Description
Attention Deficit Disorder: Ayurvedic Approach
by John Douillard, D.C.
The diagnosis, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), or Attention.Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is classified by three symptomatic characteristics: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. In recent years much research has gone into identifying the cause of ADD. Thorough investigations have gone into lifestyle, sugar intake, excessive TV watching, and even chemical toxicity during pregnancy, an occurrence one thought to be the cause of minimal brain disorders or ADD. In all the research only a small and insignificant percentage of cases with ADD proved positive for such causative factors. To date these factors remain neither proven or disproved.
In Ayurveda, ADD or hyperactivity falls under the heading of Unmada, which is a general heading for Mania's, or in this case a type of minimal brain disorder. The definition give by Caraka, Ni. Ch VII, V5, States that Unmada is a wandering of mind, intellect, consciousness, knowledge, memory, inclination, manners, activities, and conduct. It also describes five possible causes for this condition: vata, pitta, kapha, and sanni-pata (the aggravation of all three doshas) and exogenous factors (genetic or outside factors0.
