Depression is a major health problem and cause of suicide. It can be understood in Ayurveda as vishada, a form of manasika roga caused by an imbalance of the doshas, particularly vata and kapha. Mild depression correlated with vishada is treated with counseling, while more severe depression correlated with kapha unmada requires purification therapies along with herbal treatments and physical therapies like massage and sweating. The study examines depression concepts in Ayurveda and their correlation with modern psychiatric categories.

1. By:- Dr. Kamal Kishore
P.G. Scholar
Dept., of P.G. Studies in
Kayachikitsa.
SKAMCH&RC
Bangalore

2. INTRODUCTION
 Depression a major prevalent health problem
and a major cause for a high rate of suicide.
 Among many causes, the gap between high
ambitions and expectation, harsh socio
economic realities, and the heavy
consumption of alcohol with decline in joint
family system contribute maximum for this
incapacitating and fatal disease

3. NEED FOR STUDY
For revitalization of bhoota vidya as ayurvedic
psychiatry the current need of psychiatric
concepts such as depression has become
prime importance in today's world.

4. DEPRESSION IN AYURVEDA
 Depression can be viewed under the term
vishada as a form of manasika roga. In
bhagavad gita the arjuna vishada yoga and
the counseling by lord Krishna are described
as an example of the indian approach to
depression.
 Apart from vishada, depression can also be
understood as kaphaja unmada.

5.  If depression is connected with anger we can
understand as increase in rajas guna and if
depression with dullness can be understood
as the association of tamas guna.
 For appropriating these various scholars have
proposed as Tamas Rating Scale (TRS) and
Rajas Rating Scale (RRS).
 The TRS in particular resembles the
biopsychiatric rating scales like the Hamilton
Rating Scale for depression (HRSD)

11. TREATMENT
 Mild depression is related to vata vitiation and
can manifest in excessive crying fear,
excessive worries, the circulation of thoughts
and sleeplessness and can be corelated as
Vishada.
 Severe depression is related to kapha
aggravation leading to avrodha in manovaha
srotas and can manifest in withdrawl from the
society, oversleep.

12.  Further vishada or depression is a symptom
(of vata affliction ) whereas kapha unmada or
depressive disorder is a syndrome
 While vishada can be managed with
counselling alone, kapha unmada must be
treated further with shodhana, shamana,
snehapana, abhyanga, swedana.

13. CONCLUSION
Aurvedic category Bio psychiatric
category
Vishada (vata
vitiation)
Depressed mood,
excessive worries,
reactive depression,
mild depression,
agitated depression
Kaphaja unmada Severe depression,
endogenous
depression