INTRODUCTION:

The traditional belief for mental health is equally important rather than scientific methods adopted by the psychiatrists; psychologists; counselors as well as psychiatric social workers in the society. But for the development of awareness of mental illness in the community and society are crucial issues in contemporary society where the people are unable to know about various problem of illness.

In this context, every year all the psychiatrists’ have been celebrating mental health week throughout the country at psychiatric centers and discuss about mental illness and their various types of them for the treatment point of view. During their lectures about the illness they criticized the traditional belief of mental health and illness for the identification of mental illness. It has require a holistic approach is supported by the fact that it does not depend on a single definition of mental illness, it is varied in nature, according to the cultural ethos of the community in addition to the traditional beliefs. During the criticism of it, I thought that the only celebration of mental health week is not sufficient in the hospital. There are two reasons behind it which are as given below:

1. Psychiatrists had only been focusing on the identification of mental illness in the community on the basis of International Classification of Disease (ICD- 10) + and

2. They have completely criticized the traditional belief for the treatment of mental illness.

The above debate will be incomplete unless the awareness about ICD-10 will be developed by the mental health educators in the community. And the role of the traditional belief will be considered for mental health by the psychiatrist which is playing a significant role for them. To extend the debate about mental illness, one has to depend on various advanced theories, which have explained mental illnesses numerous and varied. Its occurrence has been studied at various conceptual levels such as neurophysiologic; psychological; and sociological levels. It is quite as valid to approach mental illness via psycholinguistics as by means of neurophysiology. Each of these fields has its d’etre (it is a French phrase meaning reason) and has made its own contributions to our understanding of the problem (Parker, Seymour and Robert J, Kleiner, 1966). Obviously, these problems are becoming more and more severe in our rapidly changing society due to industrialization; urbanization; liberalization; privatization and globalization resulting emerging social problems and at the same time emphasis on individualism, equality and freedom, etc., have exposed more people to emotional insecurity, mental disturbances, and psychosocial depressions.

The strong emotional attachments; interpersonal relationships and economic support of the joint family system have absolutely collapsed. Sociologically speaking, cross-cultural factors have been shaking the traditional concept of the institution of family and marriage. For example, in our society parents earlier used to select spouses for their children. Now, young people in our society insist on selecting on their own and indignantly reject help from parents in the matter of choice (Deman, Dinesh, 2008). The colliding between conventional norms and the new ones developed emotional disturbances with the result that the behaviour of the person may be abnormal but it will depend on the personality traits of the individual. In these circumstances, before diagnosis of the abnormal behaviour by the psychiatrists, they should keep in their minds the story of blind men, each one describing the elephant taking into account its different parts. Similarly, psychiatric patients should be conceptualized by psychiatrists through various parts of the society in which the patients are living (Deman, Dinesh, 2010). It should not be on the basis of only the International Classification of Disease. However, the diagnoses of the patients are depending on the bases of ICD- 10 +

The conceptual framework of mental illness in the community has emerged from studies in the social sciences and from clinical research. They are not new concepts, but we hope to combine them in a way that will clarify some of the factors creating the potential for, and sustaining, this type of deviant behavior (Parker, Seymour and Robert J, Kleiner, 1966). Sometimes the behaviour of the persons is abnormal to such a degree that it is considered a threat to community life. When the violation of community norms beyond the tolerated limit becomes frequent enough to cause widespread concern, and when the resulting issues continue to resist resolution, deviant conduct becomes a social problem (Davis, James, 1970).Sometimes these social problems are considered by some cultural standards. A very large number of persons in some societies cannot be defined as mentally ill as their culture expects or demand some behaviour like suspicion of other persons, much hostility and aggression and delusions, etc (Stark Radney, 1975). Of course, these symptoms come into the category of mental illness according to the psychiatrist but they have impairment to classify as mentally ill because it is acceptable for the particular culture of the society, which is based on the norms, values and aspirations of the large society. For example, there were several suggestions, in newspapers, just before Mr. Richard Nixon resigned from the American presidency, that he was psychotic because he was out of touch with reality {the definition stems from psychoanalytic theory}. The fact that everyone else expected him to resign was apparently taken as the criterion not just of his political judgment but also of his sanity. This tendency to equate social nonconformity with madness can be seen at the other end of the political spectrum as well (Wing, J. K., 1978). On this basis, we could say that being away from reality is not a part and parcel of mental illness so that Nixon resigned due to political circumstances. Sometimes the above behaviour is considered to have appeared due to the impact of evil spirits that’s why the relative of the person takes the shelter of traditional faith healers for the treatment in an initial stage. Therefore, the need of this theoretical article.

