Glossary

Zuo Huo Ru Mo (走火入魔, lit. "to short circuit or catch on fire" and "to be spellbound, possessed, obsessed or infatuated"), more recently termed Qi Gong Pian Cha (氣功偏差, Qi Gong Deviation) is a disorder originating from incorrect practice of advanced Neidan or Qigong practices causing a disturbance in Qi. Symptoms may include:

1. Panic, discomfort, and uncontrolled spontaneous movement;
2. Sensory problems, such as visual or auditory hallucination;
3. Irrational beliefs

In Chinese psychiatry the second edition of the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders (CCMD-2) has the following differential diagnosis 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 neurosis.

Treatment can include counselling, expert Qigong guidance, acupuncture, massage and other external treatments. Self-correction can involve relaxation, walking, self-vibrating, self-patting, and self-massage.

In western literature it is recognised as a culture bound syndrome or a form of latent psychosis. Similar paradigms exist within other spiritual and self cultivation systems such as Kundalini Syndrome in yoga.

References: Guo, Y., Xu, M. M., Huang, Y., Ji, M., Wei, Z., Zhang, J., Hu, Q., Yan, J., Chen, Y., Lyu, J., Shao, X., Wang, Y., Guo, J., & Wei, Y. (2018). Safety of Qigong: Protocol for an overview of systematic reviews. Medicine, 97(44), e13042. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000013042 Kwon, Y & Cho, SH (2013). A Case of Qigong-Induced Mental Disorder: a Differential Diagnosis. Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry, 24(3):251-256. https://koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO201330258584165.pdf Shan, HH (200). Culture-bound Psychiatric Disorders Associated with Qigong Practice in China. Hong Kong J Psychiatry, 10(4):12-14. https://www.easap.asia/index.php/find-issues/past-issue/item/630-0004-v10n4-p12 References for other similar disorders: Kundalini Syndrome: Sharma, M., Dhankar, M., & Kumar, D. (2022). Awakening of Kundalini Chakras Presenting as Psychosis-A Case Report. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 44(5), 526–528. https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176221082936 Suchandra, H. H., Bojappen, N., Rajmohan, P., Phurailatpam, S., Murali, L. P., Salam Ok, A., Pahuja, E., Bhargav, H., Mehta, U. M., Manjunatha, N., & Thirthalli, J. (2021). Kundalini-like experience as psychopathology: A case series and brief review. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 42, 101285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101285 Mindfulness meditation: Binda, D. D., Greco, C. M., & Morone, N. E. (2022). What Are Adverse Events in Mindfulness Meditation? Global advances in health and medicine, 11, 2164957X221096640. https://doi.org/10.1177/2164957X221096640