CASE HISTORY NO 5
NAME: KRIS
AGE: 40 yrs
SEX: Male
COMPLAINTS & DURATION
Nightmares, Hallucinations, Phobias – Fear of darkness and of lightning
Chronic headache and migraine, Gastric problems
Insomnia and somnambulism.
Depression
Stammering
PREVIOUS TREATMENT:
Antidepressants prescribed by psychiatrist.
PROGNOSIS:
The prognosis is poor for various reasons. Considering his past history and family environment, there were serious chances he would have lapsed in severe depression and ended up in mental hospital or committed suicide.
DISCUSSION
The salient features of this case are:
- Depression,
- Sleep disorders,
- Phobia,
- Lack of self-confidence and self-worth.
- Depression
Depression is a common but its gravity has been underestimated. It may be quite a serious illness, but many people never seek treatment. Many people suffer in silence or are ashamed or afraid to seek help, others downplay the severity of their symptoms. Thoughts about death or suicide are common in depression, and it is important to take such thoughts seriously.
Trauma, loss of a loved one or any stressful situation may be responsible for a depressive episode. Subsequent episodes may occur with or without an obvious trigger. The most common treatments are medication and psychotherapy. However, antidepressants may have side effects in some people.
It has been noted that a good relationship between a patient and therapist is likely to improve the patient’s recovery from depression.
- Sleep disorders
Night terrors can occur if the sufferer does not eat a proper diet, get the appropriate amount of sleep or is under stress. Some adult sufferers have many of the characteristics of depressed individuals. Since night terrors are commonly triggered by overtiredness, sometimes no treatment is necessary except proper sleep.
Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. The persistence or onset of sleepwalking in adulthood is far less common than in children. In some cases, sleepwalking in adults may be a symptom of a psychological disorder or of drug used for depression.
- Phobia
A phobia is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people. Phobias are a common form of anxiety disorders. Phobias are generally caused by an event recorded by the brain and labeled as dangerous; thus whenever a specific situation recurs the body reacts as if the event were happening again.
Phobias may result from difficult life experiences. Fear produced by a threatening situation is transmitted to other similar situations, while the original fear is often repressed or forgotten.
- Lack of self-confidence and self-worth
Lack of self-esteem and self-confidence increases vulnerability to depression or anxiety. The lack confidence in one’s ability to confront fears and obstacles in life, might lead to experience failure. This may lead to feelings of despair.
Anxiety disorders usually start to manifest in young persons when they have to cope with the fears and stresses of everyday life. Mental disorders which may have been in the background may then start to manifest.
Effects of Yoga and Meditation
Kris had been abandoned by his mother when still a toddler. He had problems with the step mother and did not have any family support. The father was also of no help either.
“I was still a toddler my mother eloped. There was no one to look after us. My father remarried. My stepmother was as cruel as my mother and illtreated us.”*
“…with a drunkard father that frittered away all savings.”*
He had an unhappy childhood and could not have proper education. He was condemned to a life of misery and exploitation, without any job satisfaction.
“My childhood and later years were very disturbed. With the inhuman treatment at home I could not cope with my studies. I left primary school in standard four and was put to work. Child labour was cheap labour: minimum wages for maximum work, which would add to my turmoil. Long years of exploitation followed. Without proper training I was condemned to be an odd job man. I was welder, cleaner, peddlar and worked in factories. I even tried a hand at catering. I had no job satisfaction.”*
The death of his eldest brother with whom he was quite attached, left him seriously traumatized. He then started having mental problems.
“I was twelve when I lost my eldest brother. He was seventeen. I was traumatised by his sudden demise. I started having nightmares. I was also subject to hallucinations and phobias. I became afraid of darkness and scared of lightning. I became a prey to insomnia and somnambulism.”
He went into the vicious cycle of chronic depression and even thought of putting an end to his miserable life.
“I was a burden to myself and to others. Visits to doctors and the different drugs they prescribed would prove ineffective. My life would be hell in an unwholesome environment. I started having suicidal tendencies.”*
Because of tension at home he preferred to spend the maximum time out with friends. This would worsen his situation at home.
“There was constant tension at home among family members. Always quarrels and no peace at all. There was too much stress at home.”**
“I preferred to spend my time with friends outside the house. Obviously, I got into bad company and wrong habits. I used to take alcoholic drinks, junk food etc. Relations were strained between my parents and me.”**
He had to make do with whatever he was given as food at home. This poor diet, together with all the tension in his house gave him serious gastric problems.
