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Mental Illness



Mental Illness was traditionally classed as Insanity, Madness, Mania, Melancholy, etc. Since ancient times, Evil Spirits, Ghosts, Demons and Witchcraft were often blamed for Mental Illness, and this belief still holds firm in many traditional cultures today.

The Western Humoral system classifies most mental illness as being associated with Melancholy humor. However, some cases are caused of Heat, being like the classification of Mania in TCM: a Hot or Yang disorder. The other type is more Damp or Phlegm which is similar to the Yin-Withdrawal patho-mechanism of TCM. It can also be classified according to the Humors:
  • Blood: sings, merry, thinks they are in heaven, or an Angel or God talks to him, or believes himself to be rich, or a King etc. Maybe over joyous or maniacal. They have a rosey face and a full pulse.
  • Congealed or Burnt Blood: maybe a little Merry, then gets angry, cries, beats themselves etc. Dull complexion, cyanosis, choppy pulse.
  • Melancholy: Gloomy, sad, fearful (without cause), may see inanimate objects such as serpents or venomous beats, sits in the dark alone, hands clasped together; crows like a rooster or barks like a dog etc. Also maybe cruel or suicidal. The have a thin frame, dull complexion, small pulse and a scared look in their eyes.
  • Phlegm: mind is heavy and dull, withdrawn, introverted. Thei face is pale, excess phlegm and a slow pulse.
'For with purging Black Cholera, is the Spleen cleansed, and therewith
avoids the strange thoughts and imaginations, the pensiveness and
Melancholy is driven out, and the Brains get again their force or strength,
and are increased
. Wherefore if this be done, then is the evil Spirit or
Will driven out, and all wicked thoughts are forgotten
.' (Brunschwig, 1561)


TCM divide mental illness broadly into 'Withdrawal' and 'Mania'. The first is Yin (Cold/Phlegm/Deficient) withdrawn into oneself; the second is Yang (Hot/ Excess), is extroverted, aggressive and outwardly expressive: talkative, dancing etc.

Older texts gave a number of causes: Bad Food, Excess drinking
, Dampness or undigested Humors in the Stomach, Infected Air, Anger or excess other emotions etc.

Various forms of Psychotherapy were recommended in Traditional texts. Surrounding the patient with pleasant sights, smells and sounds was long seen as beneficial. Keeping them occupied and encouraging them to partake in social activities. Those with sadness and heaviness of mind should be made joyful and told happy things. Brunschwig (1561) had other useful advice: "Many things should be promised him, and some given'. Also 'If it is a man, the same ought to be refreshed with women, the same avoids Anger. But if it is a Woman, the same ought to be refreshed with men, and to their company admitted: the same brings them to their right Mind again'.

Diet was long recognised as important. Easy to digest foods such as Lamb, Chicken, Eggs, Bread and avoiding strong drinks or heavy foods. Avoid overeating, and allow food to digest once eaten, avoiding eating upon half digested food.

A regular Purge in those with an excess type Mental Illness is beneficial. Pills of Cochia, Pills of Lapis Lazuli or Confectio Hamech are examples of those suitable as a purge. Restorative medicines that strengthen the Heart and calm the Mind and Nerves may be given in the interim.

Those with excess Blood or an excess condition can
be Bled. Open the forehead vein, then 6 days later the the vein between the Thumb and Forefinger. In Unani, Cupping with Bloodletting (Hijama) on the head (the head being shaved) in highly regarded.

Various scents have long been used in such cases. The fumes of equal parts of Frankincense and St. Johns wort were claimed to repel Evil Spirits and Witchcraft. They appear to have given relief to those affected with mental illness. Likewise in the East, Sandalwood is said to have a positive effect in lifting the vibration of areas such as temples, and is beneficial to the frantic and those with insanity.

Certain medicines can also be worn to promote a positive effect. These incude Pearl, Coral, Amber, variosu precious stones, Gold etc.


Western Tradition

Simples
Borage
St. John's wort
Dodder
Agaric
Black Hellebore prepared


Bugloss
Scarlet Pimpernel
Fumitory
Polypody
Lapis Lazuli prepared


Madness, Mania, Mental Illness

Conserve of Borage
Conserve of Bugloss

Cordial Decoction (French Pharmacopoeia)
Syrup of Apple of the King of Sapor
Tincture of St. John's wort
Tincture of Black Hellebore
Powder for Madness (Rondeletius)
Powder for Madness (2) (Rondeletius)
Powder for Mixed Humors (Mesue)
Troches of Rose (Mesue)
Antidote Proven for Diverse Diseases
Arabian Confect Purging Melancholy (Confectio Hamech)
Electuary for Melancholy

Hiera Logadii
Electuary of Senna (Diasenna) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Dodder
Triphala Electuary of Dodder (Unani)
Triphala Electuary to Purge Phlegm and Black Bile
Pills of Lapis Lazuli 1 (Mesue)

Mental Happiness (Sems kyi bde skyid) (Tibetan)


