Psychosis according to Chinese Medicine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Psychosis factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat
Symptoms: Anxiety Palpitations Slight thirst and seven other symptoms
Recommended formula: Wen Dan Tang
Symptoms: Clump Phlegm Chest pain and seven other symptoms
Recommended formula: Xiao Xian Xiong Tang
In Chinese Medicine, psychosis can be associated with five so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease", as a matter of fact here psychosis can be caused by five different patterns.
To understand whether someone's psychosis might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from psychosis alone. For instance when psychosis is caused by the pattern Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat, patients also experience symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, dizziness or vertigo, dream disturbed sleep with strange or unusual dreams and palpitations. Similarly, patients with Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat typically exhibit slippery (Hua) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a tongue with yellow coating.
We've listed below a description of the five patterns associated with psychosis so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities according to Chinese Medicine.
Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below seven formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with psychosis, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The five "patterns of disharmony" associated with psychosis
The Bladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Bladder in Chinese Medicine
Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Wen Dan Tang
Symptoms: Anxiety Palpitations Slight thirst Nausea or vomiting Dizziness or vertigo Bitter taste in the mouth Indeterminate gnawing hunger Focal distention of the chest Coughing of copious thick yellow sputum Dream disturbed sleep with strange or unusual dreams
Psychosis might be due to Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, dizziness or vertigo, dream disturbed sleep with strange or unusual dreams and palpitations. Similarly, patients with Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat typically exhibit slippery (Hua) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a tongue with yellow coating.
Read more about Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat here
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Phlegm Heat in the Lungs
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Tongue coating: Sticky coating, Yellow coating
Tongue shape: Swollen
Recommended herbal formula: Xiao Xian Xiong Tang
Symptoms: Clump Phlegm Chest pain Constipation Epigastric pain Clumping in the chest Bitter taste in the mouth Epigastric focal distention Focal distention of the chest Coughing of copious thick yellow sputum
Psychosis might be due to Phlegm Heat in the Lungs if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as constipation, bitter taste in the mouth, coughing of copious thick yellow sputum and chest pain. Similarly, patients with Phlegm Heat in the Lungs typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or slippery (Hua) pulses as well as a tongue with sticky coating, yellow coating.
Crow-Dipper Rhizomes (Ban Xia) is the key herb for Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang, a formula used for Qi-Phlegm
Qi-Phlegm
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Recommended herbal formula: Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang
Symptoms: Difficulty swallowing Stuffiness of chest and diaphragm Feeling of a lump in the throat which comes and goes
Psychosis might be due to Qi-Phlegm if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, feeling of a lump in the throat which comes and goes and stuffiness of chest and diaphragm. Similarly, patients with Qi-Phlegm typically exhibit slippery (Hua) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a tongue with thick white coating.
The Pericardium is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Pericardium in Chinese Medicine
Pericardium Blood Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Knotted (Jie), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Bluish-Purple
Recommended herbal formula: Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Symptoms: Chest pain Purple lips Palpitations Purple nails Painful period Hypochondriac pain Shortness of breath Dark clots in menstrual blood Feeling of oppression of the chest
Psychosis might be due to Pericardium Blood Stagnation if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as chest pain, hypochondriac pain, palpitations and painful period. Similarly, patients with Pericardium Blood Stagnation typically exhibit knotted (Jie) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a bluish-purple tongue.
The Stomach is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Stomach in Chinese Medicine
Stomach Blood Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Bluish-Purple
Recommended herbal formula: Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Symptoms: Nausea Vomiting Epigastric pain Vomiting of blood
Psychosis might be due to Stomach Blood Stagnation if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting and vomiting of blood. Similarly, patients with Stomach Blood Stagnation typically exhibit wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a bluish-purple tongue.
The seven herbal formulas that might help with psychosis
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Source date: 1830 AD
Number of ingredients: 11 herbs
Key actions: Invigorates the Blood. Dispels blood Stagnation. Spreads the Liver Qi. Unblocks the channels.
Why might Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang help with psychosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Pericardium Blood Stagnation and Stomach Blood Stagnation which are sometimes associated with psychosis. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Wen Dan Tang
Source date: 1174 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Clears Phlegm. Clears Gallbladder. Regulates Qi. Harmonizes the Stomach.
Why might Wen Dan Tang help with psychosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat, a pattern sometimes associated with psychosis. If it looks like you might suffer from Qi Stagnation in Gallbladder and Stomach with Phlegm Heat, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Xiao Xian Xiong Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat. Transforms Phlegm. Expands the chest. Dissipates clumps.
Why might Xiao Xian Xiong Tang help with psychosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Phlegm Heat in the Lungs, a pattern sometimes associated with psychosis. If it looks like you might suffer from Phlegm Heat in the Lungs, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Regulates the flow of Qi, treats esophageal spasm. Clears Phlegm.
Why might Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang help with psychosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Qi-Phlegm, a pattern sometimes associated with psychosis. If it looks like you might suffer from Qi-Phlegm, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang
Source date: 1852 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Clears Hot Phlegm. Clears Gallbladder Heat. Regulates Qi. Harmonizes the Stomach.
Why might Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang help with psychosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with psychosis. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
