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Buddhism and mental disorders

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biggyboy:
I believe that spiritual meditations, prayers and Buddhism can help and heal mental disorders hand in hand along with medications.  Having medications will depend on the degree of their mental illness.  Some may not need them where meditations and prayers alone can heal them. 

“We can calm the mind only by using a method of meditation. Once the mind is calm, we can reduce the subjective and habitual patterns of self-based notions that cause so much vexation. When we achieve a tranquil or unified state of awareness, it is possible to see just what the self is."

Lecture by Master Sheng-yen on October 25, 1990 at San Francisco General Hospital

"Shakyamuni Buddha himself dealt with the problem of illness.   Illness begins at birth; when one is born, the peril of sickness begins. The person who has not suffered illness has yet to be born. Only after death does illness cease. We must suffer both mental and physical pain and illness in this life. Buddha said that we should see a doctor for physical illness, but mental illness should be treated with Buddhadharma.

Buddha saw that it was more important to save the mind than the body. One who has a healthy mind and a good attitude will be much less afflicted by physical difficulty than someone who has mental problems. If all of our mental problems are cured, that is liberation. One with a healthy body but a sick mind will suffer much more than someone who only has physical problems."

Physical illness is pain; mental illness is suffering. Buddhadharma does not rid us of pain. It is not an anesthetic. It alleviates our suffering.

In Buddhism there are five kinds of mental vexation: greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. When we are distressed, we can try to analyze the nature of our vexation."

icy:
There is an extremely fine line between samsaric mental disorder and the madness of a attained yogins.  Unless you are a highly attained, you cannot differentiate between the two.  You can easily be fooled by the madness of yogins.

Mad yogins are known in virtually every tradition in Tibet, but most often we hear in the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages, and also in the Shije (Pacification) and Chod traditions. The Nyingma, Kagyu, and Chod traditions are the three with which Tangtong Gyalpo had the closest ties. One of the texts in Tangtong's Oral Transmission, a collection of teachings originally passed down from Tangtong, quotes the great yogini Machik Labdron's statement concerning proper yogic conduct following realization. In response to a question by one of her sons, Machik recommended that a practitioner act like a child with unfeigned spontaneity, like a lunatic with no regard for what is conventionally acceptable, like a leper with no attachment to his or her own physical health, and like a wild animal wandering in isolated and rough terrain.

...Guru Padmasambhava himself prophesied that Tangtong Gyalpo would care for living beings by means of unpredictable actions. Tangtong's unusual conduct began to manifest at an early age, and resembled traits noted in the lives of other mad yogins. He was first called insane by his father and the members of his village when, as a child, he subdued a malicious spirit responsible for an epidemic. Several other early incidents are mentioned in the biographies. When he went to take scholastic examinations at the renowned monastery of Sakya he earned the nickname Tsondru Nyonpa (Crazy Tsondru) because of his disinterest in explaining the scriptural definitions of the highest states of realization. He preferred to spend his time absorbed in actually experiencing these states. When he was later practicing deliberate behavior secretly in a vast and empty wasteland, the dakinis gave him five names indicating his high realization, one of which was Lungtong Nyonpa (Madman of the Empty Valley).

Ensapa:
Mental disease here means conditions like schizophrenia where the person is consistently engaged in some form of hallucination and is unable to tell the difference between what is real and what is not, and they actually believe what these hallucinations say. They tend to have some sort of distorted belief about reality and act upon it. In western medicine, there is no cure from schizophrenia, but it seems that Buddhism does help. Here's a story about that....a testimonial from a schizophrenic man who engaged in Buddhism and subsequently got his schizophrenia healed.

Having schizophrenia and being a mahasiddha is very different. a person suffering from schizophrenia may hear voices claiming to be buddhas or continuously see their hallucinations or even think that they are the Buddha, but they cannot perform the deeds or actions of a Buddha.


--- Quote ---How I Triumphed Over Schizophrenia

by Jimmy Cheah

Dr. Siebert:

Thank you for your website. I can confirm from my own experience that someone believed to have paranoid schizophrenia can fully recover on their own with no treatment of any kind and become "weller than well." Here is my story....

