The Buddhist culture places special attention on mental health. To understand the traditional healing in Buddhist culture in mental health, it is important to start by understanding the origin of Buddhism as a religion. According to Calabrese and Dorji (2014), most of the currently existing religions originated from the fear of danger. Issues such as lightning, thunder, floods, and earthquakes cause fear among people.
In those early days, it was not easy for them to understand the source of such destructive forces. As a way of finding comfort in the world full of life-threatening forces, many religions were found. God was believed to be the source of these forces and that He would use them to punish people because of their sins. Buddhism, on the other hand, was founded because of the fear of suffering. The religion emphasizes the need for its followers to lead a life free from any form of suffering. Mental suffering is one of the bad forces that this religion is keen on eliminating. As Deane (2014) notes, mental suffering is just as undesirable as any other form of physical pain.
In Buddhism, one is expected to give mental health priority because the mind controls all the activities and the decisions that one makes. Whenever one has a mental health problem, he or she can make a wrong decision that may prove dangerous to oneself and others. In this paper, the researcher will focus on traditional healing in Buddhist culture in mental health.
This topic is very important, especially in modern society, where many people work in a highly stressful environment. Mental health has not been given a lot of emphasis on the general population. Whenever one develops stress, it is easy to assume mental suffering hoping that once the stressors are eliminated, the pain will disappear. However, there are cases where such incidences lead to depression and cause numerous other medical conditions that may not be easy to treat.
Medical experts have come up with medicines that should be used under such conditions, besides counseling. However, some people have complained that such medication only works for a while. Others have stated that such medication becomes addictive as one continues to take them, forcing him or her to rely on it always. The Buddhist culture comes up with a solution to the problem that does not involve taking any medicine.
It means that this topic focuses on providing an alternative means of addressing mental health that is increasingly becoming common in modern society. In this paper, the researcher will cover how the Buddhists perceive mental health and determine whether they use medication as a cure and what they consider as mental health. The paper will also look at how they do the assessment for abnormal behavior and how they treat it using traditional healing methods.
How the Buddhists Perceive Mental Health
According to Paonil and Sringernyuang (2002), Buddhist culture has a broader perspective on mental health compared with the views held by medical experts. According to this culture, a mind is an important tool that controls every other action that a person engages in at all times. As such, they perceive mental health as the most important health status that one can achieve. In Buddhism, mental health is viewed as the ability of a person to control mental activities rationally. It is the state of mind that determines how one approaches the forces of life he or she encounters. It is important to look at the fundamental issues that define mental health as perceived by the Buddhists.
Ability to Serve and Remain Positive
Life is often full of challenges, and more often than not, it is easy for one to make a wrong decision. It is easy for one to focus on issues that are self-centered and forget about the need to do good to the rest of society and to the environment. According to Buddhists’ culture, mental health is viewed as the ability to rise above personal, self-centered desires in life. It is the ability to make difficult decisions at a time when one is tempted to take an easy way out.
When one is in a good mental state, according to this culture, he or she will be able to sacrifice personal gains just to make society a better place. Managing ego is another factor that is given priority when assessing mental health (Calabrese & Dorji, 2014). This religion involves the training of the mind to view others as being servants. It highly promotes servant leadership as a virtue. As such, being able to serve and let others be served first is not a sign of weakness.
On the contrary, it is a sign of mental strength. A person can take control of the ego and ensure that it does not dictate the decisions that one makes. Mental health is often perceived as the ability of one to remain positive even in the face of serious challenges. Deane (2014) says that Buddhism emphasizes the need to be rational. It means that even when one remains positive, positivity should be grounded on rational reasoning. It also means that when faced with starvation, people should remain positive that a solution will be found, but must remain realistic that they have to do something about the issue or they may end up starving. The positivity will help them not to despair, while the ability to remain realistic will help them to find a solution to the problem.
Ability to Take Ownership
According to Mehraby (2009), Buddhists’ culture perceives mental health as the ability of a person to take ownership of both good and bad outcomes. In life, one can either succeed or fail in the given undertaking. It is easier for one to own successes and blame others for failures. The behavior of apportioning blames perceived as a mental illness in Buddhist culture. A person cannot appreciate that both success and failure are part of life and that they are just stages that one must pass through to reach their final destination in life.
Mentally strong people will be capable of appreciating when they have succeeded or failed because it determines how they approach future forces. When they appreciate that they failed, it is a sign that they have learned something out of such a process and are keen on avoiding their mistakes so that such a failure is avoided.
