advice on shen disturbances

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for the helpful posts back on my questions. I've

got

a new herbal formula, and am feeling a bit better, and wanted to ask

about one more issue. In addition to treating me fore a spleen and

kidney and qi deficiency with phlegm, my TCM doctor is also been

treating me for a shen disturbance. I wasn't quite sure what

this

was, but he saying that the spirit (shen) is in the blood, and lifts

off, and leaves the body during times of abuse and trauma. He says

this is the cause of my hyper sensitivity, hyper-vigilance, and has

manifested in what western psychology diagnosed as depression,

anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder.

 

I asked him why a shen disturbance would make you more sensitive, as

it seems like the less there is of your spirit that stays in your

body, the less sensitive you would be, verging on numb. I'd

think

people would knock into you (physically or emotionally), and you

wouldn't even feel it. So why would a shen disturbance make

someone

super sensitive?

 

He said that it becomes about survival. That we have animal spirits

and " spirit " spirits, and a healthy person could have six of

them,

like six voices, and the animal spirits are more primal voices, and

interested in food, sex, and survival, and are consumed with looking

out for number one.

 

He says that if something devastating and threatening to your life

occurs, you can lose some of the " spirit " spirits, leaving

the

animal spirits to run the show. The hyper-vigilance is the animal

survival instincts in you, super-vigilant to everything happening

around you, like abused dogs who cringe and run at every sound.

 

According to him, ideally three spirits can manage six animals, if

they're balanced, and work together like a company with three

managers. The animal spirits calm down if they're managed. If you

develop a shen disturbance from trauma and start to losing some

managers, you end up with animal spirits fighting each other, or

worried and obsessed, and this can lead to depression or bi-polar,

manic depression.

 

Does this make sense? Part of it sounds right, and part of it just

sounds airy fairy. Is this TCM? Is this Taoism? I can only find a

bit about shen disturbances in various TCM books, and I'm

wondering

if anyone knows where I might find a complete article, or book on

them. The doctor said it can take years to cure them which is

scary, but I'd like to read and learn more about the process if

possible.

 

Is an acupuncturist advanced enough to deal with a shen

disturbance? It sounds very frightening, but is it really just

another syndrome, or should I be looking for a shen specialist. Is

there such a thing, and is so, how would I find one?

 

As usual all you very thoughtful replies have touched me so much,

and I'm very grateful for any advice or help.

 

Thanks again,

Linda