Zou huo ru mo (medicine)
Encyclopedia
Zou huo ru mo or "qigong deviation" is a Chinese term applied to the results of errors encountered during qigong
practice. Those errors are characterized by the perception that there is an uncontrolled flow of qi
(life energy) in the body. Other complaints include localized pains, headache, insomnia or uncontrolled spontaneous movements.
means "catching fire entering demon". In recent times this syndrome has also come to be known as "qi gong pian cha" (氣功徧差) meaning "qi gong deviation". The term is applied to undesirable effects resulting from errors which occurred during the practice in a broad range of Chinese self-cultivation exercise known as qigong. Similar syndromes have been observed in other forms of self cultivation practices such as yoga
(Kundalini syndrome
), meditation
, and hypnosis
. Symptoms are often identified as being in one of the following three categories: 1) perception of uncontrolled movement of qi in the body, 2) sensory problems such visual or auditory halucination, and 3) belief that the practitioner is controlled by qi or other entities such as spirits or negative energies.
. In psychology, both the Chinese Society of Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association have diagnostic guidelines to determine the practitioner's condition. The difference between the two psychiatric view point is that in China, the psychiatrists do not use the psychosis terminology, preferring "qigong deviation".
(CCMD-2) published by the Chinese Society of Psychiatry
the diagnosis of “Qigong Deviation Syndrome” is based upon the following criteria :
in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association
. It is described as: "A term describing an acute, time-limited episode characterized by disassociative, paranoid, or other psychotic or non-psychotic symptoms that may occur after participation in the Chinese folk health-enhancing practice of qigong. Especially vulnerable are individuals who become overly involved in the practice."
The DSM-IV classification has been criticized by other Western psychiatrists on the grounds that "It is not clear how the architects of the DSM-IV can logically defend labeling a syndrome as aberrant in the context of a diagnostic system while simultaneously placing that syndrome outside of conventional Western nosologic categories that serve as basis for determining whether a syndrome is or is not aberrant and therefore a disorder."
, bipolar disorder
, or posttraumatic stress disorder. The Chinese medical literature includes a wider variety of symptoms associated with qigong deviation; the non-psychotic symptoms correspond to conversion disorder
and histrionic personality disorder
in Western classifications.
Qigong
Qigong or chi kung is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation...
practice. Those errors are characterized by the perception that there is an uncontrolled flow of qi
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
(life energy) in the body. Other complaints include localized pains, headache, insomnia or uncontrolled spontaneous movements.
What is zou huo ru mo?
The term zou huo ru mo ( 走火入魔 ) literallyLiteral translation
Literal translation, or direct translation, is the rendering of text from one language to another "word-for-word" rather than conveying the sense of the original...
means "catching fire entering demon". In recent times this syndrome has also come to be known as "qi gong pian cha" (氣功徧差) meaning "qi gong deviation". The term is applied to undesirable effects resulting from errors which occurred during the practice in a broad range of Chinese self-cultivation exercise known as qigong. Similar syndromes have been observed in other forms of self cultivation practices such as yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
(Kundalini syndrome
Kundalini Syndrome
The Kundalini Syndrome is a set of sensory, motor, mental and affective symptoms reported predominantly among people who have had a near-death experience; it has also been attributed to practitioners of meditation or yoga.Researchers in the fields of psychiatry, transpersonal psychology, and...
), meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
, and hypnosis
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
. Symptoms are often identified as being in one of the following three categories: 1) perception of uncontrolled movement of qi in the body, 2) sensory problems such visual or auditory halucination, and 3) belief that the practitioner is controlled by qi or other entities such as spirits or negative energies.
Diagnosis
When a qigong practitioner experiences a negative reaction during or after qigong exercise, the practitioner can seek help from within the qigong community or treat the experience as a psychology problem. Within the qigong community, the negative reaction is explained using the theory of qiQi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
. In psychology, both the Chinese Society of Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association have diagnostic guidelines to determine the practitioner's condition. The difference between the two psychiatric view point is that in China, the psychiatrists do not use the psychosis terminology, preferring "qigong deviation".
Chinese psychiatry
In the second edition of the Chinese Classification of Mental DisordersChinese Classification of Mental Disorders
The Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders , published by the Chinese Society of Psychiatry , is a clinical guide used in China for the diagnosis of mental disorders. It is currently on a third version, the CCMD-3, written in Chinese and English...
(CCMD-2) published by the Chinese Society of Psychiatry
Chinese Society of Psychiatry
The Chinese Society of Psychiatry is the largest organization for psychiatrists in China. It publishes the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders...
the diagnosis of “Qigong Deviation Syndrome” is based upon the following criteria :
- The subject being demonstrably-normal before doing qigong exercises
- Psychological and physiological reactions appearing during or after qigong exercises (suggestion and autosuggestion may play an important role in these reactions)
- Complaints of abnormal sensations during or after qigong exercises
- Diagnostic criteria do not meet other mental disorders such as schizophrenia, affective disorder, and neuroses.
Occidental Psychiatry
In the West, there was no equivalent experience until the adoption of qigong practices by the public. When the Western medical community encountered abnormal conditions presenting in patients practicing qigong, they used the term Qi-gong psychotic reaction and classified the disorder as a culture-bound syndromeCulture-bound syndrome
In medicine and medical anthropology, a culture-bound syndrome, culture-specific syndrome or folk illness is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture...
in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
. It is described as: "A term describing an acute, time-limited episode characterized by disassociative, paranoid, or other psychotic or non-psychotic symptoms that may occur after participation in the Chinese folk health-enhancing practice of qigong. Especially vulnerable are individuals who become overly involved in the practice."
The DSM-IV classification has been criticized by other Western psychiatrists on the grounds that "It is not clear how the architects of the DSM-IV can logically defend labeling a syndrome as aberrant in the context of a diagnostic system while simultaneously placing that syndrome outside of conventional Western nosologic categories that serve as basis for determining whether a syndrome is or is not aberrant and therefore a disorder."
Causes
There are many explanations for the appearance of those symptoms during or after qigong practice. The explanation differ depending on the viewpoint. In the Chinese qigong community, the symptoms indicates inappropiate qi circulation. In the psychiatric community, the symptoms represents a latent psychosis.Qigong interpretation
Within the qigong community, various causes of qigong deviation have been identified. For example :- Inexperienced or unqualified instructor
- Incorrect instructions
- Impatience
- Becoming frightened, irritated, confused, or suspicious during the course of qigong practice
- Inappropriate manipulation or channeling of qi
Latent psychosis
In cases of psychosis, the Western psychiatric view is that qigong is a precipitating stressor of a latent psychotic disorder to which the patient is predisposed, rather than erroneous qigong practice; a type of reactive psychosis or the precipitation of an underlying mental illness, such as schizophreniaSchizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, or posttraumatic stress disorder. The Chinese medical literature includes a wider variety of symptoms associated with qigong deviation; the non-psychotic symptoms correspond to conversion disorder
Conversion disorder
Conversion disorder is a condition in which patients present with neurological symptoms such as numbness, blindness, paralysis, or fits without a neurological cause. It is thought that these problems arise in response to difficulties in the patient's life, and conversion is considered a psychiatric...
and histrionic personality disorder
Histrionic personality disorder
Histrionic personality disorder is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including an excessive need for approval and inappropriately seductive behavior, usually beginning in early...
in Western classifications.