Heart Shock: The Eastern Diagnosis Behind Relentless Anxiety and Depression
I have had a lifelong interest in human suffering. In the presence of relative peace, abundance and stability in modern society, I have yearned to understand why pain, depression and anxiety are nevertheless so prolific, and what I can do about it, both for myself and for others.
My work as a practitioner of Chinese medicine regularly connects me to individuals who feel so overwhelmed, isolated and scared that they become disconnected from their innate capacity to experience joy and live as empowered authors of their lives.
Chinese medicine is a millennia-old wisdom tradition that offers a unique perspective on this phenomenon.
The medicine recognizes that in the face of both physical and emotional traumas, the Heart is the epicenter of impact. It understands “the Heart” as both the organ in charge of our literal circulation AND a wider functional framework that animates us, allows for our unique expression, and drives us toward self-knowledge and understanding.
We know that the Heart bears the impact of trauma, both physical and emotional.
When we experience an unexpected shock, the body contracts, blood vessels constrict, and resources are redirected inwards to preserve organ function. If this occurs in an already weakened state or in a young body, the body can stay frozen in this moment of impact and the consequences can be long-lasting.
Over time, circulation is impaired and prevents blood from properly nourishing other organ systems and extremities; it also leads to increased taxation on the heart as it attempts to compensate for the limited circulation by working harder. Emotionally, it creates anxiety, agitation, and an unrelenting feeling that something is not right.
In Chinese medicine, we call this pattern Heart Shock and its most common manifestations are chronic anxiety and depression.
Other common experiences include:
pain
insomnia and other sleep disorders
emotional lability
hypervigilance
panic
obsessive thinking
worry,
digestive dysfunction, and
mental confusion.
Furthermore, many presentations of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and other unexplained illnesses often have their root in an earlier trauma that caused shock to the Heart.
Many people I work with have lived with these symptoms for years and Western diagnosis eludes their practitioners. They have exhausted several approaches, but nothing has helped in a sustainable way.
Chinese medicine’s great strength is its ability to offer a clear diagnosis of this pattern much sooner and in the presence of more subtlety. It offers the perspective that trauma occurs at different levels of intensity, and causes varying impact depending on the type of trauma and on the strength of the individual’s constitution at the time of injury.
Ultimately, in our practice, this supports individuals to move towards healing more effectively and efficiently. As a practitioner who regularly interacts with students and professionals experiencing overwhelm, anxiety and depression, the Heart Shock pattern is fairly insidious.
It creates myriad difficulties that impact day-to-day functioning. I am grateful that Chinese medicine gives us refined ways of diagnosing, assessing the degree of impact, and treating the resulting symptoms.
Our treatments literally (and functionally) strengthen the heart, revitalize circulation, calm the nervous system, and re-establish harmonious organ function. They allow our patients to reconnect with their fundamental capacity to embody an expansive experience of joy, peace and self-authorship. A few months in, folks notice that they’ve “never felt better”.
It is clear to me that inner stability is more necessary than ever. Our medicine helps to create an internal climate where that is a possibility.
MORE INFORMATION:
To learn more about how we do this work, read about our acupuncture and herbal medicine offerings.
If you are a health-care practitioner, these texts offer vital resources on this topic:
Heart Shock, by Ross Rosen
The Clinical Practice of Chinese Medicine, by Lonny Jarrett