Every one of us has mental health. Following World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we look at how Chinese medicine has understood the bond between the emotions and the body for more than two thousand years, what modern research says, and how practitioners can support patients safely and with compassion.
Why awareness matters
In September 2025 the World Health Organization reported that more than one billion people worldwide are living with a mental health condition, with anxiety and depression the most common. These conditions are now the second biggest cause of long-term disability, yet the same report found that the world has a median of just 13 mental health workers for every 100,000 people.
Those numbers tell us two things. Mental health problems touch almost every family, and no single profession can meet the need alone. Acupuncturists and herbal medicine practitioners often see patients over many sessions and hear about sleep, stress, grief and worry in great detail. That relationship is a privilege, and it carries a responsibility to listen well, support wisely and know when to refer.
Mind and body as one: the Chinese medicine view
Chinese medicine has never separated the mind from the body. In the Huang Di Nei Jing, the foundational classic of the tradition, the Heart is described as the sovereign of the body, the organ from which shen, the spirit or clarity of mind, shines out. When the Heart is nourished and settled, a person thinks clearly, sleeps soundly and feels at ease. When it is disturbed, restlessness, anxiety and insomnia follow.
The same text describes how each emotion moves qi in its own way: anger makes qi rise, joy slows it, grief dissolves it, fear makes it descend and overthinking knots it. Emotions are a normal part of life. They become a source of illness only when they are too intense, last too long or have no outlet. This framework is known as the five emotions, or wu zhi.
Frustration with no outlet binds Liver qi: irritability, sighing, tension and tight shoulders.
Healthy joy relaxes us, but overexcitement scatters the shen, with restlessness and poor sleep.
Worry knots qi, weakening digestion and leaving people tired, foggy and preoccupied.
Sorrow dissolves qi, seen in a soft voice, shallow breathing and withdrawal from others.
Fear makes qi descend, linked with insecurity, low resilience and exhaustion of reserves.
For practitioners, this model is a practical diagnostic tool. A patient who describes a lump in the throat that comes and goes with stress, or who wakes at the same hour every night with racing thoughts, is giving information that shapes the choice of points and formulas.
Two thousand years of classical formulas
Emotional disorders appear throughout the classical literature, and many of the formulas still taught today were written for exactly these presentations. Here are some milestones that every student of Chinese herbal medicine meets.
Huang Di Nei Jing
Sets out the Heart as the residence of the shen and describes how each of the emotions affects the movement of qi.
The Jing Fang classics
The Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue give us Gan Mai Da Zao Tang for restless organ disorder with frequent sorrow and weeping, Ban Xia Hou Po Tang for the sensation of something stuck in the throat, later called plum-pit qi, Suan Zao Ren Tang for vexation and sleeplessness, and Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang for fullness, fright and irritability.
Xiao Yao San
The Free and Easy Wanderer, recorded in the Imperial Pharmacy formulary, became the classic prescription for constrained Liver qi with Spleen weakness.
Gui Pi Tang
Written for overthinking and worry that exhaust the Heart and Spleen, with palpitations, poor memory and disturbed sleep.
The six stagnations
Described how constraint of qi can lead to stagnation of blood, damp, phlegm, heat and food, and created Yue Ju Wan to release them.
Classical formulas are always adapted to the individual pattern, and herbal prescriptions should only be given by a qualified practitioner after a full consultation. Jing Fang, the classical formulas of Zhang Zhongjing, is a particular focus at Phoenix Academy, and these prescriptions are studied in depth on our Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine.
精神内守 病安从来
“When the mind is calm and free of excess desire, true qi follows. When essence and spirit are guarded within, from where could illness come?”
Huang Di Nei Jing · Su Wen, Chapter 1What does the modern evidence say?
An honest look at the research
The most thorough review of acupuncture for depression, published by Cochrane in 2018, analysed 64 trials involving 7,104 participants. It found that acupuncture may moderately reduce the severity of depression compared with no treatment or usual care, and may produce a small reduction compared with sham acupuncture. The reviewers rated much of the evidence as low quality and called for larger, better designed trials.
Research into Chinese herbal medicine for low mood and anxiety is growing, but many studies are small and vary in quality. The responsible position is clear: Chinese medicine can play a supportive, complementary role, alongside and never instead of appropriate medical and psychological care.
