“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”
Albert Camus
Overview of Todays’ Post:
In my post about “depression basics” I mentioned that Traditional Chinese Medicine views depression as a problem primarily with the mind or brain and secondarily as a problem with the body. Today you are going to learn how depression is viewed from the perspective of the mind/brain, which “states of mind” you fall into, and I will point to some suggestions on how you can start working through these issues from home starting today.
Categories of the Mind:
We can break the Mind (3 Organs of the Mind/Brain) down into 3 basic categories of dis-ease.
*Special Note*: Since all of these states of mind can be caused by physical or mental struggles it not uncommon to fit into more than 1 category (although most people fit primarily into 1 and secondarily into the other(s).
MIND WEAKENED:
In this state the mind is weakened by a lack of energy. This could be lack of physical energy what we would call a “deficiency” in Chinese Medicine, or lack of conscious awareness giving the mind direction and motivation.
I often see this state of mind in people who regularly “tune out” of their thoughts and emotions by using things like TV, or “mindless” meditation (meditation performed with the intension of turning off the mind and reaching a state of “emptiness”).
I also often see this state of mind in people who regularly avoid catagories of food in an attempt to be “healthy”. Most of your energy (from the perspective of Chinese Medicine) comes from animal foods and grains, for that reason people who are vegetarian, vegan, or grain free are particularly at risk of depleting their body of much needed energy.
The most common signs and symptoms of this state of mind are:
- Physical and mental fatigue and exhaustion. It is common to hear phrases such as “I’m exhausted,” “I’m worn out,” “I am running on empty,” “I just need a break.”
- Mild depression is incredibly common, or a general feeling of being “down”
- Lack of will-power and initiative.
- Insomnia. Often with this type of insomnia the person wakes up early rather than throughout the night
- Poor memory
- General dislike of speaking or pessimism
- Fatigue and lassitude. This is often shown in a desire not to leave the house or be physically active.
- Pale skin and nails
- Generally feeling cold especially in the hands and feet
- Slight breathlessness or poor lung capacity
MIND UNSETTLED:
In this state the mind may also be weakened by a lack of energy (similar to mind weakened) however in this state the deficiency or lack of energy is at a deeper level. Mind weakened can be brought on by a long work week or a heavy menstrual cycle whereas mind unsettled is brought on by a longer history of overwork, heavy loss of blood (such as an accident or miscarriage), or a sudden illness such as pneumonia.
The mind may also become unsettled when it is disturbed by “pathogenic factors” which is the term we use to describe anything that is in a state of excess (rather than deficiency as described above.) “Pathogenic factors” can be thought of on a physical level as toxins or an excess amount of waste products in the body.
I often see this state of mind in people who regularly “bury” or ignore their emotions by using things like alcohol, smoking, stress eating, or have become “addicted” to passive therapies such as EFT, EMDR, Emotional Release, etc.
I also often see this state of mind in people who regularly eat or drink excessively, especially things like meat, dairy, coffee, alcohol, and sugar. Eating to much of any type of food leads to accumulating toxins and waste products in the body (yes even vegetables) however it happens much quicker with the above listed foods as they are “denser” than things like fruits and vegetables.
The most common signs and symptoms of this state of mind are:
- Anxiety is the most common symptom seen in mind unsettled
- Mental or physical restlessness. This state of mind is often manifested in someone frequently bouncing a leg, stretching, moving from 1 place to the next, and in general always seem to be “on the go.”
- Insomnia. Often with this type of insomnia the person struggles to fall asleep, wakes up throughout the night, and may be prone to excessive dreaming or nightmares.
- Agitation and Irritation. Being “short tempered” is often a sign of an unsettled mind
- Absent-mindedness is common. I find often that people who are unsettled often become hyperfocused on their thoughts, emotions, or their physical body to the point that they are “thinking about life” rather than living it.
- If the “body brain” is unsettled as well there is often breathlessness, a feeling of tightness in the chest, and red coloring or itching of the skin. (Breaking out in hives under stress.)
MIND OBSTRUCTED:
In this state, the mind becomes obstructed when it is disturbed by “pathogenic factors” (as described above as toxins or waste products.) This is similar to mind unsettled however the toxins or waste products must have reached a “tipping point” to cause obstruction of the mind.
The mind may become unsettled from a history of poor digestion, drinking and smoking in college, or repeatedly “burying” your emotions over a year or 2. In order to obstruct the mind, these patterns of behavior carry on for many years or the emotional trauma that is “buried” must be severe.
I often see this pattern in long term drug and alcohol users, clients with a long history of physical health issues (especially digestion), and clients with a history of childhood or adolescent physical or emotional trauma. It is also frequently seen in cases of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
The most notable difference between this state of the mind and the other 2 are that in this case there is some degree of disconnect from reality or loss of awareness of the self. In short there is a loss of “self” or “I am” outside of the thoughts, emotions, or bodily sensations that are felt.
A few examples can be helpful here. In depression someone may lose the ability (temporarily) to recognize the self outside of the emotion and feel instead like their whole world has dissolved into their experience of grief. In anxiety someone may similarly become dissolved into their fear and block out the world around them. If the obstruction is severe enough there is a distinct loss of “self” as the person becomes stuck in their thoughts and emotions (as happens in multiple personality disorder.)
The most common signs and symptoms of this state of mind are:
- Mental Confusion
- Poor memory
- Dizziness
- Problems with concentration
- Inability to find the right words
- Slow thinking
- Irrational thinking or behavior
- Moderate-severe depression
- Panic attacks/disorders
What Contributes to a Particular State of Mind?
- 3 things contribute the most to any state of mind.
- Your connection to your “self-aware/conscious brain” or “center of consciousness”
- Your physical body which is strongly influenced by your diet and relationship with food
- Your emotions and thought life
Up Next: Your Connection to Your “Self-Aware/Conscious Brain” and How You Can Improve it.
