Modern psychiatry originated in the 4th-century Greek era of Hippocrates. After a long period of constraint, it gradually transformed from inhumane treatments into a more humane approach to medicine. From early theories of organic and psychogenic causes to the current comprehensive approach, humanity has indeed experienced periods of uncertainty, struggle, and struggle in the field of psychiatry. The emergence of powerful sedatives in the last century or two has brought considerable comfort to researchers in psychiatry.

    Most patients with mental illnesses seek help from specialists in large hospitals. However, the treatment results are not as optimistic as expected. It is common to see some patients who have been hospitalized for a period of time. Although their physical and mental health has improved after discharge, their ability to work is affected by their disconnect from social reality or their inability to adapt to interpersonal relationships. As a result, they return to the ward to continue receiving treatment.

    Psychiatrists generally do not advocate that the goal must be to cure the disease. Instead, they believe that as long as the patient is able to take responsibility for himself and his family and has the ability to adapt to social life, and as long as he returns to the clinic for treatment on time so that the condition does not worsen, this is usually the direction in which psychiatrists assess the condition.

    Such a situation is undoubtedly a loss for the patient, and perhaps it is out of necessity. But as a person with mental disorders, I always hope that I can be healthy and happy like a normal person, and I also hope that society can treat them with the right attitude.

    In fact, there is more than one way to treat mental illness. In this era where science takes the lead, we often overlook some good traditional Chinese medicines that have existed since ancient times. However, due to the decline of traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist medicine, and the misunderstanding of spiritualism, this is a great regret for us Chinese.

    As for why a person develops a mental disorder, and what the causes of mental disorders are, this question is quite complex. Factors such as genetics, physical constitution, and emotional stress can all contribute to mental disorders.

    Some people consider seeking treatments from spiritual or Buddhist sources as heresy, which is a rather erroneous view. Next, let's explore the connection between mental illness and spirituality. Three points will be discussed:

    I. The subconscious of mentally ill patients possesses an incredible power:Ancient Arabs viewed mental illness as a gift from God, using mental derangement and hallucinations to reveal divine will. The subconscious spirit of most mentally ill individuals is often much stronger than that of ordinary people. When they experience an episode, they often experience incredible phenomena such as auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, or even believing themselves to be great. However, these are all manifestations of a malfunctioning subconscious spirit, leading to these phenomena.

    If we truly unite the patient's subconscious spirit with their conscious mind, these phenomena will naturally heal without treatment. However, this is not the main direction of treatment. The key is to help the patient maintain a joyful state of mind at all times, and to ensure that every thought and action reflects goodness.

    II. Meditation and the regulation of breath not only aid in spiritual practice and the attainment of ultimate spiritual goals, but also enable the expression of equanimity, resolving emotional distress in patients with mental illness.In medicine, there are concepts of obsessive thoughts and behaviors. However, meditation can achieve remarkable therapeutic effects. Many people who practice meditation incorrectly do so. The so-called "sitting" is not simply about focusing intently on a still surface, suppressing all distracting thoughts, and achieving a temporary "emptiness" of thought. True meditation involves continuously reflecting on past strengths and weaknesses through quiet contemplation, maintaining the strengths, thoroughly improving the weaknesses, and even reflecting on memories from thousands of lifetimes ago. This process cleanses the mind of impurities accumulated over time – this is the true meaning of meditation.

    While maintaining stillness, "breathing" can promote the circulation of qi and blood. When qi flows smoothly, wind and evil cannot invade, and the mind is at peace. Therefore, the knowledge of "stillness" not only helps in spiritual practice, but also greatly benefits physical and mental health.

    III. The Invasion of Other Spirits:The intrusion of external spirits is often one of the causes of mental illness, most commonly seen in schizophrenia. Typically, the intrusion of external spirits causes a state of confusion in brainwaves, which is often brought about by a combination of many factors. For example, if a patient had a deep karmic connection with a spirit in a past life, and hatred led to their death in that life, then this person's stored memories will "imprint" this memory on a certain part of their body, causing their illness in this life—the so-called "karmic illness."

    As for how to expel other spirits, generally speaking, the only method is through "fellow practitioners." Use your own spiritual cultivation to influence the spirit, making it a supportive condition for your practice, and cultivate together. There's a Chinese proverb: "A loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise." Mental patients invaded by other spirits experience even more mixed feelings about their physical and mental illnesses. However, perhaps because of this experience, they can better utilize their powerful subconscious to achieve remarkable success and extraordinary merit.

    In Western medicine, diseases with unknown causes are often given a medical name without further investigation. For example, there is a disease called "monologue disorder," but it is actually a phenomenon that occurs when a person has been invaded by external spirits for too long, causing the patient to seek spiritual relief and resulting in the initial manifestation of their own spiritual inspiration.

    As for spiritual research, humanity is currently in its infancy stage. Perhaps by adolescence, it will be able to help more people resolve the four major life issues of birth, aging, sickness, and death. What is certain at present is that the help provided by psychiatry to patients often only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause, so we cannot place all our hopes on doctors.

    Perhaps in the future, if the treatment of mental illness can be combined with existing psychotherapy and further explored spirituality and Buddhist psychological practices, it will undoubtedly be a great boon to the mentally ill and usher in a new era for the field of human psychiatry.