Is There A Cure For "Schizophrenia?"

More than 20 years ago, I fully recovered from schizophrenia without medication or treatment. Even though I was re-hospitalized for about 4 relapses, I was never a willing patient.

Once out of the crazy madhouse, I'd throw away all the medication that's forced down my throat. I learnt by my own hard experience that: "Treatments" for schizophrenia are often worse than the "disease." (Siebert)

How It Started

I'm now aged 51 and I'm "weller than well" to speak of my authentic personal tragedy of having to go through "schizophrenic episodes" at the mercy of others who are biased and misconceive the beneficial effects of so-called "paranoid schizophrenia."

About 26 years ago, I was ordained as a Buddhist monk in a meditation temple. Before ordination, I had to undergo observation for about 3 months for good and normal behavior. I was taught the Vipassana Meditation which is also known as Insight Meditation. Eventually, I was ordained as a monk. I was very strict and disciplined in my meditation practice. I observed strict silence.

After several months of intensive meditation, I suddenly broke my silence involuntarily and began "speaking in tongues." I thought I could speak Brahmin, Sanskrit or chant Ancient Scriptures.

I began to exhibit strange gestures and bizarre mannerism that's not becoming of a monk. I was disrobed without any compassion and cast out of the temple to pursue the Path of Suffering. Lost souls like "schizophrenics" do not have enough merits to lead the holy life.

Taking "The Road Less Traveled", I ended up meditating in a graveyard. I was like a hungry ghost and a wandering spirit experiencing the true meaning of homelessness. I could have taken the short cut to Heaven by taking my own life but that's against the rules. The Sixth Commandment of Moses came to mind, " Thou shalt not kill."

"Procrastination is the thief of time," my inner voice said.

"Do it now!" This is what they usually teach in motivation psychology. However, I decided not to make a rash decision at that time. But I knew, sooner or later the time will surely come. "Why not next time, buddy?"

"King Solomon with all his wisdom wouldn't do a thing like that," said another voice.

I was having a brainstorm. I was brainstorming, freewheeling, having group discussion in my mind and experiencing freedom of association. It was the freedom of free thinking in a free world. This is the Path of Freedom.

I was caught in a cosmic dance, which is quite different from the steps of waltz, fox-trot, tango, rumba or cha-cha. Aha! I could dance like Michael Jackson or even better.

My head was beginning to spin like a whirlpool. It was like entering a time tunnel. By and by, I wasn't functioning from a logical and reasoning mind. There's no need for reason. There's no need to explain. Anything goes! "Life goes on ......ooh! La! La! La! Life goes on......" "Yahoo!"

Yet, I was quite aware of what was going in my mind because I was trained in the Art of Contemplation, you see. There's no doubt about it. It was curiosity that lured me on and on. I was tempted to explore this " mystical experience" but I soon lost control of the normal functioning of my thinking skill. I was trying to explore the unconscious, subconscious, supraconscious or supreme ultimate reality. I was like a newborn baby riding an unsaddled horse for the first time. I lost my vital mental balance like "Humpty Dumpty had a great fall."

Personal History

There's no history of psychosis in my family. My father (deceased) is a medical doctor. My brothers and sisters are gainfully employed and successful.

Before becoming a monk, I was a freelance writer on Success Motivation. I was trying to emulate Napoleon Hill, the famous author of Think And Grow Rich. I also organized seminars on Leadership Development, Salesmanship and Effective Public Speaking - a copycat of Dale Carnegie.

I soon discovered the "Paradox of Success" after I had gathered fair knowledge of Buddhism, Taoist Meditation, Kundalini Yoga, Psychic Science, Tarot, Christianity and Zen. I joined the monkhood thinking I could seek deliverance from Suffering caused by Ignorance, Passion and Delusion.

Voice In The Wilderness

"People diagnosed as "schizophrenia" often have to be talked into thinking that they're sick and in many cases are forced to submit involuntarily to treatment." (Al Siebert)

My mental ability deteriorated rapidly. I wasn't my former self. I was functioning from lower and distorted personality. I was just like one of those crazy guys wandering in the streets. I was running like a street dog, at times. I was shouting and violent but I didn't cause injury to anyone. I was bustling with too much energy which went berserk and beyond my control.

