In acupuncture, depression, mood disorders, mental health problems and emotional disturbances manifest as ‘Shen’ Disturbance

In my acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine clinic, I've found Shen disturbance to be the most common link that reflects the signs and symptoms manifested by patients with depression, mental health problems and emotional disorders.

You may have heard expressions like "scatter brain" or "silly in the head" or "a bit nutty". Well, Shen disturbance can include all of those but it is more than that.

The word Shen can be loosely translated as Spirit however contrary to the Western idea of Spirit, in Chinese medicine Shen encompasses the dimensions of Mind, Spirit, consciousness, awareness and vitality. It vitalises the body and consciousness and provides the driving force behind the personality. It rises above brain matter and functions and is said to reside in the heart, not the brain. In Chinese medicine Shen has both material and immaterial aspects.

Mental and emotional illness is generally viewed as Shen disturbance, disorders of which are reflected in various mental, emotional, nervous, psycho-emotional, psychological or psychiatric conditions, including depression.

Although it is accepted in the West that there may be differences between brain, Mind, Spirit, consciousness, awareness and vitality, Chinese medical thinking conceptualises the human being as an integrated whole system where one aspect depends on and also affects the other. There is no division or separation between brain, body and emotions or in the other higher dimensions of Mind, Consciousness or Spirit. Shen is an integral part of the body rather than an entity separate from it.

It can be said that Shen is an expression of life’s activity, our personality, behaviour, potential and drive. This can be clearly seen when one suffers from depression, mental problems or emotional uproar.

Shen manifests in two ways. The first is the complex of mental faculties, the mental state and mental activities such as perception, thinking, memory and others.

The second is the higher sphere of Mind, emotions and spiritual aspects of an individual. Both include the external expression through physiological activities and pathological changes in the body such as appearance, eye expression, complexion, gestures, speech, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, epilepsy, manic episodes, schizophrenia, and others.

In addition to the general concept of Shen, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine doctors use an effective system for understanding the human psyche, the spirit and emotions. This is explored through the theory of the Five Elements, which comprises five types of energies named wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

Although in acupuncture the terminology of the five emotions and spiritual resources may at first appear to be limited, they do represent, by extension and association, a wide range of human emotions, character and behaviours. This is evident in depression.

So what does TCM consider as good mental and emotional health?

The answer to that lies in the advice given in Chinese medical literature on how to prevent depression or mental and emotional problems. Click on the link to find out more.

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