Mental disabilities mainly refer to mental diseases such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis and involutional psychosis. The disease, called "dian kuang"(a general term for manic-depressive psychosis), is a category of mental disorder and mental abnormality. "Dian" manifests as depressive state, and "kuang" as state of excitement.
1. Regulating emotions and art cultivation
Excite the depressive patients and tranquilize the excited ones according to the differences of the patients' emotional states. The principle is to make the patients relaxed, sanguine, happy and calm for the purpose of emotional stabilization. However, avoid great anger, great joy and great fright. It is advisable to adopt various methods. For example, light blue, green and pink are the suitable colors of the living environment. The flowers and plants indoors should be the quietly elegant, strong orchids, chrysanthemums and plum blossoms. More information, please go on reading Cinnabaris (Zhusha).
Change the living environment occasionally and go to mountains and forests to tranquilize the mind in the peaceful and secluded environments if the conditions permit. Proper arrangement of study, work and physical labor is also advisable to divert emotions and get joys from these activities in accordance with the patients'' conditions. Straightening the patients out is also the commonly-used measure aiming at the pathogenic psychic factors. Try to overcome their hang-up and make them happy and cheerful. The patients' family members and people around should not discriminate, be indifferent to, ridicule and cold-shoulder the patients.
Health preservation with art mainly attaches importance to the recreational functions like listening to music, learning to sing, seeing movies, watching TV, dancing, playing games, playing chess, reading books, newspapers and magazines. The patients may also visit parks and places of historical interests if the security is ensured. These activities may increase the patients'' love and interest of the real life, enhance the confidence and courage of their life. More information, please go on reading Os Draconis (Longgu).
2. Strengthening health with sports
It is suitable for patients with depressive psychosis to practice eight-section brocade and five-mimic games, the purpose of which is to promote qi flow and blood circulation. It is suitable for patients with manic psychosis to practice the events with light and slow movements. At first, practice the simplified Taijiquan. Later on, practice half of a set of or the whole Taijiquan.
Various ball games and track and field events may be arranged if they are suitable for the patients.
3. Life cultivation with the diet
TCM believes that the pathological site of mental disabilities lies in the heart. Therefore, the patients should eat more foods acting on the heart meridian such as lotus roots, green beans, red beans, edible gourds, wheat, arrowheads, lotus leaves, lilies, peach kernels, watermelons, muskmelons, dried fruit of longan, jujube kernels, lotus seeds, pig skins and sea cucumbers. More information, please go on reading Causes of Infant Cerebral Palsy in TCM.
Cook donkey meat and fermented soya beans together and add seasoning to the food. Eat the food at usual times. The food tranquilizes the mind, benefits qi and relieves fright. The patients may eat it regularly.
Of the prescriptions of medicated diets, Ganmai Dazao Decoction (Decoction of Radix Glycyrrhiae, Wheat and Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae), Renshen Gruel (Gruel of Radix Ginseng), Yimi Gruel (Gruel of Semen Coicis), Baihe Gruel (Gruel of Bulbus Lilii), Taoren Gruel (Gruel of Semen Persicae) and Shanzha Gruel (Gruef of Fructus Crataegi) are also the proper foods for life cultivation for the patients with mental disabilities. More information, please go on reading Causes of Infant Hydrocephalus in TCM.
The diets for patients with mental disabilities should be soft and delicious, free from irritating substances. When distributing foods, take care to prevent the patients from eating secretly, overeating, hiding food for themselves and missing meals. It is suitable to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, forbid pungent, fat, sweet and roasted foods which may transform into phlegm and fire. More information, please go on reading Causes of Infantile Convulsion in TCM.
4. Nursing for life cultivation
If one person lives in a single room, the light inside the room should be slightly dark, the arrangement of things should be simple and practicable. Take great care to prevent the falling object stored in the room from hitting people. Also, keep the inside and outside environments of the patient'' room quiet and clean. Simultaneously, avoid various psychic irritations to aggravate the disease. More information, please go on reading Causes of Chickenpox in TCM.