Patanjali's five kleshas (afflictions)—ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, and fear of death—form the root patterns underlying emotional dysregulation.
The Yoga Sutras identify five kleshas (mental afflictions) that generate all suffering: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego/I-am-ness), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of annihilation). These are not moral failures but fundamental patterns of misperception. In DBT, dysregulation often flows from these root misconceptions: clients believe their emotions define them (asmita), desperately cling to relief (raga), fiercely reject pain (dvesha), or fear emotions will destroy them (abhinivesha). Understanding kleshas illuminates the psychological roots that behavioral skills address. For instance, a client in shame spirals operates from asmita: fusing identity with behavior. Patanjali suggests sustainable change requires addressing these foundational patterns, not just managing their surface expression. DBT's cognitive restructuring, chain analysis, and distress tolerance together target these kleshas. The Yoga Sutras teach that ignorance (avidya) underlies all others—dysregulated clients often lack accurate understanding of emotion itself. By recognizing kleshas as ancient patterns rather than personal defects, clients access wisdom and compassion. This framework validates both the depth of dysregulation and the possibility of transformation through systematic understanding.
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