Chinese Herbal Prozac: Depression and Traditional Chinese Medicine

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Chinese Herbal Prozac: Depression and Traditional JoAnn Guest

Sep 18, 2005 13:27 PDT

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By Brian Benjamin Carter

Introduction

http://www.acupuncture.com/herbs/herbprozac.htm

 

In clinical setting we frequently see patients who are taking

antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, and Wellbutrin.

Chinese herbs like Albizzia may be an alternative to psychiatric drugs.

 

Traditional (TCM) is a holistic medicine- it has never

separated the mind and body, and so can comprehensively treat conditions

with both physical and mental symptoms.

 

Causes of Depression

As with all disease, we need an accurate diagnosis before we can begin

treatment. Depression has many causes. Not all of them will be helped by

antidepressants. If your self-esteem is intact, your mood does not vary

during the day, and you are not impaired socially, your depression may

have a physical cause.

 

Some physical/biomedical causes of depression are: chronic pain, chronic

fatigue, normal grief, vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, folate deficiency

anemia, viral disease, connective tissue/collagen disorders (arthritis),

an organic brain disorder, drug side-effects, cancer, and endocrine

abnormalities. can enhance the health of anyone with

any of these conditions.

 

Psychiatric Drug Therapy

Controlling depression with pharmaceuticals usually requires weeks or

months of experimentation with various drugs at different dosages.

During this experimentation, the patient experiences physical and mental

side-effects which can range from the annoying to the unbearable.

 

Chinese herbal medicine, properly practiced, does not cause side-effects

and so may ultimately be preferable to psychiatric medications.

 

However, there are many grave situations where psychiatric

pharmaceuticals are essential. More and more M.D.'s are now working to

minimize the amount of pharmaceuticals taken by each patient, and some

are even working with OMD's to utilize acupuncture and Chinese herbs to

slowly take the patient off of drugs and cure the root problem.

 

How Diagnoses Depression

In Traditional (TCM), we always conduct a thorough

evaluation of the patient. Symptoms and other diagnostic findings are

like the pieces of a puzzle. The puzzle is a diagnosis that describes a

patient's particular imbalances. Treatment arises naturally from this

diagnosis. In TCM (unlike western biomedicine) there is a treatment for

every diagnosis.

 

One simple way to understand depression is to use TCM's 5-Element

system. The 5 Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each

element is associated with a particular strength, weaknesses, color,

sound, etc. Three common 5-Element types in depression are Earth, Water,

and Wood.

 

Earth-Type Depression

Water-Type Depression Wood-Type Depression

 

" Can't keep up " " Can't get it up " " All bunched up "

Digestive Problems, Weight Gain, Fatigue, Loose Stool Impotence, Morning

Diarrhea, Knee and Low Back Problems, Frequent Urination Eye Problems

(red, painful, dry, etc.), Wiry build, Pain in ribcage area, Headaches

on top or sides of head

Worry, Overwhelm Fear Irritability, Frustration, Anger, Short Temper

 

Earth types can't keep up. They often experience digestive deficiency,

become tired and overwhelmed easily, and are prone to worry and weight

gain. They become depressed as a result of deficiency.

 

Water types have deficiencies in their 'root' energy. This is most

associated with old age, or extreme chronic illness.

 

Wood types get depressed because & #8805;they are all bunched up. They

are easy to anger. When anger is focused inward, it turns into

depression. They are irritable, have short tempers, and tend to be

skinnier than the Earth type. Wood types become depressed as a result of

stagnation.

 

Of course, a TCM diagnosis must be much more specific than this before

treatment can begin. Then the practitioner moves from diagnosis (What is

the disease?) to treatment principles (What strategies should we use to

balance the patient?). For example, they may want to increase the

patient's energy, move stagnation, and calm the spirit. Herbs and herb

formulas are chosen that fit the patient's symptoms, diagnosis, and the

practitioner's treatment principles.

 

Albizzia - Chinese Herbal Prozac Alternative?

Cortex Albizzia Julbrissin (mimosa tree bark) is a TCM herb in the

Nourish the Heart and Calm the Spirit category. It is traditionally used

to calm the spirit and relieve emotional constraint when the associated

symptoms of bad temper, depression, insomnia, irritability and poor

memory are present. It also relieves pain and dissipates abscesses and

swelling due to trauma (including fractures).

 

The flower of the mimosa tree is also used to relieve constrained Liver

qi, and calm the spirit when the associated symptoms of insomnia, poor

memory, irritability, epigastric pain, and feelings of pressure in the

chest are present. Research has shown that the flower of the mimosa tree

has a sedative effect.

 

German scientists assert that mimosa tree bark is part of the

heavily-guarded Coca Cola recipe (a concoction that has been making

people happy for decades!).

 

Understanding the meaning of åSpirit & #960;

In , åspirit & #960; is conscious awareness, the more

emotional and elusive aspect of being. The body must be in a good state

of health, and there must be sufficient nourishment and balance for the

spirit to be at peace. When improper diet, extreme emotions, trauma, and

external diseases injure the body, the spirit does not have a

comfortable place to rest. To address this problem, we balance the

underlying problem, but in the meantime we also calm the spirit. Thus,

in TCM, we treat the cause of the depression AND we calm the spirit so

that the patient feels happier and more at peace.

 

Conclusion

It is safe to say that there are people on anti-depressant medications

that do not need them. More exacting diagnosis by all healthcare

practitioners will lead to more appropriate treatments. Psychiatric

medications often cause unwanted side-effects. Proper TCM treatment does

not cause side-effects. Because TCM is a holistic medicine that

integrates the body and mind in its diagnostic process and treatment

strategies, it is a viable solution for the treatment of depression.

 

Brian Benjamin Carter is the Editor of The Pulse of Oriental Medicine, a

writer for Being Well (a monthly e-newsletter), and an Intern at the

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. Brian lives in beautiful San

Diego, California and is shamelessly addicted to double espressos.

 

Copyright 2001, The Pulse of Oriental Medicine

_________________

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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