We are living in the society in which worries, stress and strain are too rich. Worries about security, economic difficulties, and emotions are becoming more common and will effect on health and longevity of life. Body and mind, are subjected to more stress.

It is important to target the etiological factors while managing such cases. Therapies aim to bring the mental and physical conditions to normal state. Nevertheless, one must be careful not to create imbalance in other factors to avoid negative and adverse effects.

The most common manifestations of stress (other than spiritual causes) are

?        Mental

?        Emotional

?        Physical

Each needs different approaches, therapies and medicaments.

Mental Stress
It is caused by excessive thinking and putting more burden on mind. It may cause an imbalance in Prana Vata, considered as the mind-body operator concerned to brain activity. When Prana Vata dysfunctions one will loose the ability to counteract stress. Since the person becomes more stressed, it reflects on mental functions such as dhi, dhriti, and smriti. This condition results in the following...

?        Hyperactive mind,

?        Loosing the ability to make clear decisions,

?        Loosing the ability in positive thinking,

?        Idleness,

?        Restlessness

Hence it is important to take care of vitiated Prana Vata by:

?        Undergoing massage therapy.

?        Avoiding excessive exercises,

?        Avoiding excessive thinking

?        Supplementing Vata-balancing foods like sweet, sour, and salty tastes, 

?        Rest.

Emotional Stress 
Emotional stress is caused by some untoward incidents, news etc... It leads to irritability and depression. It vitiates Sadhaka Pitta which is considered as the mind-body operator related to emotions. In order to address emotional stress, one needs to do the following: 

?        Promote Pitta-pacifying foods like sweet, bitter and astringent tastes, 

?        Massage with a cooling oil such as chandanadi taila,

?        Promote cooling procedures (seetalopachara),  

?        Rest

?        Avoiding exposure to sunlight

Physical Stress 
Physical stress is due to excessive work. It results in physical fatigue, mental inconsistency and loss of concentration. Excessive physical strain leads to the abnormality of Tarpaka Kapha, which is considered as the manager the functions of neuro-humors.

This condition is best eradicated by the following:

?        Rest

?        Physical activities are to be restricted up to the tolerability of individual

?        Massage therapy

 Some among several useful Ayurvedic procedures to treat mental stress and strain are:

1.       Samshodhana

2.       Samshamana with medhya aushadhis

3.       Siro vasti

4.       Siro pichu

5.       Siro dhara

6.       Siro abhyanga

7.       Reassurance

The procedures done are depending on the involvement of dosha, patient?s prakriti and patient?s tolerability to the procedure.

Maintaining the balance of tri doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) is the main concern in managing the activities of the mind and body. Mental and physical health is possible, when balance of doshas is maintained.

Charak Samhita says the cause of all illness is loss of faith in the divine, so the deepest therapies would be spiritual in nature. This is a topic for another article.