I could walk for 20 to 60 miles without sleeping. There was a compulsion to go on without a destination. I could do without breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sometimes, I wondered whether the sun was rising or setting. I couldn't see the difference. There was a "no differentiating" Zen mind. I felt I was floating in the air and I was on the way to Enlightenment. But actually, I was on my way to the psychiatric hospital. It was like a sting. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, man.

On my first admission, Dr. Hobson and his team of merry-makers unanimously diagnosed me as "schizophrenic" or "psychotic." A very erratic and extreme case without any reservation.

Dr. Fox ( not real name) came to see me privately. He said he had traveled to the Himalayas and had seen some yogis and shamans suffering the same fate as me. He seemed to know something about "meditation side-effects", astral travel, shamanic practices, ESP and out-of-body experiences. He said, "I know you are not crazy but you look like one. I know you're an individualist and you like to do your own thing. If 9 out of 10 doctors point a finger at you - you had it. You shouldn't be caught by them."

I replied, " Majority wins, isn't it? Wise men think alike."

Dr. Fox wasn't the doctor-in-charge of me. He didn't give me any further advice or counseling for fear of criticism from his colleagues.

Nobody seemed to believe what I said. I told the doctors that I was suffering from the inconvenience of "meditation side-effects" and all I needed was just a simple tranquilizer to calm my nerves. Everybody laughed. Amused that I was giving them the prescription, perhaps. I told them this "meditation side-effects" is documented in Zen Buddhism, Taoist Meditation and Kundalini Yoga doctrine. (Mookerjee - Kundalini, The Arousal of Inner Energy; Sannella, Kundalini - Psychosis or Transcendence). Nobody believed what I said because I didn't seem to be in the right frame of mind. They viewed it as delirium tremens - speaking like a mad, drunken monkey.

I was like shouting to the trees in the wild forest. The trees couldn't hear or understand what I said.

Experience Is My Best Doctor: Relapses Are My Healing Aides

"Some people not only fully recover from 'schizophrenia' episode, the experience has beneficial effects, leading to favorable changes in personality and improvements in psychological strengths." (Al Siebert)

Every relapse gives a clue of how to overcome it. By acknowledging my weakness, I begin to discover my strength. There's a lesson to be learnt even in the most stupid and helpless situation.

It was the fourth and the last relapse, as far as I can remember, that gave me the breakthrough. The experiences I learnt from the previous relapses help me to recognize its symptoms as it arises.

My psychedelic "schizo" mind, well equipped with first-class automatic transmission, was going like non-stop "choo-choo", "ghost train." Most of the time, I was caught by unexpected surprise. The relapse would occur when I least expected -- not every full moon. You don't hear the howling of wolves. There's no warning. But soon I knew how to deal with the unexpected.

The first few relapses always make a monkey out of me. It skillfully eluded me. I was foolish enough not to learn from it.

When I came to my senses, I saw the awakening. It was the point of : "No Problems." "No Regrets." "No Turning Back."

Awakening From Psychosis: Breaking Through The Barrier of Self-Delusion

"Out of the murky water, the lotus bloom." (Buddhist Saying)

"The mind is no doubt extremely turbulent. Through repeated attempts you can perfectly subdue it." (Sri Swami (Dr.) Sivananda, Mind: Its Mysteries and Control, 1946)

It was just after a heavy thunderstorm. Two men looked out of the window. The first one spat with disgust, "Gosh! How lousy and shivering cold the weather. It has spoilt my day. I just hate it. Everything is against me."

The other cheered with joy, " Wow! How nice and refreshing. The rain has cleared away the haze. Look! The stars are shining brightly. What a romantic and wonderful time for love. I just like it."

Bipolar viewpoints are the makings of habitual thinking. No two persons seem to share the same viewpoint.