Supporting patients well: a practitioner checklist
Whether you are a qualified practitioner or a student beginning clinical training, these principles help keep patients safe and make your care more effective.
- Ask, do not assumeInclude mood, sleep, appetite and stress in every intake, even when the patient comes for back pain.
- Recognise red flagsThoughts of self-harm or suicide, signs of psychosis, rapid weight loss or safeguarding concerns need urgent referral.
- Know your referral routesKeep details for the GP, NHS Talking Therapies and crisis lines to hand in your clinic.
- Check for interactionsReview all medication. Some herbs may interact with antidepressants, sedatives or anticoagulants.
- Work within your scopeNever advise a patient to reduce or stop prescribed medication. That is a decision for their prescriber.
- Look after yourselfSupervision, peer support and CPD protect your own wellbeing, which your patients depend on.
Yang sheng: everyday habits that nourish the mind
Yang sheng, the art of nourishing life, is the preventive heart of Chinese medicine. Autumn is the season of the Lung and of grief, and the classics advise going to bed early and rising early at this time of year. These simple habits are worth sharing with patients, and with ourselves.
Keep a rhythm
Regular times for sleep, waking and meals steady the body and the mind, especially as the days shorten.
Move qi gently
A daily walk, tai chi or qigong keeps qi flowing and is one of the best natural antidotes to stagnation.
Eat warm and regular
Cooked, warming meals support the Spleen, which suffers when we skip meals or eat on the run.
Breathe out slowly
A long, unhurried out-breath settles the Heart and quietens a busy mind within a few minutes.
Let emotions move
Talking, writing or creative expression gives feelings an outlet, so they do not settle into stagnation.
Ask for help early
Speaking to a GP, practitioner or someone you trust sooner rather than later makes recovery easier.
If you or someone you know is struggling
If low mood or anxiety lasts more than two weeks, affects daily life, or there are thoughts of self-harm, please reach out. In the UK, free and confidential support is available:
- GP or NHS 111For advice and referral to local services
- 116 123Samaritans, free, 24 hours a day
- Text SHOUT to 85258Free, confidential text support
- 999 or A&EIn an emergency or if life is at risk
Frequently asked questions
How does Chinese medicine understand mental health?
Chinese medicine sees the mind and body as one system. The Heart houses the shen, or spirit, and each of the five emotions affects the flow of qi in a particular way. Emotional problems are understood as patterns of imbalance, such as constrained Liver qi or deficiency of the Heart and Spleen, which guide treatment.
Can acupuncture help with anxiety or depression?
A 2018 Cochrane review of 64 trials found that acupuncture may moderately reduce the severity of depression compared with no treatment, and may have a small effect compared with sham acupuncture, but the quality of evidence was low. Acupuncture is best viewed as a complementary therapy alongside conventional care.
Which classical formulas are used for emotional wellbeing?
Commonly studied formulas include Xiao Yao San, Gui Pi Tang, Gan Mai Da Zao Tang, Ban Xia Hou Po Tang, Suan Zao Ren Tang and Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang. Each suits a different pattern, so they should only be prescribed by a qualified practitioner after a full consultation.
Is it safe to take Chinese herbs with antidepressants?
Some herbs can interact with antidepressants and other medicines. Anyone taking prescribed medication should speak to their GP and a qualified herbal practitioner before starting herbs, and should never stop or reduce medication without advice from their prescriber.
What should a practitioner do if a patient mentions suicidal thoughts?
Take it seriously, listen calmly and do not leave the person without a plan. If there is immediate risk, call 999 or help them get to A&E. Otherwise encourage them to contact their GP or Samaritans on 116 123 the same day, and follow your clinic safeguarding policy.
Where can I study Chinese medicine and mental wellbeing in more depth?
Phoenix Academy offers an EHTPA accredited Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine and advanced CPD sessions for qualified practitioners, taught by experienced lecturers from the UK and China with flexible online learning.
Deepen your clinical practice
Learn how classical formulas and acupuncture can support emotional wellbeing, taught by leading practitioners from the UK and China.
Sources
- World Health Organization (2025). Over a billion people living with mental health conditions: services require urgent scale-up.
- Smith CA, Armour M, Lee MS, Wang LQ, Hay PJ (2018). Acupuncture for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
- Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, chapters 1, 8 and 39.
- Zhang Zhongjing, Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue (c. 200 CE).
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your health.