On the other hand, when they fail to own their mistakes and blame others for them; instead, they tend to view themselves as people who can make mistakes. They will consider the decisions made previously as being correct and, as such, can repeat them in the future. It means that it is easy for them to have the same undesirable results because they did not appreciate the need for them to change the strategy. That is a mental health problem that only causes pain and frustration. That is so because even if one blames others, there is always a constant reminder that what was desired was not achieved.
Ability to Control Desires
According to Dudley (2016), there are numerous desires that a person can have in life. Everyone wants to experience the good things which life can ever offer. The private jets, private yachts, good homes, expensive cars, good food, and service at all times are some of the desires that people often have. However, only a few who have been able to accumulate wealth can have it all. Desires must be controlled for one to be considered of good mental health as per the Buddhists’ practices.
One must understand the personal limits and be able to appreciate that certain things are beyond personal reach. Having such an understanding eliminates the chances of one engaging in criminal activity to meet selfish desires in life. Such mental strength means that one cannot easily fall into a trap. They cannot be manipulated into engaging in activities they do not approve of just to get what their hearts desire.
Ability to be Just and Fair
Justice and fairness are virtues that are defined by one’s mental health. Sometimes one may be in a position of power where they determine what happens to others and themselves. It is a common phenomenon among those who find themselves in positions of leadership. In most of the cases, they can determine the future of specific people or the entire country. It takes strong mental health for people in power to remain just and fair when making decisions.
Most leaders are carried away with power and try to make decisions, which favor them. They forget that they have a responsibility to the people and only focus on the need to enrich or make themselves happy at the expense of others. Buddhist culture considers such practices as a lack of mental health.
People who are of good mental health will look into the future and understand that their actions today may benefit them, but if they fail to protect the future generation, then they may end up suffering when they come out of power. Sometimes their children shall be exposed to pain and suffering because of the self-centered decisions that they make. It means that mentally strong people will make decisions based on what is considered standard practice. In their mind, they must appreciate that unfairness is a vice that must be eliminated by all means. The perception that Buddhists’ have towards mental health defines their actions.
The Use of Meditation as a Cure
According to a report by Akita (2017), it is not common for Buddhists to use medication as a cure for mental illness because they believe the problem can be addressed through meditation. To understand this concept of curing mental health, it is important to revisit the perception that Buddhists have towards mental illness. Stress and depression are believed to be leading mental illnesses within the medical society.
However, Buddhists consider the two as symptoms of a more serious underlying mental problem. The cure for mental illness, as per the practices of Buddhists, should not focus on addressing the symptoms. Giving a person sleeping pills and medication to ease their suffering is not a cure for mental health problems. Counseling a patient on how to overcome stress without understanding the root cause of the stress cannot be a cure. The patient may feel better for a short while when under medication, but the problem may set in soon after. As such, they consider meditation as a cure for mental health.
Meditation, as a Buddhist practice for curing mental health, must be done sincerely, and focus should be on the cause, not symptoms. A person who is depressed must understand the cause of the problem. Tirch (2016) notes that through meditation, the person must be able to explain the role he or she played and own up the mistakes that led to the current situation. When meditating, the person should identify the reality that he or she failed to see, causing the current mental problem. It may be an over expectation problem, underestimation of a challenge, unrealistic desires, among others.
The patient must appreciate that they made a mistake, even if others also contributed to their current problem. Sometimes one’s mistakes can simply be over-trusting strangers or even friends, which may lead to stress if they end up betraying the trust. Through meditation, one must wake up to the reality, admit that a mistake was made, and be willing to make a tough decision based on the realities he or she is faced with. When used properly, meditation can cure mental illnesses.
What the Buddhists Consider as a Mental Illness
In a report by Hughes, Kinder, and Cooper (2012), what Buddhists consider to be a mental illness is slightly different from the conventional definition in medical terms. As mentioned above, they have a broader view of mental health than the views embraced by Western medical experts. According to this culture, mental illness majorly focuses on the inability of the mind to see reality. In the world we live in, being happy is determined by one’s capacity to see realities.
York (2012) defines realities as a state of things as they exist, contrary to the idealistic nature that one may desire. The mind must be capable of seeing reality. It must know the capacities and limits of an individual. It should be clear what one can or cannot do and goals, which are within an individual’s reach. Understanding reality makes it possible for one to control expectations and desires. It emphasizes on the need for one to limit his or her desires to the achievable levels without engaging in criminal activities. When the mind is capable of such rational reasoning in the face of realities, then other mental problems can easily be eliminated.
