Anxiety and Depression in Chinese Medicine
Script: https://tcmpodcast.me/episode-05-the-dark-side-of-being-an-expat/ Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) accounts for 8% of primary-care visits in the United States and has a lifetime prevalence of 18%. At present, 13% of the elderly population and 10% of younger adults are being treated with antidepressant medications. Lifetime prevalence for major depressive disorder is 16.5%. Other common conditions include: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a lifetime prevalence of 6.8%; panic disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 4.7%; bipolar disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 3.9%; and obsessive–compulsive disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 1.6%. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents complete medical practice originating from ancient China through thousand years of clinical experience. TCM has primarily independent as foundation medical health care system in China and Southeast Asian countries, and integrative medical approach, providing first choice medical therapies. TCM, and acupuncture, has wide range of clinically proved therapeutic applications and approaches to treating psychiatric disorders. TCM searches for holism between all living things in nature. Speaking of humans, TCM considers that body, mind, and spirit are interactive and interdependent. Everything is affected by each other, and in particular the spirit substitutes the existence of body and mind. It is rather exceptional perception to view psychiatric or emotional disorders through this lens of holism rather than using a more-reductionist approach of modern medical systems. By TCM point of view, spirit is connected with God, the Universe or with Nature, if you wish. Having such connectivity, the spirit is the source of wisdom and, ultimately, health. According to modern TCM theory, the human spirit is an energetic opening of the autonomic nervous system. It can be influenced negatively by illness, but alternatively maturation and cultivation of spirit, can lead to healing. If any of the six senses got negatively affected (sixth is intuition), spiritual cultivation may be achieved by number of activities, such as arts, meditation, yoga, etc. It means that any kind of spiritual illnesses and physical manifestations alternatively can be treated only by cultivating spirit. Treating a person with emotional disorders using TCM firstly we have to relieve physical suffering. Secondly, through the process of cultivation, spiritual energy is nourished and purified, and finally, negative energy is transformed into positive energy, thus promoting an energetic balance. Result of our action is harmonization of mind, body, and spirit. In addition to Chinese herbal medicine we use acupuncture, qigong, yoga, tai ji quan, tuina, as TCM medical disciplines for addressing the spiritual components of emotional disorders. Main function of TCM in the global arena is for the betterment of mankind. According to TCM theory, the human body consists of five Zang and six Fu organs, which are characterized by the five elements (五行) namely Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, in the realm of the “Five Element” theory. The Zang-Fu organs are functionally interlinked with each other by generating and restricting mode of action, resulting in an optimally functioning body by maintaining a holistic Yin-Yang balance. Disease will develop when this balance is distorted, as in the cases of over-restricting and counter-restricting. Furthermore, the Zang-Fu (i.e. all visceral organs) interplay responds to environmental conditions, and these conditions—referred to as “external evils”, can distort the Yin-Yang balance and result in disease. TCM theoretical and clinical practice adopts a holistic approach in making diagnosis of diseases, with the categorization of symptoms into various patterns of Zang-fu (internal organs) disorders. Info: www.tcmpodcast.me