ACADEMIC STRESS: A CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING BASED ON AYURVEDIC PRINCIPLES

Abstract

Children and academics are not exempted from stress. Academic stress is referred to as elements related to school, studies, family and others that potentially disrupt the physical and psychological homeostasis, besides hampers the performance in academics. It can even be detrimental if not well managed. Despite the loss of lives consequent upon poor academic stress management and resultant academic under achievement, academic stress is less researched.Psychotherapy is the current gold standard. Moreover, now-a-day, there is increase in number of children with stress manifestations seeking Ayurveda treatment at office practice and the reports show encouraging results. Many herbal drugs have been researched and established for anti stress activity.Thus understanding of stress through Ayurveda fundamentals is a step ahead in conceptualising academic stress that is not explicitly described in Ayurveda classics. This would pave way for better understanding of the condition and improvised management strategies. This article adapts concept of manas (mind) and medha (higher mental functions) as constructs to arrive at Chittodvega- entitle ofthe academic stress. Attempts are made to understand etiopathological basis of the condition based on concepts of prajnaparadha and of course tridosha to arrive at disease mapping through nidana(etiology), purvarupa (prodromata), rupa (clinical manifestation), upashayanupashaya (factors increase or decrease the conditions) and samprapti (pathogenesis). Researches on the same are used as evidences for the facts. Based on these, sadhyasadhyata (prognosis) of the condition, chikitsa siddhanta (management principles) and preventions could be derived.