Depressive Psychosis
Depressive psychosis is the gradual onset of an emotional sad and depressed state (called dejection), dullness, incomprehensible speech, muttering to oneself, mood swings, strange behavior (like frequent laughter or crying for no apparent reason), a desired lack of food, and routine sleepiness and fatigue. This is considered the “quiet” aspect of schizophrenia and involves phlegm and qi (energy) stagnation.
The objective of acupuncture treatment in Schizophrenia Depressive Psychosis is to regulate qi, alleviate mental depression, resolve phlegm, and calm Shen (the spiritual element of a person’s psyche).
The spleen and stomach are the sources of phlegm in the body.
Spleen
stomach
Needling Placement for Depressive Psychosis
- Ht 7 (even) The “spirit gate.” It is located on the wrist, at the ulnar end of the transverse crease, in the depression on the radial side of the tendon m. flexor carpi ulnaris.
○ Calms Shen
○ Anxiety
○ Worry
○ Irritability
○ Insomnia
- PC 7 (even) Yuan source point. Calms Shen, The location of this point is in the middle of the transverse crease of the wrist.
○ Manic psychosis
- Du 20 (even) Calms Shen and is located at the top of the head, directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline. The “source of mental activities.”
○ Insomnia
○ Manic psychosis
- UB 15 (even) Heart shu point. This point is located on the back, lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 5th thoracic vertebra.
○ Anxiety
○ Insomnia
- L.I. 4 (even) Calms Shen and is located on the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.
○ Irritability
○ Manic psychosis
- Liv 3 (even) is often used in conjunction with L.I. 4.
○ Depression
- The 4 Gates: made up of two Yuan source points. These points consisting of 2 different points needled bilaterally. One point, Large Intestine 4 (Hegu), on the dorsum of the hand, and the other point, Liver 3 (Taichong), on the dorsum of the foot.
○ Inflammation
○ Insomnia
○ Irritability
○ Stress
○ Anxiety
- UB 18 (even) Liver shu point that moves stagnant qi.
○ Manic psychosis
- Ren 17 (reduce), also called the “Sea of Qi,” “Chest Center,” or “Revealing the Heart,” is found on the anterior median line of the chest, at the level of the 4th intercostal space, at the midpoint between the two nipples.
○ Anxiety
○ Panic attack
○ Clears phlegm
Needling Placement to Reduce Phlem
- St 40 (reduce) The Luo connecting point of the Stomach. It is located on the anterior aspect of the lower leg, superior to the external malleolus, lateral to ST 38, and two fingers from the anterior crest of the tibia.
- Sp 6 (even) is on the medial aspect of the lower leg, above the medial malleolus, on the posterior border of the medial aspect of the tibia.
- UB 20 (even) Spleen shu is on the back, lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.