"Nothing is good or bad. Crooked "schizo" thinking makes it so." ( 1/2 Shakespeare)

"Psychosis" as I've discovered and experienced is nothing but my own unpretentious "crazy-making" ---a figment of the Imagination. It always had the upper hand. Its trickery and treacherous deceit are unbelievable devious. It was like a devil tempting me every moment of the day. ( I must confess that I wasn't being possessed by a spirit. No exorcist needed.) The tempting fantasy of false impulse persistently kept my "cranky steam engine" going.

I wasn't serious and disciplined like I used to be because I was, at times, trying to "think out of the box." A kind of "lateral thinking" always side-tracked and propelled my creative imagineering beyond my fondest dreams.

I was trying to be a "right brain" manager. I didn't know whether I was functioning from "right brain" or "left brain." I probably mixed up the two. That finally fixed up the bipolarity of the mind.

"Schizophrenia" has taught me a very precious lesson in life. It has given me the rare opportunity to experience a "wisdom" which would have eluded most people most of the time.

I finally grasped the essential truth that "Nothing Is Permanent." This is a basic Buddhist tenet. Socrates, Plato and the I Ching (Taoist Book of Changes) expound the same philosophy. I discovered that schizophrenia or the "mad mind" (as taught in Zen) is transitory. Its symptoms vanish into thin air if you know how to deal with it.

The secret is very simple: Positive expectation gives rise to positive outcome. The Law of Cause and Effect governs the physics and bio-chemistry of the creative mind. Deluded thinking can make "Hell out of Heaven and Heaven out of Hell." It's fundamentally making something out of nothing. Going somewhere but don't know where. Highly infatuated, I was like George, beating around the bush.

In my own experience, schizophrenia is an apparition of delusive thinking. It's mainly a manifestation of mischievous psychological steering. It's not a disease of the physical brain.

It's phantasmagoria. It's a "walking dream" state. It's fantasy of "mind shift" into pseudo-paradigm. It's simply an illusive mind-trap unperceived by the owner. It's assumption or mimic of a false imaginary libido of the id. It's totally unreal foolery. It's playful jiggling and juggling with what is real and unreal. It's disorderly thinking frolicking with fanciful utterances. It's chaotic restlessness. It's the obsession of building castles in the air. It's busy-making "much ado over nothing." It's the meandering dementia of the mind -- but not the brain.

"Psychosis" paradoxically contains a seed of positive "awakening." This "awakening" could shock the world. This awful "awakening mechanics" expresses the fundamental explosive nature of the raw Psyche. It manifests as: abrupt, awkward, crude, high-fly, excessively emotional, uncontrollable, giddy, grizzly, goofy, bemused laughter, lamentation, melancholy, chaotic, drunken, utterly unrefined, uncouth, unwholesome, idiotic, cranky, screw-loose, rude, raving madness, wild, foolish, obstinate, eccentric misbehavior, incomprehensible, repletely fused with unlimited inexplicable extras beyond normal expectation.

It generates the "twister" of the intrinsic idiosyncrasy dynamics of the "crazy-making" Psyche. It's fundamentally irrational and not easily understood by a deluded mind blinded by natural binding ignorance--like a nut in a nutcase.

It's analogically comparable to the stage of the "ugly duckling", "tadpole" or "caterpillar." It's "confrontation" between reality and unreality ( and bipolarity).

Furthermore, it's possibly a form of uncertain spiritual or artistic "metamorphosis." It's a chaotic crisis caught between evolution/devolution of the Creative Imagination. It's a time of transition, confusion and misconception.

It's best viewed as a possible "preliminary awakening" at its infancy, which has to be controlled and stabilized, and subsequently channeled to the next level of transformation. Each individual is different. If the individual doesn't wake up from the immense delusion, he/she will probably deteriorate into a downward spiral. What comes out of the whole crisis is a matter of choice.

It took me about 6 years (1976 to 1982) to solve the mystery of the mind-blowing delusion. It is now over 20 years since I've fully recovered from the so-called incurable "paranoid schizophrenia" and I'm "weller than well" to speak the truth.

Believe it or not. Paranoid Schizophrenia could be a blessing in disguise and contain a gem of "spiritual or artistic awakenings."

My experience is nothing extraordinary. I was merely overwhelmed and trapped by delusions which overpowered my common sense. I should have known earlier. The answer is always found within the problem.

When I knew how to handle my delusions, relapses and phobia--the symptoms of the "schizophrenic persona" vanished. The very roots of its existence is exterminated. It is a complete wipe out. There is nothing left to bother me. The baffling battle against the "invincible" phantom is over. It is unbelievable.

The "schizo" mind has found the "rest in peace."

"From dust to dust, and from Space..........to Space."

Amen.

Written by: JIMMY CHEAH

--- End quote ---

Tenzin K:
Some interview with Lama Yeshe on "A Buddhist Approach to Mental Illness"

Q: Lama Yeshe, how do you go about treating mental illness? How do you help people with mental illness?

Lama: Yes, good, wonderful. My way of treating mental illness is to try to have the person analyze the basic nature of his own problem. I try to show him the true nature of his mind so that with his own mind he can understand his own problems. If he can do that, he can solve his own problems himself. I don’t believe that I can solve his problems by simply talking to him a little. That might make him feel a bit better, but it’s very transient relief. The root of his problems reaches deep into his mind; as long as it’s there, changing circumstances will cause more problems to emerge.

My method is to have him check his own mind in order to gradually see its true nature. I’ve had the experience of giving someone a little advice and having him think, “Oh, great, my problem’s gone; Lama solved it with just a few words,” but that’s a fabrication. He’s just making it up. There’s no way you can understand your own mental problems without your becoming your own psychologist. It’s impossible.

Q: How do you help people understand their problems? How do you go about it?
Lama: I try to show them the psychological aspect of their nature, how to check their own minds. Once they know this, they can check and solve their own problems. I try to teach them an approach.

Q: What, precisely, is the method that you teach for looking at our mind’s true nature?

Lama: Basically it’s a form of checking, or analytical, knowledge-wisdom.

Q: Is it a kind of meditation?

Lama: Yes, analytical, or checking, meditation

Q: How do you do that? How do you teach somebody to check?

Lama: Let me give you an example. Say I have a good feeling about somebody. I have to ask myself, “Why do I feel good about this person? What makes me feel this way?” By investigating this I might find that it’s just because he was nice to me once, or that there’s some other similar small, illogical reason. “I love him because he did this or that.” It’s the same thing if I feel bad about someone; I don’t like him because he did such and such. But if you look more deeply to see if those good or bad qualities really exist within the person you may see that your discrimination of friend or enemy is based on very superficial, illogical reasoning. You’re basing your judgment on insignificant qualities, not on the totality of the other person’s being. You see some quality you label as good or bad, perhaps something the person said or did, and then exaggerate it out of all proportion. Then you become agitated by what you perceive. Through checking you can see that there’s no reason to discriminate in the way that you do; it only keeps you fettered, uptight and in suffering. This kind of checking analyzes not the other person but your own mind, in order to see how you feel and to determine what kind of discriminating mind makes you feel that way. This is a fundamentally different approach to analysis from the Western one, which focuses excessively on external factors and not enough on the part played by the mind in people’s experience.

Q: So you say that the problem lies more within the person and don’t agree with the point of view that it is society that makes people sick?

Lama: Yes. For example, I have met many Western people who’ve had problems with society. They’re angry with society, with their parents, with everything. When they understand the psychology I teach, they think, “Ridiculous! I’ve always blamed society, but actually the real problem has been inside of me all along.” Then they become courteous human beings, respectful of society, their parents, their teachers and all other people. You can’t blame society for our problems.

Q: How does it happen that people mix things up in this way?

Lama: It’s because they don’t know their own true nature. The environment, ideas and philosophies can be contributory causes, but primarily, problems come from one’s own mind. Of course, the way society is organized can agitate some people, but the issues are usually small. Unfortunately, people tend to exaggerate them and get upset. This is how it is with society, but anyone who thinks the world can exist without it is dreaming.

dsiluvu:
Here is a POV from a discussion I had with some friends... I thought made sense and I agree to it as well....

