Abstract
Ayurveda is probably the world’s oldest system of medicine that is in practice even today. It is based on the theory of Tridosha or the Three Humors and hypothesizes that the imbalance or disharmony of these humors leads to the emergence of disease. Ayurvedic practitioners believe in the confluence of the mind and body and how each plays a role in overall wellness. Ayurvedic texts describe the etiology and pathogenesis of common mental health disorders and, similar to modern medicine, provide a systematic classification of psychiatric difficulties. A treatment plan begins with an assessment and a mental status evaluation by a skilled practitioner, after which an individualized course of treatment is prescribed. Unique to Ayurveda is a combination of drugs and behavioral practices that are thought to be helpful in alleviating disease. Although limited, a number of clinical studies have looked at the treatment of mental health conditions in children, adolescents, and adults and they are described in this chapter, along with relevant non-clinical or pharmacological research.
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Kumar, N., Bowling, M. (2023). Ayurvedic Medicine in Children and Adolescents. In: Maldonado-Duran, J.M., Jimenez-Gomez, A., Saxena, K. (eds) Handbook of Mind/Body Integration in Child and Adolescent Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18377-5_35
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