How are multiple personality disorders related with the mind?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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Thank you. So what exactly is the mind? And see there are multiple perspectives all over.
So are these, how are they understood from the perspective of the mind? That is from our philosophy. The mind is best understood like the software program in a computer. So there is a hardware, there is a software and there is a user.
So the soul is the user, mind is the software. Now this software is programmed and it is also programmable. So by the past choices that we have made we have created certain impressions.
And they are like the programs in the mind. So those programs, just like if we have used a computer repeatedly, then certain programs automatically open up and start up, or as soon as we open a browser, certain page automatically opens up as a home page. So the way a computer has been used, certain settings become deployed.
So like that for all of us based on the way we have acted in the past, certain kind of desire, certain kind of thinking, certain way of behaving, that has become like our default patterns. So we often do those without thinking itself. Without thinking, without choosing also.
Just get chosen for us. Now not all of these are bad, and not all of these are even changeable. So within the mind’s programs, there is there are our desires which are related with say Kaam, Krodh, Roma, Matsya, Anandas, which have to be curbed and churned pure.
But there are also the desires which are related to our Varna, to our Sabhav. So also Akshatya nature, Ramana nature, whatever, different kind of natures we may have. So that has to be understood and channeled.
That doesn’t have to be given up. That can’t be changed also to a large extent. So Krishna talks about this and he says, What can depression accomplish? This is not referring to that, he is not saying that you should not try to control lust or hate or anything like that.
He talks in the next verse only that you have to control lust. But Nigraha he talks about, a certain programming that is the way they are. Just like if I have an Apple computer, I cannot make it function like a Windows computer.
It’s a different system. So like that, a Brahmana cannot be made to work like a Vaishya. Or a Temple, they may do like that.
So in the mind, there is a certain programming which is usable in our material life and usable in our spiritual life also. And certain programming which is undesirable, which needs to be countered and which needs to be corrected. So the process of Bhakti is a process of purification of the mind.
Now purification essentially means correcting the wrong programming. That is what purification is. Now with respect to mental and personal disorders, it’s difficult to say because these sort of disorders, there are different symptoms by which they are diagnosed.
And one problem with psychiatry is that psychiatry is not a precise science of the same level as say science related to the other bodily parts. For example, if we have malaria, there are specific germs, there are tests which can be done to find out these are the germs and this is the cure. But for brain related problems, there are no germs like that.
So there was a survey done in London. They had a person go to 8 different psychiatrists and he described the same 10 symptoms and all the 8 psychiatrists gave 8 different diagnoses of disease only on the same symptoms. Why? Because different psychiatrists emphasize different symptoms and based on that, which symptom was emphasized, the diagnosis comes out to be different.
So that’s why psychiatry is not a very precise science. That is not to say that psychiatry treatments may not be required certain times. If there are some disturbances in the brain functioning, shortage of certain hormones or chemicals, there are certain damage to the brain parts in terms of structural damage, then that may cause some behavioral problems and that may lead to a structural or a chemical restoration for the immune system.
But in general, if somebody has a multiple disorder problem, that could be at one level because of from the perspective that there are examples, there are well documented examples of a person, say that person was born in France and never been out of France and suddenly that person starts speaking some African dialect. Now, how could they have known that? So from the very perspective, I understand that in such cases, where the person exhibits knowledge which is just not possible by any means then that is a reasonable case for saying that some other person has entered into that person. It’s like, as you say, ghosts possess someone.
So it could be like a ghost possessing. But we don’t have to jump to that conclusion as a first conclusion. Generally speaking, does the mind split into two? Mind doesn’t split into two.
Mind is only one. But sometimes the mind may have very rapidly changing or rapidly or wildly contradictory desires. One time the mind feels like this, other time the mind feels like that.
So, when that happens, then that requires in some way it can be treated using some medicines. But that is largely because of a result of too much Rajoguna and Tamoguna. So, when there is too much Rajoguna and Tamoguna, the mind just runs wild.
So, as devotees, there are some devotees who are into psychiatry and they offer counselling. And there are some devotees who are trying to work up connection, explaining many of the modern psychiatric problems from the spiritual perspective. But primarily for us, if a devotee faces some mental problems, then we should not be judgmental thinking it’s just a weak mind.
It can be a weak mind. It can be actually a brain problem also in terms of some structural or chemical imbalance in the brain. Whatever be the problem, we should not stigmatize.
If they have a problem, then we want to help them and whatever is the best way to help, that will have to be judged. But just as some people may be physically weak, like that some people may be mentally weak. So, it’s not a character deficiency.
Some people they just eat a little wrong food and their whole stomach gets upset. Others, they treat their tongue like a conveyor belt. Nothing seems to go wrong.
So, that is that is not a secret. That is just the way different bodies are made. Different minds can also be made in different ways.
So, some devotees are such that they cannot cope too much pressure. They just get, they scramble when there is too much pressure. Do you understand? That’s the way their mind is.
And they need to be guided and engaged accordingly. Krishna doesn’t see how much we are doing. Krishna says, how much we are doing according to our capacity.
Somebody will be doing just like we have the famous story of Hanuman and the squirrel. Hanuman was taking giant ball. What does the squirrel do? He is taking small particles of dust.
So, if somebody has a limited physical capacity, somebody has a limited mental capacity, if they are using that to the fullest, Krishna is pleased by that. So, we should not be never stigmatize anyone who seems to have these problems. But whatever is the best way that they can be helped, we should be encouraged to take that help and continue practicing.
Does that answer your question?