Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 1, 2019
Suprio Mandal, VinodKumar Sinha, Nishant Goyal
92 citations
Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, produced a rapid improvement in depressive and anxiety symptoms in 25 drug-free men with severe depression. Improvement was observed within one hour of the first subanesthetic dose (0.5 mg/kg intravenous bolus) and was sustained one month after the last of six doses given over two weeks. Illness severity did not improve. Transient adverse effects occurred in some patients but resolved within an hour. The findings suggest ketamine has a robust and rapid antidepressant effect, though the study lacks a control group and is limited to men.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 1, 2013
Tapas Kumar Aich
49 citations
Buddha's Four Noble Truths describe life as suffering (Duhkha), its cause (Duhkha-samudaya), its cessation (Duhkha-nirodha), and the Eightfold Path (right views, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration) as the way to end suffering. Mid-20th-century collaborations between psychoanalysts and Buddhist scholars are seen as a meeting of two powerful forces in the Western mind. Buddhism and Western psychology overlap in theory and practice, with parallels to phenomenological, psychoanalytic, humanistic, cognitive, and existential psychology. Alan Watts noted Buddhism resembles psychotherapy more than Western philosophy or religion. The author considers Buddha a unique psychotherapist whose methods helped millions.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
May 1, 2019
Amit Jagtiani, H. Khurana, N. Malhotra
15 citations
Depression improves faster with electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) than with antidepressant medications. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor antagonist, has rapid antidepressant effects when given intravenously. In a randomized trial of 60 hospitalized patients aged 18–45 with major depressive disorder, those receiving ketamine as anesthesia during modified ECT required significantly fewer sessions to achieve remission and showed faster improvement on depression rating scales compared to those receiving thiopentone anesthesia. The ketamine group also needed lower stimulus intensity and had longer seizure duration. Ketamine anesthesia appears to be a better option when rapid response to ECT is desired.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 29, 2023
Jahnavis Kedare, Sachin Pradeep Baliga, Adnanm Kadiani
6 citations
Dissociative disorders are common in Indian emergency departments, most often presenting as dissociative motor disorders, convulsions, or possession states. Prevalence in outpatient settings ranges from 1.5 to 15 per 1000, and in inpatient settings from 1.5 to 11.6 per 1000. Assessment is challenging because symptoms can mimic medical conditions; a detailed history, mental state examination, and targeted investigations are essential. Management focuses on ensuring safety, reducing acute symptoms through reassurance and a calm environment, and arranging follow-up. The Indian Psychiatric Society provides guidelines tailored to emergency settings, emphasizing the need to rule out organic causes and address concurrent psychiatric conditions such as depression or suicide risk.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
June 1, 2025
Ranjan Das, Rajarshi Chakravarty, Varaha V Gantait et al.
4 citations
About 30% of people with depression do not respond to two adequate trials of antidepressants from different classes, a condition known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Existing options for TRD include olanzapine-fluoxetine, rTMS, intravenous ketamine, and electroconvulsive therapy. The newer antidepressant dextromethorphan-bupropion has been found effective, fast-acting, and well tolerated for depression. In three cases of TRD, this medication, used alone or in combination, produced satisfactory improvement within two weeks.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
June 1, 2025
Dushad Ram, Akash Mathew
4 citations
Dissociative and conversion disorders in India are more common among young married women from rural, low-socioeconomic backgrounds. The most frequent clinical presentations are pseudoseizures, paralysis, and trance. Key contributing factors include childhood trauma, family dysfunction, and psychosocial stress. Common psychiatric comorbidities are depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and personality issues. Cultural and religious beliefs strongly shape symptom presentation and treatment-seeking behavior. The findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary care and call for future prospective research on long-term outcomes and underlying neuropathophysiological mechanisms.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
May 1, 2025
Varsha Sriperambudoori, Siddharth Sarkar, Anju Dhawan
4 citations
An online survey of 136 Indian adults (75.7% male, 44.1% homosexual) found that 33.8% had engaged in chemsex—using substances to initiate, facilitate, improve, or prolong sexual experiences, excluding alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis. Methamphetamine ("Meth," "Yaba," or "Ice") was the most common substance, followed by MDMA, poppers, and cocaine. Among those reporting chemsex, 45.7% also engaged in slamsex (injection drug use during sex). About two-thirds said their partners also used drugs. The primary motivation was enhancing sexual pleasure. Adverse effects included memory gaps and fear or anxiety. Chemsex was more common among participants with more sexual partners, group sex, HIV-positive status, STIs, or PrEP use. The findings suggest risk mitigation strategies may be needed for this population.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
July 1, 2016
Sravanti L. Sanivarapu
4 citations
Buddhism, originating in India, emphasizes cultivating a healthy mind. Modern psychiatry incorporates Buddhist concepts, particularly mindfulness from the Satipatthana Sutta, into therapies such as Gestalt practice, dialectical behavioral therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Evidence supports mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and it can be effective in chronic and terminal illnesses. Mindfulness is an effective therapeutic technique that can also promote positive mental health in healthy individuals.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
June 1, 2025
Suparna Kumar, Jigyansa Ipsita Pattnaik, Udit Kumar Panda et al.
