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This book discusses the disease causes and mechanisms, pattern discrimination, treatment principles, and Chinese medical treatmnet of more than 20 traditional Chinese psychiatric diseases as well as the same information on 12 modern Western psychiatric disorders.
Each chapter delaing with either a traditional or modern disease category also includes extensive information on the Westerm medical nosology, etiology, differential diagnosis, pathophysiology, epidemiology, treatment, side effects, and criteria for referral written by a Western psychiatrist. There are also abstracts of recent Chinese and Western research as well as multiple case histories.
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By Robert S. Flaws (Boulder, CO)
By Simon A. Becker, Dipl.Ac., CH (NCCAOM)
Title: Chinese Medical Psychiatry: A Textbook and Clinical Manual
Authors: Bob Flaws, Dipl.Ac. and James Lake, MD
Publication: Hardcover, 600 pages
Publisher: Blue Poppy Press, Boulder, Colorado
Publication Date: October 2000
Price: $108.00
Category: Practitioner education; psychiatric conditions
A Chinese Medical Textbook and Clinical Manual that Sets New Standards for the Profession
The treatment of mental illnesses has always been an integral part of Chinese medicine. In Chinese medicine, as the authors of the reviewed book point out early on, "no ... dualism between the body and mind exists... ." The mind affects the body and the body affects the mind. The psyche-soma relationship is completely bidirectional. Therefore, it is not surprising that the earliest references to the treatment of psychiatric symptoms appear in the 2000 year old locus classicus of Chinese medicine, the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic). However, despite this inseparable relationship between body and mind, or maybe exactly because of it, a textbook detailing the treatment of psychiatric diseases with Chinese medicine has, so far, been a much needed but sorely lacked work. The absence of such a work is even more surprising if one considers that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 22-23% of the adult U.S. population has a diagnosable mental disorder during any one-year period.
Chinese Medical Psychiatry: A Textbook & Clinical Manual fills this gap in the Chinese medical literature in an unsurpassed fashion. Not having expected anything less than a superb work from the most prolific author and practitioner of Chinese medicine in the West, Bob Flaws, and his co-author, psychiatrist James Lake, this book sets new standards in the field of Chinese medicine as far as its thorough research; useful Western medical information; detailed Chinese medical disease and treatment discussions; and abundant clinical references (such as case histories and clinical audits) are concerned.
This textbook's basic structure differs from most other Chinese medical texts in that it not only contains the standard two books but rather is divided into three. Book One begins with a short chapter on the history of Chinese medicine psychiatry, followed by a lengthy chapter on introductory theory. Besides discussing the psyche-soma dualism and the mind and spirit concepts as well as detailing the different Chinese medical causes of psychological diseases (including iatrogenesis and drug addiction), this chapter also includes a section succinctly outlining the concepts of Zhu Dan-xi's six depressions and Li Dong-yuan's yin fire theory, which are clinically extremely common but rarely discussed in the English language. The chapter ends with a look at the different treatment modalities for psychiatric diseases, including sections on Chinese medicinals; acupuncture; and even a discussion of Chinese medical psychotherapy.
Chapter three is titled "Essence-Spirit Materia Medica" and lists the most important medicinals for psychological disorders. The discussion for each medicinal includes the nature and flavor; channel entry; functions and indications; dosage; method of use; possible cautions and contraindications; and, if available, a statement from the Chinese medicinal locus classicus, the Shen Nong Ben Cao (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica). Chapter four, "Commonly Used Chinese Formulas in the Treatment of Psychoemotional Disorders," then lists the ingredients; their common dosages; functions; and indications of standard formulas for patterns commonly seen in psychiatric patients. In combination, chapters three and four are of great help in sharpening one's skill in selecting the most efficacious medicinals and guiding formulas in the field of Chinese medical psychiatry.
Chapters five and six discuss individual acupuncture points and point formulas for psychological diseases. Furthermore, chapter six contains both an in-depth examination of the 13 ghost points, including a translation of and various commentaries on Sun Si-miao's Song of the 13 Ghost Points, and a novel discussion of an acupuncture protocol developed by Bob Flaws and indicated for patients presenting with the clinically common yin fire scenario.
Chapter seven, "Basic Principles of Listening and Communicating," presents a discussion of basic principles for effective communication with mentally and emotionally disturbed patients, including an overview of cognitive distortions common in psychiatric patients. This chapter also contains an introductory section on when and to whom to refer for routine or urgent follow-up care, a topic then commented on for each disease discussed later in the book. Finally, the last chapter of Book One discusses some very interesting and thought-provoking suggestions on the integration of Chinese and Western psychiatric treatments.
Although Book One is written with a level of detailed Chinese as well as pertinent and useful Western medical information rare to find in other Chinese medical textbooks, Book Two and Book Three are what make this work so unique and peerless. So far, it has been the standard in the English Chinese medical literature to discuss the treatment of disease either on the basis of Western disease categories or on the basis of Chinese medical disease categories. Chinese Medical Psychiatry goes a step further. Instead of simply outlining the disease mechanisms and treatments of either traditional Chinese diseases (such as plum pit qi, visceral agitation, etc.) or Western diseases (such as bipolar disorder, depression, etc.), the authors decided to list both of these classification systems: "The Chinese Essence Spirit Diseases" in Book Two, and "The Treatment of Western Psychiatric Diseases with Chinese Medicine" in Book Three. In the introduction to this last book, the authors point out: "As Chinese medicine becomes more and more integrated into the dominant Western health care delivery system, Western practitioners of Chinese medicine need to be able to work within the framework of that system." The combination of discussing traditional Chinese medical diseases as well as Western psychiatric diseases, and extensively cross-referencing the two, serves exactly this integrative approach by providing Chinese medical practitioners with two angles for analysis and treatment of the disorder at hand. It is also this combination of disease discussions that sets this book apart from most other Chinese medical books as far as its clinical usefulness in a modern Western Chinese medical setting is concerned.
