Mental illness has been dealt with in various ways all through the ages. Over the centuries diverse methods have been used and are still in vogue in different societies to cure mental illness. Some persons with mental illness have had to face tortures in the hope of being healed. Others have been locked up or even killed in the fearful belief that people with mental illness are possessed. These healers are identified as shamans, witch doctors, vodoo healers, faith healers, siddhas, manthravadhis, and the like. Shamanism and its various forms are being replaced by scientific methods, though even educated people are attracted to these approaches. Another area of concern is that people are not willing to admit mental illness, as they fear being ostracized in society, especially when it comes to settling marriages and other relationships or transactions. Children of parents who are mentally ill face taunts and bias in their peer group. Parents of children who are mentally ill have to deal with the pain of having to explain their children's behavior to all and sundry. Considering all these issues it is imperative that we develop an attitudinal change in our approach to mental illness.

Mental illness should be approached with an attitude that we would have towards any other illness i.e., with compassion and love. Of course each dis- ease has its own peculiarities, hence these may need its own treatment modalities. The issue at hand is more the social attitudes and hence individual perspectives that develop because of social bias and prejudice. Mental illness is not a moral crisis of the person, but a physical and related emotional problem that has to be dealt with. We can through compasionate, empathetic and scientifically researched approaches enable persons with mental illness to lead fruitful and meaningful lives.

At Prathyasa Bhavan we are trying to develop a new model of treatment that would provide wholistic healing to the person with mental illness. This envisages the use of research based scientific understandings combined with a compassionate approach that seeks to put the human spirit back in control.