-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
mental/emotional
insomnia
psychospiritual approaches
metaphors and correlations
Inability to forget the day may be due to guilt. (Epstein, p. 138)
Fear of death, since sleep can be equated to death. (Epstein, p. 139)
Depression. (Epstein, p. 138)
Habit-bound insomnia. (related materia medica listings: insomnia guidelines)
Fear. Not trusting the process of life. Guilt. (Hay, 1988, p. 44)
Insomniacs are afraid of the night, of passivity. Transitoriness and death are important issues for them. They are lacking in native trust and the capacity for self surrender, and are usually identified with their active pole, the 'doer'. (Dethlefsen, p. 232-5)
Chinese psychophysiology:
Liver ~ Gan is the home of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the Xue (Blood); maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); opens into the eyes; expresses itself in the nervous system; and reflects emotional harmony and movement.
» Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement.
» Liver Xu (Deficiency) signs include impotence; frigidity; pain in thighs, pelvic region, and throat; ready tendency to "the blahs" (Seem, p. 28); timidity; depression; irritability; vertigo; pruritus; dry eyes, skin, and/or tendons; asthma; aching at the waist; hernia; and difficulty raising head up and down. Liver Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) predisposes to Xue Yu (Blood Stasis). Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to the Shi (Excess) conditions of Liver Wind, Liver Yang Rising, and Liver Fire Blazing.
» Liver Qi Stagnation reflects and accentuates emotional constraint as the Liver's function of facilitating smooth flow in the body is constricted. Stagnation is associated with frustration, irritability, tension, and feeling stuck. With time this pattern tends to produce a gloomy emotional state of constant resentment, repressed anger or depression, along with tightness in the chest, frequent sighing, abdominal tension or distension, and/or a feeling of a lump in the throat with difficulty in swallowing. (Maciocia, p. 216)
» Liver Shi (Excess) signs include discontent; anger; pain in lumbar region and genitals (Seem, p. 28); muscular tension; excessive sex drive; insomnia; moodiness; excitability; genital diseases; red, tearing eyes; compulsive energy; and bitter taste in the mouth. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder with symptoms of irritability, bitter taste, headaches, etc.
Heart ~ Xin houses the Shen (Spirit) and reveals itself through the brightness in the eyes; governs Fire and Heat; rules the Xue (Blood) and its vessels and directs the circulation; opens into the tongue and controls speech; and relates to the integration of the organs and the personality.
» Healthy expressions are warmth, vitality, excitement, inner peace, love, and joy.
» Heart Xu (Deficiency) signs include sadness; absence of laughter; depression; fear; anxiety; shortness of breath (Seem, p. 28); cold feeling in the chest and limbs; palpitations; cold sweat; inability to speak; memory failure; nocturnal emissions; and restless sleep. Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to Empty Fire, acute and chronic.
» Heart Shi (Excess) signs include false or facile laughter; sobbing; agitated spirit; insomnia (Seem, p. 28); frightful dreams; anxiety; tongue feels numb and heavy; heavy chest; hot sweat; and orange-colored urine.
» The Heart is the Emperor of the bodily realm so that when the Heart is disturbed all the other organs will be disrupted.
» Mental signs of Heart channel disorders include insomnia, anxiety, and all Shen disturbances. (Seem, p. 28)
Spleen ~ Pi governs digestion and manifests in the muscle tissues; transforms food into Qi and Xue (Blood); governs the Xue (Blood); and relates to the ability to assimilate, stabilize, and feel centered and balanced.
» Healthy expressions are fairness, openness, deep thinking, and reminiscence.
» Spleen Xu (Deficiency) signs include slightness (deficient "form"); abundant elimination; morning fatigue; cold, wet feet (Seem, p. 28); abdomen taut and distended like a drum; craving for sweets; flatulence; nausea; mild edema; memory failure; heavy feeling in legs; pale lips; loose stools; muscular weakness; and, indirectly, obesity.
» Spleen Shi (Excess) signs include heaviness (excess "form"); large abdomen; great sighing; sadness; obsessions and nightmares (Seem, p. 28); abdominal pain; irregular appetite; stickiness in the mouth and on lips; red lips; chest congestion; fatigue; and constipation.
» The excessive use of the mind in thinking, studying, concentrating, and memorizing over a long period of time tends to weaken the Spleen and may lead to Xue Yu (Blood Stasis). This also includes excessive pensiveness and constant brooding. (Maciocia, p. 241) Likewise, inadequate physical exercise and excess consumption of sweet and/or Cold foods will also deplete the Spleen.
» Mental signs of Spleen channel disorders include mental sluggishness; vertigo; melancholia; obsessions turned toward the past; fixed and rigid ideas; sleepwalking; agitated sleep; and nightmares. (Seem, p. 27)
therapies
behavior modification:
Bed should be used for sleeping, and not for other activities such as reading, watching TV, or eating. The bed should be behaviorally associated with sleeping. (Korn, p. 152)
Regular exercise. (Korn, p. 152)
Meditation, breath concentration, mantra recitation, counting sheep; all monotonously bore the left side of the brain and allow it to let go of its dominance. (Dethlefsen, p. 235)
imagery/relaxation:
Progressive relaxation is superior to relaxation without tension-release exercises in treatment of sleep latency.
Another study showed visual imagery with attention focusing to be superior to progressive relaxation.
Therefore, patient with cognitive anxiety might respond more to visual focusing treatment while those with somatic distress may benefit from somatic treatment like progressive relaxation.
(Zahourek, p. 36)
imagery:
repetitive mental images, i.e. sheep (Korn, p. 152)
end-result imagery (Korn, p. 152)
reverse-effect imaging (Korn, p. 152)
drifting down stream (Chavez)
video reverse (Chavez)
affirmation:
I lovingly release the day and slip into a peaceful sleep, knowing tomorrow will take care of itself. (Hay, 1988, p. 44)
theotherapy:
Cronus, Epimetheus, Furies, Orestes, Prometheus, Zeus (Lemesurier, p. 101)
hypnotherapy:
'affect bridge': 'Go back in time to when you last experienced that emotion.'
When a series of memories is recalled through this affect bridge, one arrives at the forgotten traumatic source of a personality problem that had previously been unavailable to the person. The affect bridge functions as a state-dependent pathway to the endocrine hormone-encoded source of a problem that can now be accessed and reframed therapeutically. (Rossi, 1986, p. 141)
psychotherapy:
Bring the day consciously to a close, so as to give oneself over totally to the night. At that moment, let go of identification with the 'doer'. (Dethlefsen, p. 235)
Sleeplessness could be taken as a cue for asking the following questions?
» Am I able to let go?
» Am I having sufficient regard for the night-side of my soul?
» How dependent am I on power, control, intellect, and observation?
» How afraid am I of death? What terms have I come to with this?
» How developed are my facilities for self-surrender? (Dethlefsen, p. 236)
process paradigm: (experientially oriented)
What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do? (see process interview: psycho/neurological system)
related materia medica listings:
the shadow and physical symptoms
insomnia guidelines
converting a symptom to a signal
reframing
state-dependent learning
subjective inquiry approach
exploratory or mechanistic?
behavior modification
relaxation techniques
imagery: precautions
imagery: techniques
affirmations: guidelines and precautions
theotherapy
hypnotherapy
process paradigm
footnotes
Reprinted from The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Maciocia, Giovanni, 1989, by permission of the publisher Churchill Livingstone, a division of Elsevier Limited.