The fragmented minds are strafed by negative thought processes which are counter-productive to the material and spiritual progress of an individual, writes Ravi Valluri.
A vivacious and talented television star ruling the world of soap operas snatched away her life. A pall of gloom descended the precincts of various studios. The malevolent event was replayed endlessly on various television channels reminding her erstwhile colleagues the ephemeral and shambolic nature of stardom.
The chilling and macabre incident endorses theneed for humans to maintain poise and composure in adverse situations. Imagine a large tree caught in the vortex of a storm. The branches sway, but the trunk remains erect. The mind should develop the stolidity of the trunk and not oscillate like the branches.
Negative thoughts invariably trigger stressful conditions and the mind becomes stifled and distraught. Superstars like Robin Williams and Marilyn Monroe committed suicide while famous personalities like Mile Tyson or a Tim Dick were put in the dock for breaching the law of the land. Their minds were wired and in an edgy state.
All animate and inanimate objects are considered to be sacred, yet why do individuals suffer from this pathological tendency of snuffing out their lives or breaking the law? Such individuals seem to play actand apparently mask their reality by displaying a façade of false bravado. However, in reality they are unable to handle their minds, egos or self.
“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide,” wrote Albert Camus.
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. The human mind becomes distraught and primarily suffers from four abnormal conditions. Psychologists have analysed and captured itsuccinctly as the 4 Ds. That is deviant, distressing, dysfunctional and dangerous behaviour of the afflicted individual. Such kind of behavioural tendencies can cause irreparable damage to the self, family andsociety at large.
Maintenance of mental equilibrium is germane to the discussion. The individual could be a prince, a pauper or a farmer perhaps, contemplating suicide.
When the drains of the mind get clogged and are shrouded with negative emotions and irrational behaviour it virtually impossible foran aperture to consider and accept elevating and positive thoughts to find space. The human mind needs to carve out space where it can cast aside all negative emotions.The fragmented minds are strafed by negative thought processes which are counter-productive to the material and spiritual progress of an individual.
When the mind is distraught, a successful businessman who accrueslarge debts may become a fugitive and similarly a seeker who strays from the path for some reason may lack the courage to face his‘master’, both unable to face the TRUTH.
Once there were four friends who embarked upon a journey to learn the Art of Silence under a Zen monk. They were to maintain silence for seven consecutive days. As night fell, one of them asked anattendant to light the lamps. His friend was aghast and mentioned quietly that the group was to maintain silence. This provoked thethird friend to utter that none of them were to speak. The group which was to have maintained total silence soon turned cacophonous as the fourth friend remarked that only he maintained silence.
This story highlights that human mind is normally inundated and swamped by a continuous flow of questions, criticisms, information and complaints which when it finds itself unable to handle, often leads to choking up of the mind.
Medical studies reveal that stressful conditions may alsoarise on account of certain mental disorders such as prolonged and intense fears, panic attacks, irrational fears and phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and Post–Traumatic Disorientation (resulting out of stressful events and natural disasters).
These uncomfortable situations endanger the mental health and the mind becomes distraught. The mind, far from being bare-knuckled becomes a glass jaw and vulnerable to extraneous pressures.
The afflicted and their families ignore the warning bells at their own peril. Normally pointers emanate in the form of excessive anger, restlessness, insomnia, exhaustion and depression, a state of helplessness, anxiety, worry or phobias. In emergent situations such as these treatment by psychiatrists and psychoanalysts is paramount. If unattended such conditions can make the individualsmental wrecks.
Qualified medical practioners undertake a detailed prognosis tounderstand the malaise. Several mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia, extreme cases of anxiety, panic attacks or bipolardisorders require the administration of anti-psychotic drugs.
Tragically patients (which include rock stars and well known personalities who grab the eye balls) suffering from mental disorderstend to take refuge in the consumption of drugs (a sedative plus Prozac) and abuse of alcohol to bridle their mental condition.
This heady cocktail of theprescribed palliative along with psychedelic drugs and Bacchus lead to treacherous addictions and could causepermanent damage to the brain and body.
Medical practitioners adopt healing techniques like relaxation therapies and cognitive restructuring of the mind. Mere clinical treatment would not suffice; they deal with empathy and warmth to assuage the unwarranted fears.Doctors adopt the dual strategy ofrespecting the dignity of the patient through medicine along with fine human skills.
Yoga, pranayama and meditation have, in the last some years emerged as successful alternative treatment strategies.
Prominent among yogic practices is Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga. Also reading and listening to the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras have had immense therapeutic value to soothe frayed nerves.
Further, faith in a superior power, surrendering to the divine chanting of mantras and practice of various breathing techniquesprovide succour and have become a life-line for those suffering from mental and physical disorders.
Vipassana Meditation technique is the observation of the breath.This includes a set of breathing exercises, observation of mind and body and mindfulness which help in assuaging the distraught mental condition of the afflicted.
Sudarshan Kriya, a rhythmic breathing technique has helped immenselyin the reduction of sleep disorders, insomnia, combating alcoholism and reduction in depression. Infact this hyperventilation breathing technique has been acknowledged and given thumbs up by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).
“Love and peace of mind do protect us. They allow us to overcomethe problems that life hands us. They teach us to survive, to live now…to have the courage to confront each day,” writes Bernie Spiegel.
The twin strategies of seeking medical help and alternative therapies increase love and peace of mind in the afflicted and puts them well on the road to recovery.
