From Restlessness to Resilience: Ayurvedic Insights into Anxiety, Depression & ADHD. How ancient wisdom on sattva, rajas, and tamas can rescue a world in mental crisis
- Dr Rakesh VG
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 26
By Dr Rakesh Ayureshmi, Ayureshmi Ayurveda Wellness Centre, Kollam, Kerala, India
Did you know that nearly 1 in 4 people worldwide will suffer from a mental health issue during their lifetime? As the modern world battles rising rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD, ancient Ayurvedic wisdom offers a timeless, holistic lens. By understanding the triguna framework—sattva, rajas, and tamas—we can reimagine mental health not just as a disease of the brain, but as an imbalance of mind, body, lifestyle, and consciousness.
Mental Illness: Not Just a Chemical Imbalance, But a Guna Disturbance
In Ayurveda, manasika vikaras (mental disorders) are rooted in disturbances of the gunas—the three fundamental energies of the mind:
Sattva: clarity, balance, purity
Rajas: agitation, desire, turbulence
Tamas: inertia, confusion, darkness
Unlike modern psychiatry, which focuses on neurotransmitters and behavior, Ayurveda perceives mental illness as a distortion of consciousness.
Anxiety (Chittodvega): arises from excessive rajas, leading to hyperactivity, worry, and restlessness.
Depression (Vishāda or Avasāda): linked to tamasic dominance, causing lethargy, hopelessness, and detachment.
ADHD (Chittavasāda or Atichitta chanchalyata): a mix of high rajas and low sattva, manifesting as inattention, impulsivity, and agitation.
Dr. R. Hema (2021) notes that the guna model explains behavioral fluctuation more holistically than dopamine-serotonin theories alone.
Decoding Manas and Buddhi: The Inner Map of Mental Function
Ayurveda identifies the Manas (mind) as the interface between Indriyas (senses) and Buddhi (intellect). It performs four key functions:
Indriyaabhigraha: perception coordination
Svasyanigraha: self-regulation
Uha: reasoning and comparison
Vichara: decision-making
When Rajas and Tamas overpower Sattva, Buddhi becomes clouded, leading to impaired choices and emotional suffering. Unlike psychiatric DSM classifications, Ayurvedic taxonomy focuses on root-level functional breakdowns rather than just symptoms.
Medhya Rasayanas: Nourishing the Brain and Calming the Mind
One of Ayurveda's most sophisticated tools is Medhya Rasayana, a class of herbs and preparations that enhance cognitive clarity, emotional resilience, and mental sattva.
Modern studies support their efficacy: A 2014 randomized trial on Brahmi found significant improvements in memory retention and mood stabilization in students after 12 weeks.
Medhya rasayanas work on both the Sadhaka Pitta and Prana Vata, the sub-doshas linked to emotional processing and thought flow.
Marma Therapy: Rewiring the Nervous System Through Conscious Touch
Marma chikitsa, the subtle science of vital energy points, holds deep promise for emotional regulation. There are 107 primary marma points, many of which influence the nervous and endocrine systems.
Specific marma points for psychological balance:
Shankha Marma (temples): alleviates anxiety and migraines
Ajna Marma (third eye): balances pituitary and calms mental overactivity
Hridaya Marma (heart center): used for emotional trauma, grief, and depression
Adhipati Marma (crown): stimulates higher awareness and sattva
Clinical application: A 2020 study published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine showed significant reduction in anxiety symptoms in patients receiving weekly marma therapy for 8 weeks, particularly when combined with pranayama.
This therapy serves not just the body, but the emotional samskaras (imprints) embedded in the subtle nervous system.
Breaking the Cycle: Diet, Lifestyle & Mental Hygiene
Mental balance isn’t achieved by herbs or therapies alone. Ayurveda emphasizes ahar (diet), vihar (lifestyle), and achar (conduct).
Key interventions:
Sattvic Diet: warm, light, freshly prepared foods that calm the mind
Dinacharya: daily rituals including abhyanga (oil massage), pranayama, and grounding practices
Avoiding Rajas-Tamasic Triggers: such as excess social media, fast food, late-night activity, and chaotic environments
Satvavajaya Chikitsa: mental discipline therapies including mantra, counseling, and spiritual affirmations
Modern parallels can be drawn to CBT, mindfulness, and neuroplasticity training, but Ayurveda’s integration of conscious eating, behavioral ethics, and vibrational medicine gives it a deeper systemic reach.
Conclusion: Healing the Mind Is a Journey Back to the Self
Mental illness is not a label—it is a signal of disconnection from our inner equilibrium. Ayurveda teaches that behind every anxious breath, scattered thought, or heavy heart lies a disturbance of the gunas. By restoring sattva, nourishing the mind through medhya rasayanas, and resetting the energy body via marma therapy, we empower the individual not just to survive, but to thrive with clarity, calmness, and compassion.
In a world that pathologizes the mind, let us instead honor it as a sacred expression of consciousness.
“What if anxiety and ADHD aren’t diseases, but imbalances of rajas and tamas? Discover how Ayurveda heals the mind by restoring sattva through herbs, touch, and consciousness. #MentalHealth #AyurvedaHealing #MarmaTherapy #MedhyaRasayana #SattvaMatters”
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