The Depression according to the Loka-dhamma

Abstract

Depression is a type of mental illness caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, which affects daily life in terms of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Common causes of depression include stress, mental conditions from upbringing, and dealing with bad situations. There are two general treatment methods: medication and psychological treatment for depressed patients. In Buddhism, The Loka-dhamma is mentioned as the nature of the world that dominates living beings, and living beings must follow these eight natural conditions: gain, status, praise, happiness, loss, disgrace, criticism, and suffering. These worldly conditions occur to both ordinary people who have not learned and those who have learned. The difference is that the first group of people do not know or understand the truth, are infatuated, and are happy or sad, allowing worldly conditions to continuously dominate their minds and not escape suffering. Those who have learned see the truth that whatever happens to them is impermanent, suffering, and changes according to the rules of the Tilakkhaṇa, which is the source of suffering from loss of gain, loss of status, criticism, and suffering itself. Whenever we are disappointed and unfulfilled, we should consider the principles of the Loka-dhamma and use the truth as a factor to heal our hearts and eliminate the suffering that causes depression.