The system (universe/body etc) is incredibly complex. If someone has a particular configuration that results in mental illness, they should take whatever medication is necessary to bring the balance of 'normality'. Many Lamas have said this. From that platform, if they apply themselves and gain deep concentration, it becomes possible to reconfigure the system so that dependency is no longer required. I have seen people try to practice without medication and its really difficult. Its not black and white of course, but as long as a weak mind is in the body, it will be subject to the limitations engineered by whatever imbalances exist within the system. View and intention can have a powerful effect only if the vibration is strong enough to frequent conscious awareness, and it is concentration that amplifies these to a sufficient level. Without that, it is difficult to affect a major alteration in the system without medication. The same goes for any practitioner trying to achieve the reversals.

Sometimes certain mental illnesses may require some medication. Understanding that their condition, though we know...yes it is due to their heavy karma, still requires a bit extra dose of prescribed medicine is to me acceptable. At least to stabilize the chemicals in their system and calm their mental state down to actually get through the day would be a start before we start pouring down all those meditation techniques and visualisation on them. I don't think if someone cannot sit still for 10 mins can actually focus on any meditation. SO with proper medication to help them perhaps then we can slowly guide them on the various practices that I am sure will bless them and slowly who knows with the Buddhas blessings, their medication can be reduced :)

Studies have also shown alternatives to chemical medications like herbs such as Canabis are helpful in various therapy.

Medical cannabis refers to the parts of the herb cannabis used as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy, or to synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine. The Cannabis plant has a long history of use as medicine, with historical evidence dating back to 2737 BCE.[1] Cannabis is one of the 50 "fundamental" herbs of traditional Chinese medicine,[2] and is prescribed for a broad range of indications.   

A 2002 review of medical literature by Franjo Grotenhermen states that medical cannabis has established effects in the treatment of nausea, vomiting, premenstrual syndrome, unintentional weight loss, insomnia, and lack of appetite. Other "relatively well-confirmed" effects were in the treatment of "spasticity, painful conditions, especially neurogenic pain, movement disorders, asthma, [and] glaucoma".[7]

Preliminary findings indicate that cannabis-based drugs could prove useful in treating inflammatory bowel disease, migraines, fibromyalgia, and related conditions.[8]

Medical cannabis has also been found to relieve certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis[9] and spinal cord injuries[10][11][12] by exhibiting antispasmodic and muscle-relaxant properties as well as stimulating appetite.

Other studies state that cannabis or cannabinoids may be useful in treating alcohol abuse,[13] amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,[14][15] collagen-induced arthritis,[16] asthma,[17] atherosclerosis,[18] bipolar disorder,[19][20] colorectal cancer,[21] HIV-Associated Sensory Neuropathy[22] depression,[23][24][25][26] dystonia,[27] epilepsy,[28][29][30] digestive diseases,[31] gliomas,[32][33] hepatitis C,[34] Huntington's disease,[35] leukemia,[36] skin tumors,[37] methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),[38] Parkinson's disease,[39] pruritus,[40][41] posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD),[42] psoriasis,[43] sickle-cell disease,[44] sleep apnea,[45] and anorexia nervosa.[46] Controlled research on treating Tourette syndrome with a synthetic version of tetrahydrocannabinol, (brand name Marinol) (the main psychoactive chemical found in cannabis), showed the patients taking Marinol had a beneficial response without serious adverse effects;[47][48] other studies have shown that cannabis "has no effects on tics and increases the individuals inner tension".[49] Case reports found that cannabis helped reduce tics, but validation of these results requires longer, controlled studies on larger samples.[50][51]

A study done by Craig Reinarman surveyed among why people in California used cannabis and it found many reasons why people had used cannabis. It was used to relieve pain, muscle spasms, headaches, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, depression, cramps, panic attacks, diarrhea, and itching. Others used cannabis to improve sleep, relaxation, appetite, concentration or focus, and energy. Some patients used it to prevent medication side effects, anger, involuntary movements, and seizures, while others used it as a substitute for other prescription medications and alcohol.[52]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis

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