Psychosomatic Disorders in Relation to the Huang Di Nei Jing

This article explores psychosomatic disorders, where psychological stress leads to physical damage via inappropriate activation of the nervous system, by correlating these conditions with concepts found in the Huang Di Nei Jing. Psychological stresses, like anxiety and mood disorders, are linked to an imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), manifesting physically as high blood pressure, headaches, muscular pain, and digestive issues. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Liver-Gallbladder system oversees the nervous system. Persistent, unexpressed emotional states—such as rage or fear—cause the nervous system to become tense and hyperactive, disrupting psychological homeostasis. The Huang Di Nei Jing directly supports this mind-body connection, stating that great anger harms the sinews, compacts the blood, and causes qi to flow incorrectly, potentially leading to paralysis or loss of function. The classic texts confirm that grief, fear, fury, and rage all harm qi, facilitating disease. Acupuncture is highly effective in treating these stress-related physical and psychological problems, achieving pain relief and emotional equilibrium by relieving sympathetic activation and harmonizing the ANS, which corresponds to restoring yin/yang balance in TCM. This centuries-old wisdom provides a strong foundation for treating modern psychosomatic conditions.