Something I truly love about Chinese medical theory is that the mind and body are not separated from one another. In fact most diseases are often seen to be from some type of emotional factor. The stresses of our modern world would certainly qualify as a cause of disease! We have to remember, though, that the connection goes both ways – mind affects body, and body affects mind.
In a recent study it was found that people with psoriasis had a higher likelihood of being depressed. They actually contributed inflammation as being the culprit for ones mental and emotional decline, and suggested newer forms of “antidepressants” would be anti-inflammatory medicines. This is actually not anything new to Chinese medicine, as it is well known that the patterns contributing to psoriasis (or any skin disorder) may also cause depression and/ or anxiety. I, like many other practitioners, have seen many a persons mood shift while their skin cleared at the same time.
Chicken and egg right? Was it the mood that created the skin problem, or vice versa? Sure many people may find that after they adjust their stressful lifestyles and re-program the way that they react to life, creating a more calm and relaxed demeanour, their skin problem clears up. But there are also many people who have already achieved meditative equilibrium, are peaceful, have forgiven their parents and ex spouses for any hardships done, but still suffer with troubled skin and/ or depression. Again mind-body goes both ways, and quite frankly there are times when actual medicine, preferably herbal, is warranted. The body, just like the mind, needs a helping hand from time to time.
I remember a story that my mentor Mazin told about a young 5 year old boy with atopic eczema (we actually studied this case during my training). The boy was covered head to toe with a really red and itchy rash. He was truly suffering. The mother, in a state of panic and uncertainty as to what to do, was smothering him in vaseline as a way to help. Unfortunately the vaseline was preventing his skin from breathing properly and thus making this young boys eczema even worse!
This poor boy was suffering. I believe he had also been diagnosed with ADHD, as he was literally bouncing around the clinic when he visited, unable to properly sit still. Mazin did a great job of capturing this child’s distress in the photos he took of him. You could see it in his eyes. Chinese medicine posets that heat in the blood can create skin rash, while at the same time can contribute to anxiety, hyperactivity and restlessness – symptoms much related to the diagnosis of ADHD.
Mazin made up a formulation of herbal medicines for this child and had the mother stop applying all that vaseline. Several weeks later the boy’s skin was vastly improved and believe or not, so was his mood. When the boy visited the next time, he was able to sit calmly and relaxed. His attention was good. Both Mazin and the mother (and all of us students) were very impressed. The connection between the body and mind was made very clear in this young boy’s case.
So if you have already tried de-stressing, have already tried seeing different counsellors for those depressing thoughts that circulate through your head, and also have a skin disease that is not going away, perhaps you need to try a different route – like Chinese herbal medicine! Perhaps in your case the body needs a little nudge, so that the mind can follow.
Wishing you health,
Dr.Trevor Erikson
Copyright © 2019 Dr. Trevor Erikson