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VOL. 10, ISSUE 2 (2025)
An analytical study on the utility of Buddhist teachings and modern psychological methods in managing mental distress and suffering
Authors
D Dilhani Indrachapa
Abstract
Mental distress and anguish have emerged as
growing problems in modern society of the 21st-century digital age, with World
Health Organization reports indicating that over 280 million people worldwide
suffer from depression, while incidents related to mental stress, anxiety, and
depression are progressively increasing among the Sri Lankan population. Amid
rapid lifestyle patterns, technological advancement, and socio-economic
pressures, problems of mental distress and anguish in Lankan society continue
to rise persistently, and a lack of coordination between Buddhist philosophy
and modern psychological approaches is also evident. The primary objective of
this research is to analyze the connections and differences between the
teachings of Buddhist philosophy and modern psychological approaches regarding
mental distress and anguish in Lankan society. This study primarily utilized
written sources for data collection and employed a comparative literature
review methodology, analyzing primary sources such as the Tripitaka and
Abhidhamma texts, and secondary sources including modern psychological texts,
research articles, and publications. A lot of overlap can be identified between
the Buddhist philosophical understanding of dukkha (suffering) and modern
psychological science's understanding of stress and anxiety, giving both Buddhist
philosophy and stress and anxiety in modern psychology practical
recommendations for dealing with mental distress and suffering, and in relation
to that there was compatibility between Buddhist mindfulness meditation
(satipatthana), and modern psychology's Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The
take-home message is that mental health is more than the absence of disease; it
is a state of complete mental, physical, and social well-being, which I think
is important to consider.
Pages:6-11
How to cite this article:
D Dilhani Indrachapa "An analytical study on the utility of Buddhist teachings and modern psychological methods in managing mental distress and suffering". International Journal of Advanced Educational Research, Vol 10, Issue 2, 2025, Pages 6-11
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