Ep245: Padmasambhava Psychosis - Dr Chencho Dorji 2
Dr Chencho Dorji is Bhutan’s first psychiatrist and the Professor of Psychiatry at Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences in Bhutan.
Available on Youtube, iTunes, SoundCloud & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
Dr Dorji reveals the challenges he faced establishing modern psychiatrist in Bhutan, a culture heavily invested in a supernatural model of mental illness. He recounts stories of patients possessed by ghosts, local avatars of Shiva, reincarnations of Padmasambhava and more.
Dr Dorji explains the role of religion and superstition in stigmatising mental illness, and considers whether shamanistic rituals and other traditional healing methods can co-exist with modern medical practices.
Dr Dorji also warns that mental illness in general, and borderline personality disorder in particular, is on the rise on Bhutan and shares his vision for a greater collaboration between modern medicine, the clergy, shamans, and Sowa Rigpa healers.
00:00 - Intro
01:04 - Return to Bhutan to establish psychiatry
05:40 - Programme to train primary healthcare staff
06:18 - Advocating for community based mental health services
10:38 - DANIDA funding and mental health survey
12:07 - Collaboration with and educating traditional healers
13:47 - Locating and treating cases in remote communities
18:13 - What kinds of mental illness is commonly found in Bhutan?
19:29 - Challenges identifying depression
21:16 - The stigma of epilepsy
22:50 - Community fear of contagion of mental illness
26:55 - Culture of taboo and about mental illness in Bhutan
29:00 - Impact of the pandemic
30:29 - Using social media to educate
31:22 - Psychological first aid
35:09 - Why is South Asian psychology and psychology training weak?
37:41 - Mental health as a luxury for the rich
40:40 - Borderline personality disorder encounters
43:36 - Rise in cases of BPD in Bhutan
45:05 - Social changes in Bhutan causing rise in mental illness
49:10 - Chronic psychosis and social disturbance
51:26 - Lack of compassion for BPD
52:17 - Economic aspiration and the rat race
54:36 - Overlap and clash with religious professionals
56:21 - Buddhism and shamanism in Bhutan
58:05 - Use of rituals in healing mental illness
59:00 - Personal indifference towards Buddhism
01:00:19 - Challenges engaging with Sowa Rigpa practitioners
01:02:39 - Educating Sowa Rigpa doctors about mental health
01:03:34 - Do traditional healing modalities have a role in modern medicine?
01:04:17 - Different kinds of monk
01:05:41 - Religious control of the population
01:07:33 - Difficulties communicating with clergy
01:09:58 - Karma and the importance of openness
01:10:56 - Navigating patients’ supernatural world views
01:14:42 - Example of a manic patient claiming to be Guru Rinpoche
01:17:18 - Impact on families
01:18:05 - Cases of entity possession and mass hysteria
01:24:38 - Possession by Lord Shiva
01:29:58 - Advice for working with traditional healers and shamans
01:31:01 - Future challenges of mental health in Bhutan
01:34:41 - Explosion of mental illness, obesity, and substance abuse
01:35:43 - Neglect of the elderly
01:37:31 - A model for the third world
Previous episode with Dr Chencho Dorji:
To find out more about Dr Chencho Dorji, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James