- Mind weakened, characterized by depression, mental exhaustion and melancholy.
The Mind is obstructed by Phlegm or, in mild cases, by stagnation of Qi or Blood. It is important
to realize that there are many different degrees of obstruction of the Mind ranging from very
mild to full-blown schizophrenia or mania.
The Mind is unsettled by deficiency of Blood or Yin (mild cases), Qi stagnation, Blood stasis,
Fire, Empty-Heat, Phlegm-Fire and internal Wind; and it is weakened by Qi, Yang, Blood or Yin
deficiency.
Of course there is a considerable degree of overlap among these three conditions as, for example,
the Mind may be weakened and unsettled.
Case History 9.2
Mental-Emotional Problems: Mind Obstructed by Phlegm-Male, Age 51
A 51-year-old man sought treatment for atopic asthma and eczema. For 10 years from the age of
32 he drank a lot of alcohol and used amphetamines regularly and heavily. His eyes were dull
and lacked glitter and he complained of poor memory and concentration. When spoken to he
always looked like he was slightly absent and he found it difficult to find words. His tongue was
Swollen and had a Stomach-Heart crack with a sticky-yellow coating (Plate 9.2(250)), and his
pulse was slightly Slippery.
This is given here as an example of a mild case of obstruction of the Mind, in his case by
Phlegm.
Treatment Principle
The principle of treatment for mental-emotional problems follows the above classification
closely and must be based, as usual, on a clear distinction between Deficiency and Excess and
between the Root and the Manifestation. Such distinction is very important to choose the correct
herbal formula.
The main principles of treatment in mental-emotional problems are five:
- Nourish the Heart and calm the Mind: this is applicable to Deficiency conditions,
i.e. Qi, Blood or Yin deficiency causing Mind Weakened. - Clear pathogenic factors and calm the Mind: this is applicable to Excess
conditions such as stagnation of Qi or Blood, Phlegm-Fire and Fire, causing Mind
Obstructed or Mind Unsettled.