“Before, I would feel hungry and greedily gobble my food, only to have to vomit everything soon after. My stomach could not hold even an extra morsel”**.
“I had been suffering from chronic headache and migraine for years. I also had gastric problems. The little I ate would not be properly digested. If I happened to eat a little extra, I would soon have to vomit. This caused serious health problems. I was very thin, underweight, always fatigued, without stamina, no energy to work.”**
Not losing hope, he tried some treatment. Again he would be exploited in various ways, shuttled from one doctor to another. With no relief in sight, he resigned himself to a life with antidepressant drugs.
“I had to consult a specialist who referred me to a psychiatrist. The latter told me to get admitted for one week and undergo electroshock therapy (ECT). It would cost me a fortune, some twenty thousand rupees with no guarantee of any cure. Luckily I did not have that much money. I went to other doctors who prescribed anti depressant tablets. My table drawers were full of prescriptions.”
“For years I had been taking tablets for my so called psychiatric problems. The day I missed a single dose I would feel sick. I would not be able to work or do anything properly. Doctors had warned me I will have to keep on taking anti depressant drugs for a lifetime. I had resigned myself.”
Deep within, he felt he deserved a better lot. He knew he had to look for some cure to be able to have a decent work and progress in life. He understood the deleterious effects of medication. He even went for some sort of ‘meditation’ classes, without success.
“As I grew up I wanted desperately to better my lot. My poor health was an impediment. I tried a queer brand of meditation therapy. My stress and general condition became worse while my purse drained. Psychiatric treatment seemed the inevitable alternative. I would go to three different specialists. Nine long months I would be on strong medication without any apparent results. I was just becoming addicted!”*
Through a colleague at work, he learnt about the ashram and meditation. He was desperate for some solution to his problems.
“Ensnared and vacillating I implored God to save me… Fortune would smile upon me when a working mate would suggest a try at some Ashram. His mother had gone there to meditate. His aunties and cousins were still going there for meditation. One cousin had a miracle cure there.”*
He followed to the letter all advice he was given by Yoginiji. This went a long way to help him get rapidly cured.
“I was 23 when I first heard about the Ashram. I went for initiation. I had the chance to speak to Yoginiji in person. I told her my problem. She told me if I am taking any alcohol, fast food or any drugs to stop them immediately. I did not mind stopping alcohol and junk food.”**
He put his trust on Yoginiji’s advice and stopped all his antidepressant tablets. He was thus saved from becoming a life-long addict. Right from the first day he was a changed person.
“Although afraid to stop the medication, I picked up courage and brought myself to do so.”**
“The very day of my initiation I gave up all medication. My new miracle drug is meditation, the long awaited elixir.”*
“Surprisingly, after getting initiated by Yoginiji I never had to take a single tablet of medication.”**
As he has aptly titled his article in the 2001 Annual magazine, it was indeed “A STROKE OF LUCK”. Seeing his past history since early childhood anyone would have thought there was not much hope for him. In fact, left to himself, chances were he would have ended a complete wreck, a candidate for suicide.
“The future holds much promise. I am totally cured when I could have been a case for a mental hospital or a burden to my people. On the contrary I am able to ease their financial burden and be self-sufficient.”*
“I suffered from poor health, a failing memory, and insomnia alternating with somnabulism or hallucinations. Today I enjoy a thriving health, sound sleep and an improved memory.”*
“I used to have weird nightmares and disturbed sleep. Now I could sleep well. No longer did nightmares disturb my rest.”*
However, he was a changed person. He could not believe it was all true.
“Never before could I sit even for a split second without feeling bored and assailed by my sufferings, sadness and gloom. I was convinced my lot was only suffering. I was born to suffer! Suddenly the dark curtain fell from my life. A bright glow of hope shone from all sides. Was it all a dream? Was it true that my once doomed existence had shifted to a blessed existence? I could now aspire to lead a normal life in peace and plenty.”*
CONCLUSION
Kris had been suffering from several problems: Sleep disorders, Phobia and Lack of self-confidence and self-worth. This was aggravated by his poor environment and led to a state of chronic depression. Years of pent up tension led to physical and mental problems: Chronic headache and migraine, Gastric problems, Stammering and Depression.
