcutta University starting in 1905, the first psychological
laboratory in India was not established until 1915 at Calcutta University.
Dr. N. N. Sengupa from Calcutta University was sent to the United States to
study with several Structuralists. He worked under Hugo Munsterburg at
Harvard and visited Titchners laboratory at Cornell. Modern Indian
psychology is generally pragmatic in nature.
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References
Sinha, D. (1986). Psychology in a third world country.
Kakar, S. (1982). Shamans, mystics, and doctors