Panorama of Traditional Belief:

In this support some studies reveal that 41% of cases were taken to holy individuals or holy places for treatment and this method was used more for females than for males. Out of two hundred twelve males, 29.2% males and out of 144 females, 59.0% females tried this method for their cure. The religious places visited were either temples of some Hindu god (51.0%) or goddess (26.1%) or mosque (7.6%) or holy individuals (7.0%) or the house of some individual believed to be possessed by some spirit (1.3%) and others (7.0%). These figures reflect the traditional attitudes of the patients and their families (Deman, Dinesh, 2010). In this support, Chong (1970) and Sandhu (1970) have noted that the traditional healers seem to handle a bulk of hysterical and neurotic patients quite effectively. Going to the supernatural healer for any illness is common and when it is a mental illness it is easy for people to see such symptoms as non-human or Para-human. According to the 180 patient, 72.7% of cases are going through supernatural healing before coming to the psychologist. And only 27% of people went to medical practitioners or psychologists after developing psychological or psychiatric symptoms. 83% of psychotic patients and 63% of neurotic patients went through supernatural healing irrespective of rural and urban background. Even among patients suffering from problems like drug addiction, alcoholism, retardation, 33.3% visited supernatural healers before visiting a psychologist (Kharkwal, Meena K., 2007). Of course, the traditional belief shows the prevalent illiteracy and poverty which is evident by the money spent and the time devoted to treatment (Deman, Dinesh, 2010). But during the celebration of mental health week all psychiatrists were criticized in their debate about such a belief held by the relatives of the patients. In their views, it has not been playing a significant role in the treatment of the patients and is considered as a myth or superstition. But in our view, it is not logical since our culture permits these rituals and people have more belief in religion, as well as conventions which have been learnt by birth via process of socialization, that’s why the people have been accepting as yet traditional belief and having believed more in routine practice in the family even socially and culturally acceptable and lacks the stigma of a designated “mad” and “sanity”. The reason is behind it, if the unmarried girls go to psychiatrists for treatment, because of which they will be known to have a mental illness it will be impossible to get married. Most of the time when unmarried girls were brought for treatment their parents requested special confidentiality. “Please do not let anybody know that our girl comes for treatment and if someone enquires us we would say you were our relative and we went to meet you” (Kharkwal, Meena K., 2007). It shows that the traditional belief save the family from the stigma of mental illness. Therefore, the relative of the patients believe in superstition and take assistance from the supernatural healer i. e. Dangaria. Only a Dangaria can diagnose if the problem is supernatural e. g. “Hawa lagna” or “pari ki pakarh” or it is an illness (bimari).

At first ninety-nine per cent (99%) of the cases diagnosed by Dangaria are supernatural. After having two or three sessions when it is confirmed by the spirits (in Dangaria) that the person in trouble is not their victim the patient is advised to take another help. It could be going to another supernatural healer or going to a doctor if it is considered “Bimari” by a supernatural healer (Kharkwal, Meena K., 2007). It means the belief of supernatural healers have been helping with the diagnosis of the illness and providing proper advice for the treatment of the illness by scientific methods. In my view, they are working like the action counsellor or mental health educators in the community after they becoming unsuccessful in the treatment of the illness in the community. But in some cases they have also been playing the roles of action counselors during their visit to the healers for the treatment. According to Kharkwal, Meena K. (2007), sometimes patients seek help from both medical and supernatural treatment and many of the patients regularly ask for help from both the mental health professional and supernatural healer. The treatment provided by supernatural healers helps some patients to cope up with the stress and sometimes it is seen to cure problems like addiction, anxiety and brief psychosis. It shows that the traditional treatment also plays a significant role in solving the basic problem of the suffering persons through the traditional counselling of the patients parallel to the medical treatment. On this basis; we could say that the traditional belief it is subset of culture or any religious treatment of the persons should not be denied since the belief of these person behind it has the short out of the social psychological issues which has more requirements for psychiatric treatment. Such a process has been applied by the family members to avoid the stigma and fear of the suffering person.

In Indian psychology goals and expectations of the individual brings to the potentially stressful situation. For example, a person has expectations to achieve higher position in his society but he is unable to become success then he will be suffering from some kind of stress and tension but it will be depend on personality traits. But he is unable to understand the causes behind it. When we will apply the Resultant Weighted Valence (RWV) theory it can be explained about the stress it is developed in particular person. The intensity of the approach forces toward any goal is the product of probability of success and valence of success. It has been explained by the mathematical formula according to Parker, Seymour and Robert J. Kleiner (1966) as given below:

(P success X V success) – (P failure X V failure)

If the evidence forces of the probability are failure and valence is also failure resulting in the discrepancy between aspiration and achievement D will be higher and resulting weighted valence (RWV) associated with a given aspiration level. It is expressed by the following formula.

