Abstract
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to deliberate and repeated acts of damaging one's own body tissue without suicidal intent. It is commonly associated with depression, bipolar disorder (BD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder (BPD). From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), NSSI is considered to be a disease of emotions and spirits, related to the stagnation of emotions and spirits, organ dysfunction and imbalance, and interconnection of qi, blood, and phlegm. Accordingly, the primary TCM syndromes associated with NSSI include liver qi stagnation with spleen deficiency (Chinese Pinyin: Ganyupixu), spleen and stomach qi deficiency (Chinese Pinyin: Piweiqixu), latent heat in the spleen and stomach (Chinese Pinyin: Piweifure), excessive heart and liver fire (Chinese Pinyin: Xinganhuowang), heart and spleen deficiency (Chinese Pinyin: Xinpiliangxu), stagnation of liver Qi (ChinesePinyin: Ganyuqizhi), and phlegm fire disturbing the spirit (Chinese Pinyin: Tanhuoraoshen). The symptoms, tongue, and pulse manifestation were carefully described for every TCM syndrome.
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