I found this article that talks about how Buddhist principles can be applied as a form of counseling and dealing with a psychotic mind. In fact, many psychological theories and frameworks today is directly linked to the Buddhist view of the mind. In the past, the main problems were physical illnesses such as plagues and contagious diseases, but these days it is the disease of the mind that is a problem - depression, anger issues, psychosis, borderline personality disorder -- are all byproducts of being too self absorbed with our own pain instead of focusing out. Buddhism has the direct antidote to it and that is why it is effective in helping and when psychologists actually use buddhist principles, the recovery rate would be much quicker and more people will suffer less and benefit more.
Psychiatrist incorporates Buddhist philosophy to heal patients
by Dava Castillo, All Voices, Jul 2, 2012
Buddhist philosophy and practice is incorporated into psychotherapty by Dr. Loizzo
New York, USA -- In the practice and study of Buddhism, non-duality or wholeness is a binding philosophy and critical to achieving enlightenment. All beings are equal in wanting happiness and not wanting pain; therefore one should protect others as one protects the self. This is called “the exchange of self for others,” or mindfullness.
Joseph Loizzo, founder and director of The Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, has written a book called Sustainable Happiness in which he shares decades of research and clinical practice using traditional psychoanalysis, neuroscience and Buddhism in the practice of achieving wholeness.
“The main problem in our human condition has to do with the fact that our natures were adapted for life in the wild, and that because of civilization, we are living in very unnatural conditions,” says Loizzo, who believes this is the primary source of stress for most people. "The stress instincts are what prepare us to fight or fly or freeze sometimes in dangerous situations. But since civilization began to sort of take over our whole lives, these stress reactions are a less and less useful part of our makeup,” according to an interview with Voice of America.
Controlling involuntary responses in stressful situations result in shortness of breath, sweating, and adrenaline surges alerting the body it is in possible danger.
“And because really what is challenging us is not a predator, but is another human being," he says, "whom we need to cooperate with and we need to negotiate with, essentially we become maladapted.”
Buddhist practices and philosophy have long been used for conflict resolution. Dr. Loizzo says by incorporating Buddhist techniques into his medical practice using meditation and breathing techniques, one can re-train the brain to control the body responses to reduce the stress which can lead to depression, chronic anxiety, hypertension and heart disease.
“The idea is that if you’re mindful, you are able to assess things more clearly, and you are able to catch the misperceptions and over-reactions as they occur and opt out of them and choose the alternative [and] to see what is happening to you. Meditation becomes sort of a teachable simple pragmatic system for strengthening the parts of our mind and our brain that we need to be healthy and happy.”