3 citations
Ketamine infusion (0.5 mg/kg) every other day for six sessions led to progressive improvement in three of four adolescents with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder, with benefits maintained at two-month follow-up. One patient developed ketamine-induced psychosis. Ketamine shows promise as an adjuvant treatment for adolescent OCD, but psychomimetic risks require careful consideration.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
March 1, 2025
Kamlesh Jha, Pankaj Kumar, Yogesh Kumar et al.
3 citations
Patients with panic disorder who completed eight weeks of Rajyoga mindfulness meditation training showed significant increases in heart rate variability measures—SDRR, RMSSD, pNN50, and total power—compared to a waitlist control group receiving standard treatment alone. The LF/HF ratio decreased in the meditation group, indicating a shift toward greater parasympathetic activity. These findings suggest that Rajyoga meditation may improve autonomic regulation and could serve as a beneficial adjunctive intervention for panic disorder.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
July 1, 2022
Gokul Raj
3 citations
An online survey of 49 Indian psychedelic users found LSD was the most popular substance (93.9%), followed by psilocybin mushrooms (75.5%) and DMT (36.7%). The average age of first use was 22.4 years. Most participants (75.5%) researched the substance beforehand, and the main reasons for trying psychedelics were personality development (38.7%), curiosity (36.7%), and spiritual reasons (30.6%). Mystical Experience Questionnaire scores averaged 117 out of 150, indicating profound mystical experiences. Challenging experiences included heart racing, crying, isolation, and fear. Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder occurred in 4.08% of the sample. The authors note that established questionnaires may not fully capture subjective experiences in an Indian context, calling for more qualitative research.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
September 1, 2024
Bhuvana Prakash Vaidya, Sonia Shenoy, Samir Kumar Praharaj
2 citations
Aberrant salience is significantly elevated in schizophrenia patients with prominent positive symptoms, particularly delusions and hallucinations, and appears comparable to the general population in chronic remitted patients, suggesting it is a state-dependent phenomenon. In a cross-sectional study of 113 subjects (83 patients and 30 healthy controls), symptomatic groups (acute drug-free and chronic-medicated) showed higher aberrant salience than asymptomatic patients or controls, while no significant difference emerged between medicated and unmedicated symptomatic patients. A strong positive correlation was found between aberrant salience and positive symptom severity, but not with negative symptoms. Medication may reduce aberrant salience indirectly by alleviating positive psychotic symptoms.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
October 1, 2023
Anirban Pal, Purnava Mukhopadhyay, Rajasree Biswas et al.
2 citations
A randomized controlled trial in West Bengal, India, tested the effects of five weekly in-person mindfulness sessions on chronic pain patients. Compared to usual care, the mindfulness group showed significant improvements in pain intensity, pain acceptance, and perceived stress. Changes in pain catastrophizing, well-being, and mindfulness characteristics were not statistically significant. The findings suggest that mindfulness can positively influence pain intensity, pain acceptance, and perceived stress among Indian chronic pain patients, though further studies are needed to confirm these results.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
May 1, 2025
Mohammad Asif Sheikh, Thaddeus Alfonso
1 citation
Mindfulness is linked to reduced symptom severity in adults with both obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), but through different pathways. In 60 treatment-seeking adults with comorbid OCD and MDD, mindfulness was significantly associated with lower OCD and MDD symptoms. For MDD, this effect was mediated by reductions in obsessive beliefs and improvements in mental well-being. However, these mediators did not significantly explain mindfulness's effect on OCD symptoms, suggesting that mindfulness works through distinct mechanisms for each condition and that tailored interventions may be needed.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 1, 2022
Ravi Prakash Sharma, Ram Kumar Solanki, Suresh Gupta et al.
People with trance and possession types of dissociative disorder report stronger spiritual beliefs than those with other types. Among 44 participants diagnosed with dissociative disorder according to ICD-10 criteria, those with trance and possession disorder scored significantly higher on the Spirituality Involvement and Belief Scale compared to those with dissociative disorder not otherwise specified, amnesia, and motor types. Scores were also higher than for convulsion and mixed types, though not statistically significant. The core spirituality factor was especially elevated in the trance and possession group. The findings suggest that spiritual beliefs differ across dissociative disorder subtypes and may help clarify psychopathological aspects of these conditions.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
March 11, 2026
Ajay Kumar, Mahendra P. Sharma, Janardhanan C. Narayanaswamy et al.
Mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy (MICBT) reduced obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in patients with predominant obsessions and few or no overt compulsions. Of 27 patients, 18 (67%) achieved remission—defined as a 55% reduction in Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale severity score—at 3-month follow-up. The average reduction in obsessive severity was 56% at post-treatment and 63% at follow-up. The authors conclude that MICBT is efficacious for this population and call for a larger randomized controlled trial.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
February 1, 2026
Mahak Aggarwal, Jawahar Singh, Khushpreet Kaur et al.
Three male patients with alcohol or opioid dependence and depression who had not responded to multiple antidepressant trials showed substantial improvement in depressive symptoms and functioning after treatment with dextromethorphan-bupropion. The combination targets glutamatergic and dopaminergic pathways, offering a new option for the challenging dual diagnosis of major depressive disorder and substance use disorder, which is often marked by persistent anhedonia and high relapse rates. The findings suggest clinical promise but require further controlled studies to confirm efficacy and safety.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
March 1, 2025
Tathagata Mahintamani, Diptadhi Mukherjee, Debasish Basu
A narrative review of research from 2014 to 2024 updates understanding of cannabis and psychopathology. The association between cannabis and psychosis is robustly established, especially for very high-potency cannabis and vulnerable populations like young people. Cannabis withdrawal syndrome is better characterized. Links between cannabis and mood disorders, suicidality, and cognitive impairment are better characterized, though questions remain. Liberalizing policies on cannabis have produced findings on prenatal and accidental cannabis use with deleterious effects on offspring and mixed findings on later psychopathology, with a documented increase in emergency visits related to recent cannabis use.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
March 1, 2022
Jassar Abdul Jabbar, A. Ayyappan
Psychedelic research, which began in Western countries in the 1930s, was halted by a global ban due to widespread use and side effects. The 21st century has seen renewed interest in this area. This presentation reviews the history of psychedelic research, the reasons for the ban, the neurobiological mechanisms of psychedelics, potential treatments currently under investigation, and future directions.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
October 1, 2015
P. Gangdev, Varinder Dua, N. Desjardins
In a cross-sectional survey of 71 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder receiving follow-up care from an Assertive Community Treatment Team, only 15% reported sleep paralysis and 16.9% reported hypnic hallucinations, a considerably low prevalence. The authors conclude that studying these phenomena in patients with active or residual symptoms of schizophrenia is difficult and that more refined studies and appropriate questionnaires are needed. They also note that the possibility of sleep paralysis and hypnic hallucinations confounding or being misdiagnosed as psychotic symptoms should be considered.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 1, 2013
H R Aravinda Prabhu, P S Bhat
Studying mind and consciousness through conventional scientific methods is challenging because of the divide between the observer and the observed. The Cartesian dualist view, which treats mind and matter as separate and unrelated, has been challenged by Eastern traditions like Yoga and Vedanta and by recent quantum theories in physics. Freudian and Neo-Freudian schools, rooted in the Cartesian model, have been criticized by humanistic schools that align more closely with the Vedantic concept of unity. The paper provides a comparative analysis of these two approaches.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 1, 2013
S Haque Nizamie, Mohammad Zia Ul Haq Katshu, N A Uvais
Human experience always includes a spiritual dimension, and spirituality is now recognized as a key determinant of health, extending beyond religion and mysticism. Recent neuroscience research has explored spirituality's role in understanding psychiatric illness and developing therapies. Sufism, a prominent spiritual tradition within Islam influenced by Christianity and Hinduism, has contributed to the spiritual well-being of many people. Originating in early Islam, it reached its height in the medieval period with many Sufi orders. Sufism aims for communion with God through spiritual realization, viewing the soul as the agent of this communion and God as the only real existence. This tradition may offer a vital link to understanding religious experience and its impact on mental health.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
January 1, 2008
Ravi Prakash
Consciousness remains a complex and fascinating phenomenon. While it has been pondered since antiquity, scientific investigation into it is relatively recent. Among the many theories about its nature and mechanisms, cognitive theories have gained wider acceptance. A prominent recent hypothesis is the 'conscious access hypothesis' based on the 'global workspace model of consciousness,' which highlights the global access of information in the cerebral cortex. This article reviews the theoretical foundations of the conscious access hypothesis and the experimental evidence supporting it.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
July 1, 1994
D. Basu, A. Malhotra, V. Varma
Cannabis use is associated with several psychiatric syndromes, but the nature of these associations remains unclear. This paper discusses cannabis intoxication, 'cannabis psychosis,' and related conditions such as flashbacks and prolonged depersonalization. The controversial link between cannabis and schizophrenia is noted, and various methodological issues in clinical cannabis research are highlighted.