Dr Harish Shetty

Spiritual Gurus have been close to mankind for ages, more so in India and the east. Viewed with suspicion by the modern professionals but with a lot of reverence by the lay populace they have an important role to play in providing mental health care. Most of the times, it is the first stop for thousands during an episode of mental illness or an emotional upheaval. Mental Health Professionals need to integrate ‘Gurus’ into the system and engage in healthy partnerships with those who have the patient’s interest at heart. 

Care should be taken, not to encourage those who are exploitative and regressive in nature. 

How does one decide?

Following are a few important guidelines;

 There is no GOD on EARTH !

A rich businessman left his son who was very depressed in the ashram of a guru as advised by the ‘seer’. The family had a lot of faith and did not seek modern rational treatment from a mental health professional. During a ‘heart attack’ that afflicted the businessman’s wife they saw a cardiologist and not the Guru. The boy committed suicide after a few weeks. When the businessman fell at the feet of the ‘seer’, the Guru just said, ‘do not worry your son is in my abode’. Families of those ill should avoid such gurus who proclaim themselves as God and close the door for treatment. It may be true that the ‘seer’ may not have had the tools to detect the severity of depression and the parents also were probably not aware. But in some families, gurus may provide effective solace following a crisis such as sudden death /suicide. All mental health professionals need to map the spiritual gurus in their zones where they work and engage them in a dialogue. This helps rational ‘cross referral’ and provides holistic care.  The mental health professional may provide counseling or/and medicines whereas the ‘guru’ will ensure compliance. The ‘seer’ will support care and ensure continuous treatment. Shunning the ‘gurus’ and excessive criticism hurled may not help. The patient may stick to the guru and leave the professional.

‘Gurus’ may provide reassurance and support

When a senior corporate professional lost his savings in the stock market he landed up with a Psychologist and me. We both in right earnest began using our scientific ‘wares’ and he respected that immensely. This went on for eight weeks and asked us whether he can go to Gujarat to meet his father’s guru. ‘By all means’, we said! And he came completely refreshed with a lot of hope. The family had a lot of faith for years. The ‘Guru’ gave him a secret mantra to chant. ‘Gurus are culturally literate where as professionals may not be adept at using the correct idioms. The ‘mood lifter ‘provided by the guru provided us with a canvas for an effective intervention. He was receptive to the ‘tools’ we shared to tackle the crisis. Hence there was a symbiotic liaison. When I was younger I would vehemently oppose any visit to such seers. I would force my patients to throw all threads around the neck or symbols and pendants that they gave. Slowly I realized that my actions made no sense as ‘faith’ however irrational it appeared also helped. Partnership with healthy gurus is not out of strategy but with the belief that faith and rapport are integral ingredients for positive change.

Major Mental Illness and ‘Guru Gyan’:

When ‘gurus’ force the mentally ill to stop the medications that are absolutely essential there is a catastrophe. Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and other disorders, where medications are the first line of treatment is misunderstood by many ‘gurus’. Never should any family stop the medications even if God incarnate asks them to do so. If dissatisfied, they have every right to change the Doctor or the Psychologist. If any, ‘Guru’ insists to stop the meds than the families should shun the advice. The professionals involved need to connect with the particular Guru and educate him/her. I have found many to be very knowledgeable about serious illnesses and they do offer sane advice. In my experience many ‘seers’ themselves seek psychological treatment openly and wait in the clinics. At times I have found in certain sects due to religious reasons the night dose of medicines may be taken early at 6.30. But after many conversations the ‘religious heads’ do agree to take the dose when appropriate breaking their religious beliefs.  I have also seen ‘Gurus’ successfully finding a ‘match’ for a prospective man or a woman among his disciples. Many of such marriages have worked. In India a unique program, ‘Dava aur Duva [medicines and blessings] for the mentally ill has been functioning in mosques since 2008. With its beginning in Gujarat this unique activity has spread across the country in several places.

Spiritual support works when there is a ‘sprain of the mind’.

The huge ‘Angst’ across India has seen people flocking to ‘gurus’. The players are so many. Those stressed and with ‘sprain of the mind’ benefit, though the seriously ill also unfortunately gravitate towards them thereby delaying treatment. ‘Fractured minds’, [ those with major mental illness]need to reach mental health professionals at the earliest. In the recent days many gurus are languishing in jails for exploiting their subjects in India. On the other end of the spectrum many through their innovative practices such as the ‘sudarshan kriya’ or sermons are helping and healing those who are stressed or mildly mentally ill. There is enough evidence in mental health science  that non specific factors helps recovery such as arousal of hope, sense of belonging, faith in the guru e.t.c. Partnership with the ‘Spiritual Heroes ‘ will go a long way in treating the big burden of mental health issues. They should be integrated and not isolated or shunned.