Kleshas as Root Patterns Underlying Dysregulation

Patanjali identifies five kleshas—avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-clinging), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death)—as root causes of suffering and mental turbulence. These ancient categories illuminate the schemas and triggers underlying modern emotional dysregulation: misidentification with thoughts (asmita), desperate clinging to desired outcomes (raga), fierce rejection of unwanted experiences (dvesha), and existential fear (abhinivesha). DBT targets these same patterns through cognitive work, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation, but Patanjali's framework offers integrated philosophical understanding. Recognizing kleshas as universal human patterns rather than personal failures reduces shame—a major dysregulation amplifier. The Yoga Sutras suggest that dysregulation diminishes not through willpower alone but through penetrating insight into these afflictions. For DBT practitioners, understanding kleshas deepens commitment to skills by revealing that emotional turbulence stems from predictable, addressable misconceptions about self and reality.