Kleshas: The Five Sources of Emotional Suffering

Patanjali identifies five kleshas—root causes of suffering—that generate emotional dysregulation: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/impermanence). This framework diagnoses dysregulation's psychological foundations. Avidya creates dysregulation through misunderstanding one's emotions; asmita through ego-defense reactions; raga through desperate clinging to positive states; dvesha through intense rejection of negative states; abhinivesha through denial of impermanence. DBT addresses these implicitly, but Patanjali's explicit map clarifies treatment. Someone with emotional dysregulation might recognize they dysregulate partly from asmita—defensive reactivity protecting a fragile self-image—or raga—desperation to maintain a positive mood state. Identifying which kleshas drive individual dysregulation patterns allows targeted intervention. This yogic psychology complements DBT's chain analysis by adding philosophical depth: dysregulation isn't merely learned behavior but stems from fundamental misperceptions about reality. Treatment then becomes both skill-building and philosophical reorientation toward clearer perception.