Psychosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Understanding different psychosis patterns according to TCM theory
Educational content • Consult qualified practitioners for medical advice
Condition Categories
Condition Categories
Psychosis is a serious mental health condition characterized by an impaired relationship with reality. It often involves hallucinations or delusions, where individuals may see, hear, or believe things that are not real.
Psychosis can be a symptom of various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and can also occur in early stage schizophrenia. It significantly impacts a person's thoughts, emotions, and behavior, and can disrupt their ability to carry out daily activities.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approaches psychosis differently from Western medicine. TCM sees it as a manifestation of imbalances and disharmonies within the body's energy system or Qi.
This perspective suggests that psychosis can result from various underlying patterns of disharmony. TCM emphasizes the importance of identifying these specific patterns in order to provide effective treatment, focusing on restoring balance and harmony to the body as a whole.
TCM Patterns for Psychosis
Each pattern represents a distinct underlying imbalance that can cause psychosis
Diagnostic signs
Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)
Recommended herbal formulas
Qi-Phlegm
Diagnostic signs
Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)
Recommended herbal formulas
Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs
Diagnostic signs
Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Red swollen tongue with a sticky yellow coating
Recommended herbal formulas
Stomach Blood Stagnation
Diagnostic signs
Wiry (Xian)
Purple
Recommended herbal formulas
Pericardium Blood Stagnation
Diagnostic signs
Knotted (Jie), Wiry (Xian)
Purple on the side of the entire tongue
Recommended herbal formulas
Herbal Formulas for Psychosis
Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas used to address psychosis