Sid Lodaya's Blog

Dear Adi,

My name is Stan Piazza. I am a psychotherapist. I have read a few letters you have written to one of my patients. I must admit I am profoundly touched. There is not just wisdom in your words – there is an unquestionable subtle power that I cannot describe.

I am writing to express my respect for you as well as ask you for some guidance in regards to the treatment of one of my other patients.

Her name is Alicia. She is in her early forties. Brilliant. She did not like traditional schools, nor did any teacher could tolerate her. Then came the Internet Age. So she decided to teach herself. And she has done so wonderfully.

She has produced so much in so little time. ( less than ten years ). I have seen her sculptures, pottery, paintings, writings and poems. Even the photographs she has shot are incredibly beautiful.

She does not have a steady job and she is unable to make enough from her artwork and writings. She does some pet setting and house care for some people. Fortunately, she has inherited a two family house from her grandmother. She gets some steady income from the rent..

Her poverty and bad treatment by people push her into a melancholic state. That state slowly develops into her dark side. She becomes sad, lonely and aloof. She does not talk to people. She does not have any close friends.

Her mother forced her to go see a doctor who thought she was perhaps very depressed and referred her to a councilor who referred her to me.

I am proud to say that she likes me. She has come for six sessions and completed all tests I wanted her to complete.

Now we have to come to an impasse. She is refusing to take any medications.

My training and experience compel me to conclude that she is suffering from Hypomania. She has all the symptoms. High energy and creativity followed by dark periods when she becomes lethargic, nonproductive, blank, depressed, sad, lonely, isolating herself from everyone around her and withdrawing from everybody and everything. She becomes terrified and worried about her old age. Her mother says, her father suffered from panic attacks.

I prescribed her a medication .She refuses to take. She is quoting you from one of your books in which you are telling reader to avoid medications as far as possible. I looked through a few pages myself. Impressive. But I need your help in convincing this woman to take medication. If you are preaching to people that they should not take medication, I think you may be harming a lot of people more than helping them.

I hope to hear from you.

Respectfully,
Stan Piazza.

Reply from Adi:

Dear Stan,

Thank you for your letter about Alicia. It was interesting to note that you started your letter with an intention to ask me for guidance and you ended it up by criticizing me as well as asking me to order someone to take medications!

For the record, I do not preach that everyone should not take medications.

People come to me to learn meditation, I teach them meditation and tell them that those who meditate will be able to overcome most of the problems created by mind. In fact the more one experiences meditation, less problems created by sick mind arise. But still there is a possibility of one facing psychological problems solely arising out of a sick body.

I myself suffer from severe panic attacks, so much so that at times when I have an onslaught of a server attack, it becomes tremendously difficult to breath. I have refused to take medication. I suffer through it and remain aware of what body is going through. Even if there is tremendous discomfort and the body almost stops to breathe, I ‘manually’ breathe, that is, I purposefully continue to breathe and find that there is absolutely no obstruction in breathing. I have understood that all my fears are temporary and created by mind. I examine my surrounding to confirm that I am in a safe place and there is no one there to harm me. I remain centered in my inner peace and in a few moments the onslaught of the attack passes just as a storm does.

People who have never meditated in their lives, and those who have severe conditions, and those who have not cultivated patience in their life style, medication may be their only immediate help.

As to my harming more than helping by preaching not to take medication, it may be equally true about you. You may be harming more than helping by prescribing medications. Because today’s medications cure one thing and cause another. And then you have to take medication for the other thing. So most people who take medications do not end up taking just one. They have to take several different medications.

Moderation and balance while prescribing and taking medications will be more helpful. Healthy lifestyle means simplicity and be closer to Nature. And finally, trust. Trust Life.

Blessings for All of Us.

Adi