CASE HISTORY 17
NAME: N. Sujun
D.O.B: 06.11.1943
SEX: Male
COMPLAINTS & DURATION
Depression, with attacks of delusion.
Alcoholism
Cigarette addiction
PREVIOUS HISTORY:
Teetotaler, non smoker.
TREATMENT:
Under medication with private psychiatrist.
PROGNOSIS:
The prognosis in such cases is not favourable.
Patient had some serious problem at work. No longer able to cope with the situation he went into severe depression. Several consultations and medication from psychiatrists brought no relief. He had been a teetotaler and non-smoker. He suddenly took to smoking and drinking heavily. He could not be brought to reason by his relatives or anyone else. His work and whole career was at stake.
However, he had some confidence in one of his brother in laws and confided in him. (See Letter annexed). The latter advised that he be taken for meditation.
DISCUSSION
- Depression
- Delusion
Depression
Depression is a common illness. Treatment is necessary but many never want to look for treatment. Depression interferes with daily life, causing pain to both the patient and close ones. Medical research has resulted in medications, psychotherapy etc, but there no foolproof treatment.
Depression is a leading causes of disability the world over, but many avoid seeking treatment as they worry what others will think of them. Suicidal tendency and delusional is common in depression.
Depression results from a combination of several factors, genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological. MRI has shown that parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to have abnormal function.
The most common treatments are medication and psychotherapy. Psychotherapy alone may be effective, especially in minor depression. Antidepressants work by normalising naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, but they may have side effects, some quite severe. Where medication and/or psychotherapy do not help, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be useful in severe depression resistant to other treatments.
Delusion
A delusion is a fixed belief that is false, fanciful, or derived from deception, despite evidence to the contrary. It typically occurs with neurological or mental illness. They have been found to occur in many pathological states, both physical and mental. Delusions are not due to a medical condition or substance abuse and they may seem believable at face value.
Causes
In this case the cause may be ‘defensive delusion’: when a person encounters difficulties in coping with life and maintaining high self-esteem.
Effects of Yoga and Meditation
Patient was a senior executive in a middle level management post in the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations etc. He got into some work related problems and went into depression.
“….his relative who was a senior executive in his late thirties. He had some problems at work and suffered acute depression.”*
Unable to cope with the situation, he started smoking. Within no time he became a chain smoker. Soon after, he started taking alcohol. He would go to some road side shop and take lots of alcoholic drinks. He would return home drunk, something unheard of before.
“His case worsened and he became an alcohol addict.”
He could no longer cope with the stressful situation and he projected all his problems on his close relatives, especially his wife. He started having delusional beliefs that she was being unfaithful to him.(Delusional jealousy or delusion of infidelity)
He became obsessed with thoughts about his wife being unfaithful to him. He would tie her on bed at night for her not to slip away! He was raving that she had lovers visiting her every night.”*
“He would rant and rave about his wife to anyone willing to hear. He even threatened to kill her.”*
(“I cannot foresee that our marriage life will continue beyond the end of this month and year, because the degree of her infidelity undescribable. She has got so deep in her vicious activities that she seems to be at the beck and call of the ruffians who are exploiting her.”)**
His work suffered. Soon, not being able to go to work, he was compelled to take long leave. He was taken to doctors who advised psychiatric treatment.
“Psychiatrists could not bring him to reason with counseling and with medication.”*
The psychiatric treatments were of no avail. Family members were in despair. They could not think of getting him admitted in mental hospital.
“The family was desperate! They did not want to get him admitted in mental hospital as it might cost him his job, his career and his reputation.”*
Although quite ill, still he had full confidence in one of his wife’s brothers. He wrote his brother in law a letter to ask for help, in his own distorted manner.
(“I would highly appreciate if you would ask your spiritual mother to meditate deeply into our case and forecast what is in store for both Santa and me. As for myself, I cannot foresee that our marriage life will continue beyond the end of this month and year, because the degree of her infidelity undescribable. She has got so deep in her vicious activities that she seems to be at the beck and call of the ruffians who are exploiting her.
I would also like to know how she has fallen in this trap. Has she been duped into a situation. Has she been made to eat or drink something? If yes, by whom? Is she having an intrigue with only one person or are they looting her body in group. For these several nights on which she is raised from her bed and pulled out of the house as if by magic power. What is more tragic for me and the children, this happens when we are fast asleep. I cannot say whether this sleep is natural or caused by “Ti Albert” practices.
At present she has no attachment, no love, no respect whatsoever for me. I am considered as if a dog is barking and treated as mad. I feel that were it not for the 3 children, the roof under which she is living and the food and drink she is getting, she would long have deserted me and gone. Yes there is also another reason. At first she was attached to one fellow, but now it seems like a host of all others are exploiting her. The tragic thing is that I always find some clue mush after she has committed those acts of treachery. I have never caught her red-hand.”)**
Fortunately, he agreed to be taken to the ashram. He was initiated by Yoginiji and made to understand he will have to continue coming there for meditation.