Mania and Mental Illness with Heat

Cordial Decoction (French Pharmacopoeia)
Troches of Rose


Mental Illness from Melancholy


Cordial Decoction (French Pharmacopoeia)
Triphala Electuary of Dodder (Unani)
Triphera of Dodder of Thyme (Mesue)
Triphala Electuary to Purge Phlegm and Black Bile
Arabian Confect Purging Melancholy (Confectio Hamech)
Pills of Lapis Lazuli 1 (Mesue)
Hiera Logadii

Dawa-ush-Shifa (Rauwolfia & Black Pepper) (Unani)
Triphala of Zamani (Itrafil Zamani) (Unani)
Confection of Silk Coccoon (Khamira Abresham) (Unani)



Mania & melancholiam purgant –
Purge Mania and Melancholy


Arabian Confect Purging Melancholy

Electuary of Senna (Diasenna) (Nicholas)
Hiera Logadii
Hiera Pachius
Pills of Lapis Lazuli 1 (Mesue)


Mania and Mental Illness associated with Menstruation–'Uterine Fury'

Syrup of Agnus Castus


Insanity

Arabian Confect Purging Melancholy (Confectio Hamech)
Pills of Lapis Lazuli 1 (Mesue)

Mental Happiness (Sems kyi bde skyid) (Tibetan)


Dumbness, Stupidity

Mental Happiness (Sems kyi bde skyid) (Tibetan)


Special Formula

A DRINK FOR INSANITY
i. Lapis Lazuli infused in Aqua Vitae
ii.  Aqua Vitae                   2 tablespoonfuls
    Wine                             6 tablespoonfuls
    Senna powder            2 drams
Mix and give every morning. (Brunschwig, 1561)

TRIPHERA OF DODDER OF THYME
    Myrobalans Chebula
      Emblic
      Belleric
      Black                           equal parts
    Dodder of Thyme       2 parts
    Hiera Picra                   ½ parts
Mix with Honey of Emblic or ChebulIc Myrobalans.
  For Mania and Melancholy. (De Morbis Internis Curandis, Mesue, 1551)

MADNESS FROM PHLEGM OR COLD
    Senna                           2 drams
    Sugar                           ½ oz.
    Aqua Vitae
    Bugloss Water           1 tablespoonful each
    Pea Broth                   
equal to the rest
Mix and take each morning for 3 morning. On ethe third day give him 3 Pills of Cochia. (Brunschwig, 1561)

ANOTHER FOR MADNESS FROM COLD
    Saffron                         2 drams
    Cinnamon                  
½ oz.
    Aqua Vitae                  ½ oz.
Sew the Saffrona nd Cinnamon in a cloth and infuse them all in a pint of white wine. Give some morning and evening. Clove can also be added.

TCM Classification

Withdrawal

Phlegm and Qi Stagnation
pensiveness, sadness, excessive thinking and worry, inability to concentrate, listless, blank expression, moodiness, poor appetite.
Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
Bai Jin Wan
Shun Qi Dao Tan Tang
Wen Dan Tang
Gun Tan Wan

Zhi Bao Dan

Heart and Spleen Deficiency
doesn't think clearly, strange dreams, fear, easily frightened, worrying too much, emotional, crying, poor appetite, low energy, lethargy.
Gui Pi Tang
Gan Mai Da Zao Tang
Yang Xin Tang

---------------------------------

Mania

Heat Annoying the Spirit
Acute Mania, fever, constipation, dry mouth, dry and cracked tongue with yellow, dirty or black tongue coating
Da Cheng Qi Tang


Cordial Decoction (F.P.)
Troches of Rose (Mesue)

Phlegm Heat / Fire
severe restlessness, lack of rational thinking, anger, red eyes, red face, no appetite, insomnia, loss of recognition of people, aggressive, very strong, red tongue with yellow or dirty coating, big and fast pulse.
Dang Gui Long Hui Wan
An Gong Niu Huang Wan
Gun Tan Wan

Yin Deficient Heat / Fire damages Yin
chronic mania, may have improved, fatigue, no energy, easily frightened, restlessness, thin body, red face, red tongue.
Ding Zhi Wan
Tian Wan Bu Xin Wan

Wind

Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine recognises Wind as being a cause of some Mental disease. Particularly, 'Heart Wind' and 'Wind of the Life Channel' contain some interesting formulas for Mental Instability and Mental Disease.

Heart Wind
Wind in the upper body affects the Heart, Mind and Spirit. There will be chest pain and oppression, poor memory and concentration, nervousness, fatigue, mental instability, shortness of breath, insanity

Bi Ma La (Tibetan Medicine)
Eleven Holders of Life (Srog dzin dcu gcig) (Tibetan)



Wind affecting the Life Channel
Pain and oppression in the upper back, stress, anxiety, thinking too much, poor concentration, possibly leading to Insanity which is manic and changeable.


Mental Happiness (Sems kyi bde skyid) (Tibetan)


see also
Black Bile & Melancholy

Treatment of Melancholy by Wirtzung

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