The discussion of the 21 Chinese essence spirit diseases and the 12 Western medical diseases follows the detail presented in Book One. Each disease, in both Book Two and Book Three, consists of three sections: Western medicine, Chinese medicine, and research and case histories.
The Western medical part is very extensive and covers most if not all of the following for each disease: nosology; epidemiology; differential diagnosis; etiology and pathophysiology; common Western medical treatments with their benefits and drawbacks; prognosis; and a short but very useful section listing signs and symptoms indicating to the practitioner of Chinese medicine to refer the patient to a Western physician.
The Chinese medical section follows the same outline in Book Two and Book Three. It thoroughly discusses the disease causes and mechanisms and concisely instructs on the treatment based on pattern discrimination, listing the most common patterns for either the Chinese medical disease in Book Two or the Western medical disease in Book Three. For each pattern, the main symptoms, treatment principles, medicinal treatment formulas with modifications and acupuncture points are discussed.
The research and case history section lists abstracts from recent studies in China and, to a more limited degree, the U.S. The studies cover both acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Case histories stem exclusively from the Chinese medical literature. Overall, this textbook and clinical manual, from its thorough introduction to the detailed disease discussions, is extremely rich, not only in Chinese medical detail, but also in Western medical information relevant for the Western practitioner of Chinese medicine. As a result, if there exists such a thing as a one-stop research tool in Chinese medical psychiatry, this work certainly is very close to it, at least for Chinese herbalists. For acupuncturists who strictly limit themselves to performing acupuncture, the value of this work lies in its introductory section on acupuncture; on the succinct disease mechanism and pattern descriptions; and on the point prescriptions listed for all patterns. Furthermore, some of the clinical audits and case histories focus on acupuncture. However, reflecting the predominance of Chinese herbal medicine over acupuncture in modern China, this book certainly is more tailored to practitioners and advanced students integrating acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
Having praised the exact and detailed style of this book, it must be said that this is an advanced textbook of Chinese medicine and is not for people entering the field who are not familiar with the theory of Chinese medicine and who are looking for an inspiring introduction to the field of Chinese medical psychiatry. Knowledge and understanding of Chinese medical physiology and pathology is required in order to appreciate this book's splendor. This is not to say, however, that this work cannot be a very worthwhile addition to the library of interested psychiatrists and psychologists, particularly those who refer patients to Chinese medical practitioners.
Unique in its composition of listing not only either Chinese or Western diseases but rather both and of providing extremely detailed and helpful Western medical information designed for the practitioner of Chinese medicine, this book enhances the Chinese medical practitioners' understanding of their patients' Western medical disease diagnosis; assists them in becoming more effective communicators with their mentally disturbed patients; and greatly improves their skill of prescribing Chinese medicines and performing acupuncture. In so doing, Chinese Medical Psychiatry: A Textbook & Clinical Manual will not only aid in increasing the dialogue between Chinese and Western practitioners by furthering mutual understanding, it will also improve every Chinese medical clinician's effectiveness in dealing with patients suffering from mental-emotional disorders.
Simon A. Becker, Dipl.Ac., CH (NCCAOM)
By Armando R. Neves Nt (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
"Chinese Medical Psychiatry" is a review and synthesis of east and western therapeutics.
By (Seattle, WA)
This both is an interesting introduction to the theory of treating 'mental/emotional' disorders, and a useful collection of case studies. Unfortunately it bypasses entirely important clinical concerns.
For example, the book discusses 'Dian Kuang' ('Withdrawl and Mania'), but treats them only as separate diagnostic and treatment categories; there is no discussion on the extremely important concern of treatment of those who cycle regularly between the two, and no reference to special concerns for treating children and adolescents with this disorder (many of whom cycle rapidly, as often as several times a day) - any formula treating these patients will have to address both the mania and withdrawl, but no discussion of this is included, and the reader is left to try to sift through case histories to gain small amounts of helpful information.
So, at one level, this book is a serious disappointment; like too many texts that attempt an overview of an extremely complex field, it covers too broadly, with significant gaps.
It is still a good reference book, though, and the case history sections give plenty of material for further study, but it is not a textbook one can rely on for thorough introduction or coverage of this subject area.
David A. Dawson, Ph.D., M.Ac., M.T.C.M.
By
The information I found in this book was highly inadequate. It was simply a blown out of proportion version of what any beginner in TCM knows the seven spirits and points to needle, I believe I've learned more reading articles posted on the net. Not only that but Flaws never returned my message or emails and Blue Poppy press "specifically Joanne" was rude to me when I requested a refund. I will never do business with Blue Poppy or Bob flaws again.
By
The information I found in this book was highly inadequate. It was simply a blown out of proportion version of what any beginner in TCM knows the seven spirits and points to needle, I believe I've learned more reading articles posted on the net
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