The biggest problem with the treatment of children with mental-emotional problems in the USA-  is the early and heavy usage of chemical drugs by the Western health practitioners. Nobody, even the best doctors has enough information on dosages or side effects of the chemical drugs on children of different ages. In comparison, Chinese health practitioners use only herbal, natural, extremely well tested over thousands of years formulas, or very safe acupuncture modalities.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that there are 12 million children under eighteen with a mental disorder. At least 3 to 5 percent of American school-age children suffer from attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

Attention Deficit Disorder — ADD is a persistent and frequent pattern of developmentally inappropriate inattention and impulsivity with or without hyperactivity (ADHD). These children have some positive traits: spontaneity, creativity, and the ability to lock on to and focus on certain tasks.

The symptoms that may present potential problems include trouble paying attention, inattention to details, losing items, being easily distracted, trouble listening, trouble following multiple adult commands, blurting out answers, impatience, fidgeting, talking too much, interrupting others, and having difficulty playing quietly.

Childhood Depression — Depression in school-aged and even pre-school children has been more recognized in recent years. Symptoms include frequent sadness, hopelessness, decreased interest in activities, social isolation, self-blame, somatic complaints (headache, abdominal pain, insomnia), difficulty with relationships, poor concentration, and thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior. Chronic depression is often associated with anorexia, weight loss, despondency, and suicidal thoughts. Depression may be masked by overactivity and aggressive, antisocial behavior.

Adolescent Depression — Mild depression occurs in up to 10 percent of high school students, moderate depression in 5 to 6 percent, and major depression in 1 to 2 percent. The symptoms are similar to childhood and adult depression but are modified by the circumstances in the adolescent’s life. Depressed adolescents may turn to alcohol or other drugs as a way to feel better.

Anxiety Disorders — Anxiety is expected to some degree and is normal at specific times in development. When anxieties become severe and begin to interfere with the daily activities of childhood, such as separating from parents, attending school, and making friends, the child may have an anxiety disorder. Some anxiety disorders are panic attacks, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Treatment approaches are psychotropic medication, family counseling, behavior modification, cognitive therapy, psychotherapy, or social-skills training.

Medication

Medication may be a part of the treatment program for many psychiatric disorders of childhood and adolescence. Psychotropic means, literally, “mind-turning” from psyche (mind) and trope (a turning). In Stedman’s Medical Dictionary (1987, Williams and Wilkins) it is defined as “affecting the mind, denoting drugs used in the treatment of mental illness” (p.623). They are used in clinical ways to modify mood, cognition, or behavior.

Chinese herbs are not changing the mind and personality of our kids and do not cause any dependency and can be stopped partially or completely at any time!!!

Parents should know the medication their child is on, the benefits it should provide, the proper dose, and its unwanted side effects.

Psychotropic Medications can have serious side effects. Each medication has its own potential side effects.

Stimulant Medication — This medication is a useful part of the treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), Ritalin (methylphenidate), Cylert (pemoline), and Adderall are examples. Common side effects associated with stimulant drugs are insomnia, diminished appetite, anxiety, depression, and nervousness.  Serious side effects of stimulants: chest pain, irregular or fast heartbeat, skin rash, joint pain, fever or dry skin, psychotic-like mood or behavior, uncontrollable body movements (head, neck, arms, legs). Cylert may cause yellowing of eyes or skin.

Antidepressants — Antidepressants are used in the treatment of depression, school phobias, anxiety disorders, panic disorders, bedwetting, anorexia, bulimia, PMS, and ADHD. There are three classifications of antidepressants:

  • Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCAs): Elavil (amitriptyline), Endep (amitriptyline), Norpramin (desipramine), Pamelor (nortriphyline), Tofranil (imipramine). Serious side effects of Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA’s): blurred vision or eye pain, confusion, hallucinations, irregular or rapid pounding heartbeat, seizures, muscle stiffness or spasm, tingling, pain or numbness in feet or hands, tremor, muscle twitches, difficulty urinating or loss of bladder control, yellowing of eyes or skin. Note: These drugs have significant potential for toxicity (Teacher’s Drug Reference, p. 199).
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Luvox (fluvoxamine), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline). Serious side effects of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Agitation or restlessness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, palpitations, skin rash, hives, difficulty breathing, tingling or numbness, seizure. Prozac can also cause flu-like symptoms (Teacher’s Drug Reference, p. 201).
  • Atypical Antidepressants: Desyrel (trazadone), Ludiomil (maprotiline), Wellbutrin (bupropion), Effexor (veniafaxine). Serious side effects of atypical antidepressants:
  • –Wellbutrin — agitation, anxiety, restlessness, confusion, hallucinations, severe headache, difficulty breathing, palpitations, seizures.
  • –Ludiomil — difficulty breathing, eye pain, fainting spells, palpitations, fever or sweating, hallucinations, difficulty with bladder, muscle stiffness, skin rash, unusual swelling, muscle twitches or movement of the mouth, yellowing of skin or eyes, seizures.
  • –Desyrel — fainting spells, palpitations, fever and sweating, tremor or trembling, continuous painful erection (Teacher’s Drug Reference, p. 203)

Anti-Anxiety Medications (Benzodiazepines) — These medications are used to treat anxiety, phobic and panic disorders, seizures, and night terrors and induce muscle relaxation: Ativan (lorazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam).

