ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER AND ITS AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT – A REVIEW

Susmitha C.*, Vinod R., Dinesh K. S., Sreekumar N. and Jithesh M.

ABSTRACT

In the context of neuro-developmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), there is a real need to understand the role of mind along with bodily factors in its psychopathology, leading to the manifestation. Characteristic descriptions of symptoms of ADHD including hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity can be incorporated under the various areas in Ayurveda such as unmāda spectrum disorders, mānasika doṣa and mānasika prakṛti (psychic constitution and trait) and sarīra doṣa and sarīra prakṛti (bodily constitution and trait). The basic psychopathology in ADHD can be explained as the derangement of the mental functions and the faculties related with manas such as dhī, dhṛti and smṛti. Ācārya Caraka explained mano vyāpāra or the functions of manas as indriyābhigraha and svanigraha. ADHD symptoms when critically analyzed can be linked to the disease unmāda with various neuro-behavioural symptoms categorised under the eight factors known as ashta vibrama. Causative factors, prodromal features, symptoms and treatment modalities are being explained as per the Ayurveda context. ADHD is characterized by the three core symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, which is to be explained as per the concepts of Ayurveda manifesting as vāta-pitta pradhāna vyādhi with dhī, dhṛti and smriti vibrama

Keywords: ADHD, Ayurveda, Manas, Prak?ti, Unmada.