My Research

Mental health disorders have a profound impact on individuals and their everyday lives. It is crucial to spread awareness of mental health to promote understanding, reduce stigmas, and increase access to resources, support, and medicine. My project seeks to focus on mental health disorders, specifically depression and anxiety, and their various treatments within different cultures. My goals are to be able to research what psychological and neurological effects traditional medicine compared to modern medicine has on these disorders and how these different treatments can benefit or harm patients.

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In Western society, many struggling with depression or anxiety depend on psychotropic medications, which are substances that affect how the brain works as well as change mood, thoughts, feelings, or behavior. Besides mediation, the lifestyle, and habits of people in Western countries differ from the ones living in third-world countries such as India. Western medicine prescribes specific drugs to patients for a disease but in contrast, Eastern medicine focuses on treating the person as a whole rather than just treating their symptoms.

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Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medicine that relies on natural and holistic physical and mental health approaches. According to the literature, Ayurvedic medicine belongs to one of the oldest medical systems that utilizes a system of healing of the mind, body, and soul as a whole. Ayurveda is said to help maintain healthy hormone levels, reduce stress, and ease the mind. The treatment consists of natural products, diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Ayurveda compared to Western medicine is pseudoscientific, meaning its premises are not based on science, yet the difference in people affected by mental health in the United States compared to India is significant.

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Will people suffering from mental illnesses benefit more from Eastern medicine rather than Western medicine? This question has many layers that need to be revealed and it is not easy to answer. Since there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as there are different types of treatments and medications available for everyone, it is important to keep in mind that what might be beneficial for someone, might not be the right fit for someone else. The type of treatment that might help one depends on their medical history and preferences as well as the availability of different treatment options.

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Living in a Western society my whole life, I have been introduced to and familiarized with treatments such as psychotherapy and a variety of medications. There are numerous medications on the market such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers, yet most of these have negative side effects and impact on the brain, resulting in suppressing brain function. Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy aid a patient by teaching them how to cope with the underlying issues which contribute to their mental health. However, these treatments are only accessible to people that have access to resources and can afford them. What about those who come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds? Traditional medicine may be more accessible and affordable to the general public. However, these are not the only benefits as traditional medicine shows no formation of addiction, withdrawal symptoms, or overdose cases which are all potential threats to psychiatric medicine.

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On my trip to India, I will dive deeper into the culture itself and learn from Ayurvedic practitioners. However, to be able to conclude that Ayurvedic treatments have positive effects on patients, I will need to review previous findings on the psychological and neurological impacts of Ayurvedic medicine. While in India, I will be able to collect data from PHRII, Public Health Research Institute of India, which carries numerous data files on Alternative medicine and practices, mental health, or neurodiversity from previously done research. Furthermore, I will have the opportunity to visit an Ayurvedic clinic and perform an interview with an Ayurvedic doctor. Upon arrival back, I will be able to perform an analysis and prepare a research presentation that will convey scientific knowledge through visual representation.

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My motive for this project holds great value to me and I want to be able to help those around me as well as to reach those who are helpless. Nowadays, mental health disorders have become so common in many individuals, and many end up untreated or undiagnosed. To older generations, mental health disorders are not near the same importance as physical health matters. Younger generations have been able to fight the stigma, yet we are still missing sustainable resources and treatments. Therefore, I intend to help elevate this matter and change the world of innovations and understanding.

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References:

Ayurvedic medicine: In depth. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ayurvedic-medicine-in-depth#:~:text=What%20Is%20Ayurvedic%20Medicine%3F,India's%20traditional%20health%20care%20systems

Behere, P., Das, A., Yadav, R., & Behere, A. (2013, January). Ayurvedic concepts related to psychotherapy. Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705701/

Ghosh. (2020). Brain and mental health in Ayurveda. In Nutraceuticals in Brain Health and Beyond. Elsevier Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820593-8.00007-0

Lang. (2018). Depression in Kerala : Ayurveda and mental health care in 21st century India. Routledge.