Overcoming psychological disorders
4 Ds and psychological disorders
“May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending each other. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wilderness – the children, the aged, and the unprotected – be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.” – The Buddha
Unhappy people
It is not unusual for individuals to encounter unhappy or mentally troubled and dissatisfied souls in our everyday existence. The persona of such humans is gripped by primordial fear, which manifests in four different ways. It could be through phobias, feelings, anxiety or panic attacks and emotions.
Carl Jung the acclaimed psychologist famously remarked, “How can I be substantial without casting a shadow? I must have a dark side, too, if I am to be whole and by becoming conscious of my shadow, I remember, once more that I am a human being like any other.”
Unhappiness, discomfort, anxiety or maladaptive behaviour, its causes, consequences and therapeutic treatment are an integral part of the study of abnormal psychology. It will be not out of place to talk about the iconoclastic rock band – Pink Floyd. Their music captured subtle nuances of the human mind and its lunatic traits.
“There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it’s all dark” are talismanic lyrics from their iconic album, The Dark Side of the Moon. The ‘dark side’ is synonymous with the unhappy mental state of human beings which dwells on insanity and the unfulfilled lives.
The voguish numbers dwelt on deliration, hysteria and also on certain philosophical aspects of human beings that struck a deep chord with maniacal connoisseurs of hard rock. The lyrics of their celebrated numbers from the album catapulted it to the best-seller list, where it stayed for almost 14years. The album stimulated adulatory It is essential to unburden the emotional distress and unfold the potential for effective and positive betterment, writes RAVI VALLURI masses gripped with frenzy which eclipsed other rock stars like never before. Their brand of music dissected the contours and geometry of the human mind, avarice, mental imbalances and certain pointed quintessential philosophical questions. There are innumerable definitions to describe abnormality, though few have gained universal acceptance. But a majority of the synonyms are a sigma and summation of 4Ds – deviant behaviour, distressing behaviour, dysfunctional behaviour and inherently dangerous behaviour. These 4Ds trigger major psychological disorders among human beings which could be anxiety abnormalities, panic disorders, direct phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCDs), Somatoform disorders, substance-use disorders and dependency.
In the battlefield of Kurukshetra, the ace archer Arjuna became despondent and disconsolate. The celebrated
Gandeeva (his bow) dropped from his clammy hands as he witnessed the venerable Bhishma, Guru Dronacharya, and the Guru of the family, Kripacharya and several kinsmen arrayed against him. He was struck by a condition which could be termed as anxiety. Anxiety can be defined as a diffuse, amorphous and an unpleasant feeling of fear and apprehension. Those afflicted are gripped with symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, fainting, dizziness, sweating, sleeplessness, frequent urination and tremors.
Panic disorder is a continuum of anxiety attacks in which an individual experiences intense terror. The mind implodes with intense surge of anxiety and emotions which results in prolonged clinical condition of acute shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitation, a choking feeling, a woeful state bordering on lunacy and one even experiencing death. Severe attacks may require doses of tranquilisers to attenuate frayed nerves.
Then there are those unfortunate humans who suffer from irrational mental condition called phobias. These are irrational fears which develop gradually or assume the state of generalised anxiety disorders. In such condition humans are unable to undertake their normal activities.
Chronic conditions of obsessive behavioural patterns develop into compulsive behaviour. This deviant state can lead to interminable and incessant conditions such as constant counting, ordering, checking, touching and washing much to the amusement of those ignorant of the condition. Humans also suffer from maladies known as Somatoform disorders. This is a physical symptom in which there is no physiological disorder but humans suffer from hypochondriasis (where insignificant symptoms assume the form of gargantuan pathological diseases).
Large numbers of people suffer from cravings. Cravings lead to addictive behavioural pattern where the individual partakes excessive high calorie food or sugar. It could also lead to maladaptive behaviour in which he/ she gets addicted to sex, pornography, alcohol, drugs and become mental wrecks. They not only destroy themselves but torpedo all relationships.
The way forward rehabilitation
Indisputably, treatment of the tormented souls as envisaged by Buddha is the objective of the psychotherapist. All psychotherapies reinforce the resolve for assuaging the frayed nerves of the afflicted. It is imperative to unburden the emotional distress and unfold the potential for efficacious and positive betterment. A strong resolve is undertaken to modify deviant habits and practices, altering antipathetic thought processes and triggers, increasing self-awareness and improving interpersonal skills, communication and relationships.
The psychotherapist brings about awareness in the patient about the bouquet of choices available to ameliorate the condition. An attempt is also made to harmonise the social environment of an individual to become creative and instil confidence to combat the strife within and without.
The array of choices includes going for long walks, being in harmony with nature, without doubt proper medication and nursing. There are alternative therapies like Reiki, undertaking courses offered by the Art of Living or attending Vipassana meditation course, chanting of powerful mantras to make the mind robust.
As the World Health Organisation pithily puts it, true well being of an individual involves physical and mental health. Only then can we humans construct a Divine Society.