“My colleague took him to the ashram. Right from the first day he started calming down and behaving. He followed Yoginiji’s instructions and meditated. He had to be taken to the ashram twice or thrice weekly.”*
His whole family cooperated and helped by accompanying him for meditation twice or thrice weekly. He was helped to understand his problem and this helped him recover his sanity so fast. He stopped smoking and alcohol. Within two weeks he was a changed person. The family was relieved.
“Within two weeks he could see clearly into himself and understood he had a problem and that meditation would help him get rid of his depression. He was coming with his wife and children to meditate and he got cured.”*
Without any of his colleagues being aware of the seriousness of his problems, he was cured and could rejoin service at the end of his leave. He followed the advice given and kept on with mediation at his place. He never got any relapse. He could work for 17 years more until his normal retirement age of sixty.
He could rejoin his job almost immediately after and could work until his retirement. He and his family kept coming on and off for meditation. He never got any relapse.”*
(*Excerpts from Annual Magazine 4, 2011, page 75-76)
(** Excerpts from Letter, M. Sujun.)
Conclusion
The patient had been suffering from acute depression because of his work problems. He tried to find escape in alcohol and cigarettes. Rather than improve, his condition worsened. He became more and more frustrated. His reserve of energy was being heavily taxed to fight the negative effects of these addictions. It was a downhill spiral. All this pent up tension led to his delusions. It was easier to put the blame on his wife, to justify his addictions.
All previous medical and psychiatric treatment had been of no avail. His reserve of energy was running low owing to his addictions. His system could not respond to the strong drugs prescribed to him. Instead in re-establishing his homeostasis they were aggravating his condition. Something was needed to replenish his stock of energy. This would be provided by the inflow of ‘prana’ through yogic breathing and meditation.
When he was brought to the ashram, he was extremely down and in intense mental agony. He was listless, almost lifeless. Yoginiji taught him deep yogic breathing synchronized with mantra repetition. The rhythmic breathing relaxed and harmonized the whole system. There was a feeling of complete relaxation.
When he was given shaktipat there was inflow of ‘prana’ to his whole system. The imbalance in his brain chemicals caused by his acute depression and worsened by nicotine and alcohol was being remedied. Previously whatever prana available had gone to fight the negativities. Now the action of the prana overwhelmed the negativities created by the wrong wiring of his system through addiction. The brain responded to the increased oxygen intake of deep breathing and the accompanying ‘prana’ now freely entering his system and he was freed from his negativities. The pent up tension was released. This relieved the disruption of the nervous system. The brain and the nervous system were rebalanced. He got immediate relief and started feeling better.
Yoginiji advised him to continue with regular meditation. This further consolidated the beneficial effects he had obtained from that first session of yogic breathing and meditation. He was made to come 2-3 times weekly and meditate for 1-2 hours at the ashram.
The constant practice of yoga and meditation increased the stock of prana and helped in restoring homeostasis. Within two weeks he was completely cured and resumed his work. He never had any relapse.
Transcript of letter written by patient Mr N. Sujun
Ministry of Labour, IR, etc
Labour Unit,
Edith Cavell Street
Port Louis,
19th Dec. 1986
Dear D…,
I hope things are running smoothly for you. At my end, things are getting from worse to worst.
I am enclosing copies of Birth certificate of both Santa and mine. As you may be aware we were religiously married on 22.12.68 and civilly on 23.3.70.
I would highly appreciate if you would ask your spiritual mother to meditate deeply into our case and forecast what is in store for both S…. and me. As for myself, I cannot foresee that our marriage life will continue beyond the end of this month and year, because the degree of her infidelity undescribable. She has got so deep in her vicious activities that she seems to be at the beck and call of the ruffians who are exploiting her.
I would also like to know how she has fallen in this trap. Has she been duped into a situation. Has she been made to eat or drink something? If yes, by whom? Is she having an intrigue with only one person or are they looting her body in group. For these several nights on which she is raised from her bed and pulled out of the house as if by magic power. What is more tragic for me and the children, this happens when we are fast asleep. I cannot say whether this sleep is natural or caused by “Ti Albert” practices.(black magic)
At present she has no attachment, no love, no respect whatsoever for me. I am considered as if a dog is barking and treated as mad. I feel that were it not for the 3 children, the roof under which she is living and the food and drink she is getting, she would long have deserted me and gone. Yes there is also another reason. At first she was attached to one fellow, but now it seems like a host of all others are exploiting her. The tragic thing is that I always find some clue much after she has committed those acts of treachery. I have never caught her red-hand.
If you wish, do not tell or show me what is happening to her, find out for yourself and speak to her.
Yours sincerely
(N. Sujun)
signed