Alka Mansik Pramarsh Foundation Clinical Psychologists-Family therapists Indore 0731-4263087,9179383554

Ashu (name changed) had been unable to lead a fulfilling life ever since he was diagnosed with schizophrenia by a psychiatrist. He had been prescribed antipsychotic medicines by various psychiatrists at every clinic his family had brought him to. Yet nothing seemed to work. His fears and phobias had grown worse over time. The voices in his head continued to torment him. His rational thinking had been severely distorted, and for him, all the delusions had taken on the form of real images and characters.

Similarly, Sheena (name changed) lived in constant fear and phobia of persecution by a person who had long since walked out of her life, five years prior. Sheena had been diagnosed with delusional disorder, a psychotic disorder. Her life had become utterly distressing, as she would frequently get consumed by her phobia and was unable to manage her normal day-to-day routine.

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric condition that impairs and distorts the logical thinking and cognition of the individual affected by this chronic brain disorder, encompassing both “positive” and “negative” symptoms.

Positive symptoms include hallucinations (hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t real), delusions (firmly held false beliefs), and disorganized thinking or speech. People experiencing active positive symptoms often react to those symptoms in ways that are noticeable to those around them (e.g., agitation, confusion). Ashu had been troubled by imagined voices telling him that someone was planning to prosecute him and have him imprisoned. While these thoughts were not apparent to others, he frequently spoke of hearing voices and linked them to someone he had dealt with in his family business.

Negative symptoms involve a marked decline in the affected person’s social engagement, communication, and motivation to handle everyday responsibilities. Sheena had shown negative symptoms when she was first referred to us for what was described as “split personality” behaviour. However, schizophrenia is unrelated to split personality. She had in fact been suffering from delusional disorder, a form of psychotic disorder on the schizophrenia spectrum.

Both Ashu and Sheena showed resistance to antipsychotic medications, and their families had reached a point of near despair, feeling that nothing would ever help. Ashu would occasionally show some partial improvement, only to slide back to where things had originally begun. We observed that Sheena’s condition remained more deeply chronic and touched every area of her life. She showed no response to any antipsychotic medications being given by the psychiatrist.

Both Sheena and Ashu struggled to build and sustain relationships, whether within the family or outside of it. They found it hard to manage their everyday responsibilities due to mood swings and delusions that continuously undermined their ability to think clearly. Both had largely withdrawn from social life. Their disrupted thought patterns made it impossible for them to recognise that their thinking differed from those around them. Their families also found it an overwhelming and financially draining challenge to keep up with the treatment prescribed every two weeks, owing to the high expense and the patients’ persistent refusal to take their medication.

We chose to combine Mindful Perceptive Meditation Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to treat both Ashu and Sheena on alternate days, ensuring consistency and reducing the chances of them slipping back into their ingrained schizophrenic patterns of thought and behaviour. In the beginning, engaging with them was a challenge — they would either skip sessions entirely or, when present, struggle to focus on what was being addressed. Over time, they began responding to our guidance. We introduced the treatment with “Shwas Preksha” — a mindful perceptive breathing exercise centred on the psychic centres — carried out under the supervision of an experienced instructor. Before long, we began to see meaningful progress in both clients.

We then introduced them to the practice of “Mindful Perceptive Meditation,” which draws both the body and mind into deep meditation on the psychic centres, with full awareness of the present moment and the breath experienced in its complete intensity. This was continued alongside regular Kayotsarga exercises, offering the clients a deeply needed sense of physical calm through mental focus. Kayotsarga is a meditative practice that separates the physical body from the mind and brings the body’s muscles to a state of complete, progressive rest — not unlike the progressive muscle relaxation technique.

Gradually, notable improvement was seen in several negative symptoms. Feelings of negativity towards self and family, a persistent sense of hopelessness, and a lack of interest or motivation began giving way to more positive thoughts and outlooks. Both clients responded encouragingly — Ashu and Sheena had begun acknowledging the brighter aspects of their lives. A growing sense of gratitude and appreciation became evident in their daily conversations with us, and we observed a renewed engagement with their everyday routines.

These gains were further reinforced through the practice of Mahaprana Dhwani — the generation of deep inner sound vibrations using the mouth and nose during exhalation — performed across all psychic centres as part of the deep perceptive breathing exercises undertaken by the patients.

Mindful Perceptive Meditation and CBT have been applied with considerable success across a range of psychiatric and psychological conditions. We have used Mindful Perceptive Meditation alongside positive affirmative techniques to assist affected individuals in regulating the functioning of endocrine glands associated with stress hormones and negative emotions, and to address the faulty thought patterns that follow. CBT fosters a more objective and evidence-based understanding of situations, helping individuals examine their thoughts with clarity and reason. Mindful Perceptive Meditation therapy also incorporates written affirmations about the self and one’s circumstances, assigned as homework and later discussed with the clients. The entire approach was directed at transforming negative self-perceptions and situational views into positive emotions and constructive thinking.

As a general guideline, a patient requires between 50 and 60 sessions spread over three to four months. In more severe cases, however, sessions — each lasting between 45 minutes and one hour — may extend to between 90 and 120 sessions over six to nine months, as was necessary in both of these cases.

It brings us immense satisfaction and joy that, following six months of consistent and dedicated effort, both patients had recovered substantially. With the loving support of their families and friends, the journey of reintegrating both of them into family life and society was successfully completed.

We have continued to apply Mindful Perceptive Meditation and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with positive outcomes across many other cases involving depression, anxiety, stress, and various psychological disorders, helping numerous individuals return to a fulfilling and normal life.

“Perceptive Meditation allows you to live in and with your breath, gently drawing your mind away from the anxiety, stress, and burdens of daily life. It empowers you to be present in each moment with complete mindfulness of your soul, body, and mind.” — Ramneek Kapoor

If you have a family member suffering from any such condition, we warmly invite you to reach out and discuss how we can help you move forward.

Take that first step today, and we will walk with you towards the happiness and peace you deserve.

Call us at 9179383554 or write to us at mansikpramarsh@gmail.com

— Ramneek Kapoor, Family Therapist, Psychological Counsellor, and Science of Living Expert

Read Full Post »