Goal – striving stress = D [(P success X V success) – (P failure X V failure)]

How is this formula explained about stress and anxiety? If, the goal achievement is associated with satisfaction i. e. Valence of success is high or increases resulting in less stress or valence of failure is higher or increases resulting in more stress then becoming mentally ill. We could say in other words that in our life the discrepancy should not be much higher for the making of our aspiration until you are able to manage for the achievement of the aspiration. Otherwise you will be responsible for inviting stress in our present social system. We can assume if D is 4 and probability of success 3; valence of success 3; probability of failure 1 and valence of failure 7 when we will put these numbers in above formula then find goal – striving stress 8. It means that you are suffering from more stress due to the valence of failure which is higher. In this situation, for the mental health point of view the person goes to the faith healers or holy individuals etc according to accreditation or validity of him. After listen about the problem by them he bands black thread on his arm for the diversion of mind from his problem for the mental health. The black or red colour thread is called KALAWA in the Indian continent.

Furthermore, according to strain theory (Anomie) of the social sources these strains also produce pressure in the discrepancy between culture goals. It means that a person who is unable to arrange their social sources for the achievement of the goal creates stress (Morton, Robert K., 1938). But it depends on personality traits of the person and having capacity to cope up with stress. We can explain through one example of a person if a person wants marriage of his daughter with a boy but the father of the daughter is unable to fulfill the dowry system due to lack of arrangements of dowry and failing it he comes in the stress and tension. After that he goes to the faith healers or the god temple for the prayer to release his tension. Meanwhile the faith healers or priests called pontiff (pujari) of the temple he will ask about all the issues related to the celebration of marriage problems ven for the dowry issused by pontiff. Then advised the father of bride for the “Homa” (Havana) and for this purpose he will bring some worship material for the worship by priest. The priest calls to father of the son (groom) through the father of the daughter or any other sources and convinces him to reduce dowry according to the means of the father of the bride and then finalize the marriage and their stress and tension will be reduced. It has been observed in reference to ethno methodological orientation. Therefore, the traditional beliefs are working as action counselors in society. And the discrepancy between cultural goals and means will be neutralized.

In addition to above facts, even the myths is part of traditional belief and have been playing a significant role in the socialization of the individual and control of human behaviour and also in understanding the socio-cultural ethos and values a system of ancient and traditional societies (Pathak, P. N., 2014). According to Durkheim, Emile (1915)myths do not represent nature and society itself. They have a purely social origin and hence, are social products; they provide a clue for the understanding of the basic ethos of a society. However, the myths inculcate in the personality and character of the humans the supreme value of the trinity: Truth, Beauty and Goodness (Satyam, Shivam, and Sundaram). It is also cultivated in the minds of the humans the virtues of righteousness, piety, service, sacrifice, fortitude and rectitude, courage and love and affection, humbleness and meekness, etc. (Pathak, P. N., 2014). For example, symbols of Swastika, Elephant and Hans (Gander) represent prosperity, procreative power and knowledge. The above myriad dimensions of culture, society and civilization may be fruitful from the mental health point of view. It means the determination of mental illness depends on the particular culture, society, traditional belief and myth etc. of the community. However, it is difficult for us to say who is mentally ill and who is not? Even for this purpose the concept of Mental Health Educator has been developed by the Psychiatrists in the community and the roles of faith healers have been accepted by the psychiatrists during the calibration of mental health week otherwise it will be considered as merely calibration of mental health day.

CONCLUSION:

To sum up our theoretical core of this article reviles that the traditional belief has diversion of mind from the any stress and tension of the person which has been occurred due to his / her circumstances until the basic problem have not been solved by the faith healers; goddess; mosque; god and any holy individuals etc according to individual culture ethos of the family. Sometimes the stress and tension have been converted into short of mental illness but it is difficult to identify by the common men in the society. For this purpose the mental health educators have been appointed. In an initial stage the role of traditional belief will be helpful for the management of stress and tension according to the accepted belief of the family. Therefore, we could not ignore the culture ethos of the person in reference to mental health and wellbeing.

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Received on 30.05.2025 Revised on 09.07.2025

Accepted on 12.08.2025 Published on 20.08.2025

Available online from September 02, 2025

Res. J. of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2025;16(3):234-238.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5828.2025.00039

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