Antipsychotics (Neuroleptics) — Antipsychotics are used to treat psychotic patients with schizophrenia and acute mania. In the non-psychotropic patient they are used to treat Tourette’s or tic disorders: Haldol (haloperidol), Orap (pimozide), Stelazine (trifluoperazine), Thorazine (chlorpromazine), Risperdol (resperidone), Zyprexa (olanzapine).

We will emphasize again main differences – Chinese herbal natural pills or Acupuncture are not toxic, do not create any dependency, do not have (or have very little and safe) side effects, do not change the personality of our kids, are much easier to control the dosages and to predict the action, extremely well researched over the thousands of years of usage! Chinese doctors also strongly suggest to incorporate into treatment extra sport activities, including Tai Chi, as well as to learn meditation, breathing and relaxation exercises.

The all ancient theories of Chinese Medicine and the texts say: “In children blame the spleen, in adults blame the liver, in the aged blame the kidneys“. What this means is that in children the most common cause of illness is a weak spleen which in effect means weak digestive abilities, in adults the main cause of illness is related to the liver, of which the most common TCM pathology is Liver Qi stagnation. In the aged the kidneys are to blame because it is the kidneys that hold the essence of life which have by now been largely consumed just as a candle consumes itself by giving off light.

The liver in TCM is said to control the flow of qi in the body, it also opens into the eyes, stores blood (which it releases to other areas of the body when required), controls the contraction and relaxation of muscles, controls the emotions of anger, irritability and frustration and also influences strategy and decision making. We say that the liver also allows for the focus of the individual on long term goals and objectives. The reason that Chinese practitioners blame the liver in adults is because adults are by definition those who have now come to live with “delayed gratification” as opposed to a child who seeks “instant gratification”. This social constraint of not being able to do what we want to when we want to do it is in effect an inhibition of the qi mechanism, which in turn causes the qi to stagnate. This qi stagnation, since it being a function of the liver to maintain free flow of qi, first affects the liver manifesting as anger, frustration and irritability on a mental emotional level and because of the interrelationships of the liver with other organs can manifest as stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, and in fact a myriad of other symptoms depending on which organ or system is attacked by the buildup of qi in the liver.

The liver is the organ/system most often implicated in mental-emotional disorders though the other organs/systems also have similar relationships as follows:

Spleen/Stomach – Excessive worry and thinking can damage the spleen/stomach causing such symptoms as loose stools, profuse bleeding, poor appetite and in long standing cases are often the cause of many autoimmune disorders. Such patients may also have difficulty making decisions and be prone to obsessive behaviors.

Kidneys – The emotion of the kidney is fear and lack of willpower and inordinate fear are typical when the kidney is weak. Fright or excessive fear may also induce kidney weakness which may then manifest as bedwetting, incontinence and impotence.

Lungs – The lungs are weakened by grief and sadness. Since the lungs are intimately involved in the production of qi in the body this often leads to deficient qi manifesting as chronic fatigue, shortness of breath and asthma.

Heart – The heart is damaged by excessive joy, which we say slows the qi down or causes it to become “slack”, this can be fatal if the individual already has a heart condition.

Sometimes patients come in for a particular mental-emotional or pre diagnosed psychiatric condition. TCM is well suited to treating such disorders because of the novel approach and tools at the practitioners disposal, here follows the common patterns that are behind many of these disorders and some tips on their treatment:

Obsessive-compulsive disorders/tendencies – This condition is most often related to a weakness of the spleen with resultant accumulation of dampness.

Withdrawal – Often due to either kidney yang vacuity in which case the problem is not enough willpower to engage the outside world or cold-phlegm obstructing the portals of the heart which almost always presents with a tongue with a thick white coating,  that covers the majority of the tongue surface.

Mania – Can be due to liver fire or phlegm-fire obstructing the heart.

Paranoia – More often blood stasis but can be blood vacuity as well.

Seasonal Affective Disorder – Almost always Kidney yang vacuity

It must be stressed in conclusion that although Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can effectively treat many mental-emotional disorders, the practitioner in this country cannot assume the role of the psychotherapist or psychologist. It is essential that if the underlying pattern has an issue that needs addressing by a qualified counselor or therapist, as in the case of trauma, that the TCM practitioner work together with such a professional in managing the illness together.

Herbal formulas for the mentioned above problems include but not limited to: Gui Pi Wan, Xiao Yao Wan, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Sheng Mai Yin Wan and many others subject to Doctor’s Li decision for the particular case.

(Please note: This article is intended for practitioners and to give an insight to the public on how Chinese Medicine is able to treat mental health issues, if you are not a practitioner please do not act on the advice given herein, rather consult a professional practitioner of Chinese Medicine.)

 

About the author: ChineseHerbalAdviser