Ayu-Care Project
Aarogyam UK CIC, United Kingdom

In India, psychiatric emergencies are a major issue that is a big problem to health care givers even as the incidence of behavioral disorders increases and the rates of morbidity and mortality are high. These emergencies may include severe agitation, violence, acute anxiety and psychosis and require immediate treatment. However, psychiatric illnesses are rarely considered in the general health care context because the society has a negative perception towards the illness, people are unaware of the illness and there are superstitious tendencies. This neglect results in timely and appropriate treatment being denied to many individuals in their time of need.

To this rather large gap, a first of its kind study was conducted to determine the feasibility, safety and efficacy of combining emergency psychiatric care with Ayurvedic medicine in the community; the study was titled “Ayu-Emergency Intervention in Psychiatric Emergencies in the Community: A Community Based Participatory Research”. The aim of the study was to establish whether the traditional Ayurvedic medicine can be useful in the emergency medicine to treat psychiatric illnesses.

The Ayu-Emergency Care project was initiated by policy makers, researchers, healthcare workers and community based organisations. This integrative model was developed in order to provide a single solution framework for emergency medicine that includes Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine in India. The project used a whole systems approach and the twenty trained providers who were to give the care were to be trained in both psychiatric emergencies and Ayurvedic management. These practitioners were to work with the local community organizations in order to provide culturally appropriate, easily accessible and sustained care.

The patients in this study included those with acute psychiatric crisis, agitation, violent behavior with substance use, acute anxiety disorders and psychosis. The study used intervention protocols which are based on Ayurvedic principles such as using specific herbal formulations that have a calming effect, therapeutic procedures like applying warm oil on the forehead (Shirodhara) and mind and body techniques like yoga and breathing control. The interventions were also combined with psychological support and crisis management strategies which were appropriate to the needs of the patients.

During the two week intervention period of the study, the patients’ clinical outcomes were impressive. Patients had a significant improvement in anxiety, aggression and agitation and many of them had a good improvement in their mental status. Furthermore, there were no side effects seen in the patients which shows that the Ayurvedic interventions are safe in managing psychiatric emergencies. The results also showed that the integrative treatments were economical and therefore a good option to other crisis management measures like hospitalization or incarceration which are expensive and also stigmaing to the patient.

One of the most important conclusions from the study was that patients appreciated the Ayurvedic treatment. The patients and their families preferred the community based care which is not only effective but also culturally acceptable. This preference shows that Ayurvedic psychiatric care can be useful in filling the gaps in mental health care especially in areas where conventional psychiatric care is not readily available.

The feasibility of the Ayu-Emergency Care model was also enhanced by its fit into the current community health systems. The collaboration between the Ayurvedic doctors and the general healthcare workers provided a holistic approach to the emergency psychiatric care and thus closed the gap between the two systems. This integrative model also encouraged the idea of intervention which is important in the prevention of the deterioration of psychiatric crises and the burden on the health care systems.

Although the study has some good outcomes, it also has its limitations, which form the basis of further research. Large scale studies with multiple centres and diverse sample must be conducted to replicate these findings and develop the intervention protocols. Further work should focus on the exact processes through which the Ayurvedic treatments work and the long-term impacts of integrated care on the patients.

In conclusion, the Ayu-Emergency Care project shows that it is possible to improve the management of psychiatric emergencies with the help of Ayurvedic practices. New and innovative approaches such as this one not only improve the quality and availability of mental health services but also the quality of care delivered to the patient. Thus, such efforts based on integration of traditional knowledge with modern science may open new possibilities to enhance the mental health and improve the current practices of emergency psychiatric care especially in resource limited settings.

About the Project

The Ayu-Psychiatry Care Project is a pioneering initiative aimed at integrating Ayurveda with modern psychiatric care to provide holistic mental health solutions.

Led by Dr. Neha Sharma and conducted by Aarogyam UK in alliance with Gyansanjeevani India, the project focuses on bridging the gap between acute inpatient psychiatric treatment and community-based rehabilitation.

Implemented in rural and suburban areas of Rajasthan, it employs a combination of Ayurvedic therapies, psychological counseling, lifestyle interventions, and vocational training to enhance patient recovery and reintegration into society. This model not only improves treatment adherence and self-efficacy but also addresses social stigma, making mental healthcare more accessible and culturally relevant.

Read the Published Paper:Early Community based Ayu-Emergency Intervention in Psychiatric Emergencies: A Community Based Participatory Research – PMC

Cite this article: Aarogyam UK.(2025). Community Health: The Ayu-Emergency Intervention Study. Praxis, 1(2). Retrieved from