Can anxiety and depression be cured?
Anxiety and depression are often caused by imbalance of internal organs
The human body is like a small and sophisticated universe, with all organs closely connected and working in coordination. Once a problem occurs in a certain link, it may cause a series of physical and mental discomforts, such as anxiety and depression.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the liver is responsible for regulating emotions, just like the “regulating valve” of emotions in the body. Nowadays, people live a fast-paced and stressful life, and are in a tense state for a long time, which can easily lead to liver qi stagnation. Liver stagnation will cause qi stagnation, and qi and blood cannot flow smoothly, just like a road blockage and traffic paralysis.
At the same time, the heart governs the mind and dominates people’s mental activities. When the liver qi is stagnant for a long time, the liver fire will rise, which will disturb the mind. The heart fire and liver fire are intertwined, making the mind uneasy, and people are prone to anxiety and irritability, with great mood swings, and they can get angry at a small matter. They often suffer from insomnia and dreaminess at night and have difficulty sleeping.
In addition, the spleen and stomach, as the foundation of acquired constitution, are responsible for transporting and transforming food and providing nutrition for the body. However, in a state of anxiety and depression, people often have poor appetite, either unable to eat or overeating, which further hurts the spleen and stomach. The spleen and stomach are damaged, and the qi and blood are unable to nourish the mind, which aggravates the depression, making people listless all day long, uninterested in everything, slow thinking, and memory loss.
Overall, anxiety and depression are often the result of dysfunction of the liver, heart, spleen and other internal organs.
How to Use Chinese Herbs to Treat Anxiety and Depression
For Chinese herbal treatments for anxiety and depression, it is necessary to select prescriptions based on TCM syndrome differentiation (such as liver depression and qi stagnation, heart and spleen deficiency, liver depression transforming into fire, etc.) and combine it with lifestyle adjustments.
- Liver depression and qi stagnation type (most common)**
- Symptoms: low mood, chest tightness and flank pain, frequent sighing, insomnia and dreaminess, pale red tongue with thin white fur.
- Treatment: soothe the liver and relieve depression.
- Recommended prescriptions:
- Chinese patent medicine: Xiaoyao Pills, Chaihu Shugan Powder, Jieyu Anshen Granules.
- Tea substitute: rose + tangerine peel + bergamot (3g each) soaked in water.
- Acupoint massage: Taichong point (dorsum of foot), Tanzhong point (midpoint of the line connecting the two nipples).
- Liver depression and fire transformation type**
- Symptoms: irritability, bitter mouth and dry throat, insomnia, headache and red eyes, red tongue and yellow fur.
- Treatment: clear the liver and purge fire.
- Recommended prescriptions:
- Chinese patent medicine: Danzhi Xiaoyao Pills, Xiegan Anshen Pills.
- Dietary prescription: Prunella vulgaris chrysanthemum tea (Prunella vulgaris 5g + chrysanthemum 3g).
- Deficiency of both heart and spleen**
- Symptoms: palpitations, forgetfulness, poor appetite, fatigue, pale complexion, pale tongue with teeth marks.
- Treatment: Strengthen the spleen and nourish the heart.
- Recommended prescriptions:
- Chinese patent medicine: Guipi Pills, Baizi Yangxin Pills.
- Medicinal diet: Lotus seeds + yam + red dates porridge.
- Phlegm-heat disturbing the mind type**
- Symptoms: dizziness, chest tightness, thick phlegm, restlessness and insomnia, red tongue with yellow greasy coating.
- Treatment: resolve phlegm and clear heat.
- Recommended prescriptions: Wen Dan Tang (Pinellia tuber, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, etc.), or Huanglian Wen Dan Granules.
Dietary taboos**
- Recommended foods: millet, lily, lotus seeds, yam, jujube kernels.
- Avoid foods: spicy foods (chili peppers, wine), coffee, strong tea (increases liver fire).
Combination of Chinese and Western Medicine**:
- Severe depression/anxiety requires a combination of Chinese herbal medicine and Western medicine (such as SSRIs) and psychotherapy.