Living Beyond One’s Means
Mental suffering is often caused by an inability to achieve what the mind desires. Leaving beyond one’s means is one of the best examples of mental health problems according to Buddhist culture. It is caused by the inability of the mind to comprehend the facts, and as such, one would be forced to spend more than they can generate. The result of such practices is that in a short while such a person will run into debts and may even be tempted to steal as a way of meeting the costs of such expensive lifestyles.
When finally, such a person is arrested, then stress and depression sets in. According to Sommers-Flanagan and Sommers-Flanagan (2012), in Buddhist culture, the focus is often given to what causes stress and depression as opposed to viewing stress and depression as mental health. In this culture, stress and depression are only the symptoms of a more serious problem. They are symptoms of a mind that is unable to see the reality and adjust to it as would be necessary.
Immoral Practices
Tirch (2016) says that Buddhist culture places a massive emphasis on managing mental health because it is the source of all the suffering. Sexual immorality, stealing, robbing, getting into unnecessary fights are all caused by mental weaknesses. Given that Buddhist culture places serious emphasis on the need to eliminate all forms of suffering, they consider mental health to be very important for one to lead a normal life.
A healthy mind will make it easy for one to lead a normal life where self-control and restraint are practiced. Such practices help in avoiding trouble that may cause pain. It helps in ensuring that one avoids unnecessary desires that may lead to psychological torture or engagement in practices that may lead to mistakes or crimes. The moment one develops stress in mind, it is always an indication of a more serious issue that was not addressed at the time. It can be a goal that was not achieved, physical pain caused by engaging in unlawful or immoral practices, or such other issues related to one’s inability to be rational.
Aggression and Intolerance
According to Elder, Evans, and Nizette (2013), Buddhists also view mental health from the perspective of being able to relate well with other members of society. One of the important mental practices that are often taught to young children who want to become monks is how to live with others harmoniously in society. One must avoid causing deliberate pain and suffering to other members of society. Stealing, killing, sexual immorality, and unnecessary fights are all classified as a mental problem.
People who cannot lead peaceful lives have a mental problem. Their aggression and desire to harm others is only a symptom through which a serious mental problem manifests itself. Addressing the symptoms through punishment or imprisonment may not solve the problem. It may only deter one from engaging in such crimes when they know they can be detected. The real solution lies with understanding the cause of their behavior, which may sometimes require an understanding of their background.
Irrational Decisions
According to the Buddhist’s culture, when one is unable to make a rational decision, he or she may be considered to have a mental problem. Suicide is one of the irrational decisions. This religion teaches its followers how to avoid suffering in all its forms. It is irrational for one to take his or her own life because it involves inflicting pain on ones’ self. The mind should guide one on what is rational and what is not. The moment one is faced with a situation where one has to make a decision, it is expected that reason, morality, and kindness would guide the entire process. As such, the decision made will not be a source of pain to the decision-makers and others who may be affected directly or indirectly.
How the Buddhists Assess for Abnormal Behavior
According to Chung and Bemak (2012), assessment for abnormal behavior is critical because Buddhists believe it is a symptom of a mental illness that may need to be addressed before it can degenerate to serious problems. One of the earliest abnormal behaviors of one who is having mental problems is a situation where a person speaks to oneself as though he or she is having a conversation with another person.
It is normal for one to make audible prayers, even in the absence of other people. However, in cases where an individual starts speaking to himself, especially on issues that are unpleasant to them, then it is an indication that the person is having a problem in mind. It may be a verbal outburst, a constant curse, or a warning to the imaginary people they have in their minds. Akita (2017) says that another abnormal behavior that people with mental problems often have is the tendency to avoid other people. When people who were previously social and liked interacting with people start avoiding their presence, it is a sign that they have a mental problem.
The new behavior may be motivated by their inability to maintain conversations as they used to before. The fear of becoming boring for others or being out of place when with others forces them to keep to themselves instead of interacting freely.
When the issue is not addressed, then the affected individual may start having more serious behavioral problems. Tirch (2016) says that Buddhist monks are often keen to identify irrational anger and reactions, especially among people who were previously behaving normally. Their resentment towards other people and sometimes towards themselves makes them easily irritable. They become defensive at the slightest provocation, keen to avoid any blames. Akita (2017) would describe it as a self-defense mechanism, especially if their mental pain and suffering were caused by people who betrayed them.
They tend to view everyone as being less trustworthy and as try to build a wall around them to protect them from future manipulations. Their abnormal behavior may deteriorate to paranoia, where they become disillusioned, embrace unnecessary jealousy, obsessed with specific things, and exaggerate their self-worth. This aspect of personality disorder needs urgent attention because it can quickly degenerate to depression if the patients fail to achieve what they desire through their abnormal behavior.