Doctors did not take into account his past history, family history and environment. When he came to the ashram, he was extremely depressed and one could see the intense suffering in his demeanor. He was put to meditate immediately. During initiation, he was taught yogic breathing and made to breathe rhythmically.
The effect was immediate. Something new was happening. This increased inflow of prana was distributed through the whole system. The pent up tension was released. The abundant supply of prana balanced the nervous system. He felt immediate and great relief. This went a long way to relieve the tension which was the cause of his chronic depression.
Meditation involved shaktipat, deep conscious yogic breathing, concentration and repetition of mantra. The shaktipat would spontaneously take him to a superconscious level, cut off from the sense world and its attendant problems. Meditation was a discovery, something really amazing. He felt its supernatural power and it gave him great confidence.
He was encouraged to speak out freely about his fears and apprehensions and was advised about possible solutions. Previously he recoiled upon himself, introvert, extremely self-conscious and with an inferiority complex. The type of attention he was given right from the first day by Yoginiji helped him open up and feel at home; a caring that he had never known even at his own place. Yoginiji made him understand that if he develops a positive attitude he will have the capacity to get better. This holistic approach helped. He felt he had discovered a place where he could put all his trust and faith.
Although with apprehension, he stopped all medication on the spot. Almost three decades, he has been medication free! In 2001, five years after his initiation, he has written:
“It is now five years since I first visited the Ashram. It is still the only place where I feel myself really with a divine presence. The same ethereal atmosphere still prevails. I have undergone a complete metamorphosis. I am a new man with a new destiny!”*
He was thin and emaciated. He was encouraged to join the hatha yoga classes. This consolidated the effects of meditation. He could later undertake heavy physical work too.
“Later, I would join the hatha yoga classes run by Yoginiji. With daily practice my health improved.”**
He was a changed person. Even at home everyone noticed the positive changes. His relation with everyone at home improved.
“My relationship with those at home, parents, relatives, friends etc. was awfully strained. I had fallen into the bad habits of drinking, smoking and junk food. Ever since I set foot at the Ashram these were dropped to my great relief. I can now realise what a curse they were to my health and general well being. What a waste of hard earned money and precious energy.” *
“My parents did not protest my late coming. They knew I was no more on the streets. Relationship with my stepmother improved. Whatever I brought from the ashram I shared with her. She is always happy to receive something from the ashram. She has witnessed changes in my behaviour, health and whole life and is ever grateful to the ashram for saving me.” **
Several other positive things happened. His health improved. After he was taught proper breathing and he got self-confident, his stammering just disappeared. Gastric problems are usually associated with stress and depression. The latter pathologies were gone, so were his gastric problems. He was indeed saved!
“Before, I would feel hungry and greedily gobble my food, only to have to vomit everything soon after. My stomach could not hold even an extra morsel. Yoga practice helped me learn to eat leisurely and normally and hold the food for proper digestion and assimilation. I started putting on weight, some flesh on my bones!”**
“I had the bad habit of breathing through the mouth. During initiation Yoginiji explained the proper way of breathing. It was an eye opener. For 23 years I had been breathing wrongly. It had been at the root of many of my problems.”**
“I had the habit of stammering. I could not express myself clearly. I became a laughing stock because I could not make myself understood. Proper, yogic breathing finally helped me overcome this defect. I was able to speak normally. This further boosted my self confidence.”**
He has now become another person. He has full confidence in himself and in life. He is ready to face any challenge. He even took courage and went to follow computer courses!
“Today I am proud of my progress and look ahead to be more accomplished. I am now convinced that progress is possible at any age.”*
“Ashram encouraged me to follow IC3 computer course being taught at various centers island wide. I was hesitant and shy. Other meditators came along although they were computer literate. For 15 weeks, every Saturday they would accompany me and help me follow the courses. I also followed a 3 months’ course in basic plumbing at the IVTB.”**
With all the support and help he was given by each and every one at the ashram, no wonder he appreciates all and declares:
“Had I not been there these 17 years, I dread to imagine the pitiable conditions I would have been groveling in!”**
(* Excerpts from Annual Magazine 3, 2001, Page 58-59)
(** Excerpts from Annual Magazine 4, 2011, Page 60-61)