Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF THE CORRELATION BETWEEN NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL STATES AND THE SEVERITY OF GRAHANI DOSHA: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Dr. Shradha*, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh

Abstract

In the contemporary era of digitalization and rapid lifestyle changes, stress and emotional instability have become unavoidable, significantly impacting gastrointestinal health. Grahani is a disorder characterized by the derangement of Agni, leading to impaired digestion and assimilation of food. While Samhitas do not exclusively list emotional disturbances as primary causes of Grahani, they emphasize the role of psychological factors in vitiation of the Agni. This study adopted an observational design to evaluate the association between negative emotions—such as anxiety, depression, and stress—and the severity of Grahani symptoms. Using the Karl Pearson correlation coefficient, the study identified a weak but statistically significant positive correlation (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that higher levels of negative emotional distress are associated with increased disease severity. The integration of concept of Vata imbalance and Prana-Samana Vayu interaction, alongside concept of the gut–brain axis and neuroendocrine regulation, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding this relationship. The results underscore the necessity of incorporating psychological interventions in the management of Grahani to achieve sustainable therapeutic outcomes.

Keywords: Grahani, Agni, Negative Emotions, Gut–Brain Axis, Vata Dosha, Stress, Psychosomatic disorder.