How to Treat Mental Illness by Using Traditional Healing
According to Baker (2012), the approach that Buddhists take to cure mental illness is very different from that approach that medical doctors take. In a conventional hospital, a person suffering from a mental health problem is often subjected to medicine and professional psychological counseling. However, Buddhists have a completely different approach to addressing mental illness. The following are the main ways through which mental illness is addressed among Buddhists:
Monastic Counseling
According to Fernando (2014), just like professional counselors, Buddhist monks are trained to counsel people who are suffering from mental health problems. Once one appreciates that he or she has a mental health problem and need help from the monks, the mentally sick person will have a one-on-one session with the monk at a pre-determined time. In such sessions, such a person will explain the nature of the mental problem.
The monk will help the person understand the possible cause of the mental problem and try to find a solution from within. Often it involves a series of sessions where the monk and the mentally sick individual discuss the issue believed to be the cause of the problem. The monk will try to determine if the person is making progress towards finding a solution to the problem. The monk will try to make the individual own-up personal shortfalls and be ready to address them without blaming others.
Self-Meditation
One of the best-known treatments for mental health problems among the Buddhists is self-meditation. When one is undergoing a stressful situation or conditions where the mind is troubled because of a very challenging decision that they have to make, self-meditation is highly recommended. The individual is required to find a quiet ground, take time to think through the problem, identify their position, and try to find ways through which they can address the problem.
They are encouraged to be guided by the desire to do good because such deeds tend to create internal peace and satisfaction, especially if the actions they take end up benefitting others. Self-meditation is considered a strategy where one is empowered to take full control of their mental state. They are required to overcome ego, worldly desires, and unnecessary competition and instead focus on the need to practice kindness, compassion, fairness, and the ability to protect the environment. It is believed that through such meditation, one would understand personal limits and avoid stressors that one has no control over.
It is important to appreciate that Buddhists’ traditional healing methods cannot treat madness, especially at advanced stages. This traditional method works well with people who can reason and differentiate between good and bad. When a mental problem reaches the level of madness, then it is prudent for one to seek medical help in mental institutions where doctors can assess their conditions, and necessary medical assistance offered appropriately.
Conclusion
Traditional healing in Buddhist culture concerning mental health has become a focus of study in the recent past because it is finding its way in the Western world. Some people believe in the therapeutic benefits of meditation as practiced in the Buddhist culture. The practice emphasizes the need for only to take full control in managing one’s mental health. In a society where stressors are numerous, this culture encourages people to remain realistic.
It defines mental illness as the inability of one to reason rationally when faced with various forces. The desire to have excessive wealth, inability to consider the needs of others and understand their pain and the practice of viewing one as being special over others are some of the mental weaknesses that should be eliminated. Through meditation, one can have a debate with his or her conscience, appreciate the need to respect and value others, and always act and live within one’s means. Meditation is a tool that helps in strengthening the mind and addressing mental problems.
References
Akita, I. (2017). A Japanese Jungian perspective on mental health and culture: Wandering madness. New York, NY: Cengage.
Baker, D. B. (2012). The Oxford handbook of the history of psychology: Global perspectives. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Calabrese, J., & Dorji, C. (2014). Traditional and modern understandings of mental illness in Bhutan: Preserving the benefits of each to support gross national happiness. Journal of Bhutan Studies, 30(1), 1-27.
Chung, R. C.-Y., & Bemak, F. (2012). Social justice counseling: The next steps beyond multiculturalism. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Deane, S. (2014). From sadness to madness: Tibetan perspectives on the causation and treatment of psychiatric illness. Religions, 5(1), 444-458.
Dudley, J. (2016). Spirituality matters in social work: Connecting spirituality, religion, and practice. New York, NY: Routledge.
Elder, R., Evans, K., & Nizette, D. (2013). Psychiatric and mental health nursing. Chatswood, Australia: Mosby/Elsevier.
Fernando, S. (2014). Mental health worldwide: Culture, globalization and development. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Hughes, R., Kinder, A., & Cooper, C. L. (2012). International handbook of workplace trauma support. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Mehraby, N. (2009). Possessed or crazy? Mental illness across cultures. Psychotherapy in Australia, 15(2), 43.
Paonil, W., & Sringernyuang, L. (2002). Buddhist perspectives on health and healing. The Chulalongkorn Journal of Buddhist Studies, 1(2), 94-104.
Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2012). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice: Skills, strategies, and techniques. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Tirch, D. D. (2016). Buddhist psychology and cognitive-behavioral therapy: A clinician’s guide. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
York, W. H. (2012). Health and wellness in antiquity through the Middle Ages. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood.