This is the most common pattern in the industrialized world. Chronic stress frustrates the Liver’s smooth flow of Qi. The Qi stagnates, then transforms into heat, which agitates the Heart Shen.
The Heart is the most important organ for the psyche. It houses the Shen – often translated as consciousness, spirit, or mind. The Shen is responsible for mental clarity, memory, sleep quality, and the ability to form relationships. When the Heart’s blood is insufficient, the Shen has no home, leading to insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, and dream-disturbed sleep.
Various syndromes in TCM relate to mental health, including but not limited to:
In TCM, emotions (七情, Qi Qing) are normal, transient states. However, when an emotion is chronic, intense, or unexpressed, it becomes a pathogenic factor. For example:
This is the fundamental physiology of the psyche in Chinese medicine. A PDF guide on this topic is invaluable because it allows you to visualize the five Shen and their somatic connections.
Chinese Medicine offers several treatment modalities for mental health, including: