MANAGEMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA WITH SELECTED AYURVEDA PROTOCOL: A CASE REPORT

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric illness characterized by disrupted thought perceptions, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions. In Ayurveda, psychiatric illness is dealt with as one of the eight specialties, Bhutavidya. As per the presentation and severity of symptoms, schizophrenia can be categorized under the disease Unmada (Psychotic disorders) explained in Ayurveda psychiatry. Protocols including sodhana (Purification therapy), samana (Pacification therapy), and rasayana (Rejuvenation therapy) are being observed as effective in the management of schizophrenia. A 15-year-old male student presented with increased anger and impulsivity associated with increased use of mobile phones from 7 months. In the last 3 months, he gave with self-talk, self-laugh, and some finger mannerisms. Parents reported reduced self-hygiene, delusions, and auditory and visual hallucinations. The condition was diagnosed as Schizophrenia as per DSM–V criteria. As per Ayurveda, the condition was dealt with as pitta kaphaja Unmada, where the anger and impulsivity were considered as pitta dosha vitiation and decreased self-hygiene, preferred to be sitting alone, as kapha dosha vitiation. The protocol was fixed on the basis of dosha assessment which included shirodhara, snehapana, virechana, vasti, nasya, shiropichu, and samana medicines. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia was used for evaluation. The Interventions contributed to improvement in the patient’s symptoms prior to hospital discharge and there was also a significant reduction in the PANSS score.