Melancholy has long been recognized in traditional healing systems as a complex condition affecting both the body and the mind, and melancholia in traditional medicine is described within humoral theory as an important imbalance of temperament. In Persian traditional medicine, emotional balance, nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal remedies all play essential roles in restoring mental and physical harmony. This article explores the treatment of melancholy in Persian traditional medicine, including its symptoms, temperament-related causes, and natural therapeutic approaches used for centuries. At ACPFOOD, we value the preservation of traditional herbal knowledge and provide a wide range of premium medicinal herbs, natural ingredients, and botanical products used in traditional wellness practices worldwide.
What Is Melancholia and What Are Its Symptoms?
Melancholy is a condition caused by burnt soda (black bile), and the treatment of melancholy in Persian traditional medicine is primarily based on restoring balance to the body’s temperament and humors. This burnt soda may be produced by the combustion of black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, or blood. The accumulation of this substance may occur in the brain or other parts of the body, and the vapors of burnt soda rise toward the brain, leading to melancholia and depressive states. This results in impaired brain function.
The early symptoms of melancholy include negative thoughts, suspicion, irrational fear, apprehension, anxiety, restlessness, pessimism, irritability, social withdrawal, and dizziness.
If the condition progresses beyond the early stages, symptoms may include withdrawal from others, severe pessimism, deep sadness, hatred, boredom, distress, aggression, violent behavior, self-mutilation, self-harm, suicide, and homicide.
Melancholy presents more severe symptoms in individuals with a melancholic temperament. In some cases, it may also manifest as the perception of frightening images, seeing ghosts, or feeling an obstruction in the throat, accompanied by panic and extreme anxiety.
Different Types of Melancholy
Doctors of traditional Iranian medicine have divided melancholy into three types: cerebral, systemic (whole body), and Maraghi. Many of the symptoms of the cerebral type are similar to depression in modern medicine.
If melancholia involves the entire body, the patient may present symptoms such as emaciation, a stiff pulse, and a darkened skin tone, along with a history of consuming foods that produce black bile, as assessed by a traditional medicine specialist.
If melancholy affects the brain, the patient may report a history of insomnia, excessive thinking, and prolonged exposure to sunlight, along with a dietary history of consuming foods such as garlic, onions, and leeks in excess of balance, and may also present symptoms associated with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). In such cases, the head and face may appear thin, the eyes sunken, and pulse examination may reveal a slow, hard, and weak pulse according to Iranian traditional medicine diagnostics.
In Maraghi melancholia, the patient may experience symptoms such as frequent sour belching, stomach pain and burning sensation, shortness of breath, excessive saliva accumulation, flatulence, increased intestinal gas, hunger, and a tendency to frequent snacking, leading them to seek consultation with a traditional medicine practitioner.
What Intensifies Melancholy?
- Crying, sadness, sorrow, and anger
- Attending mourning ceremonies and visiting cemeteries
- Hearing bad or sudden news
- Watching horror movies
- Consuming dry foods that cause constipation and contribute to a dry, imbalanced temperament, as well as greasy and overly sweet foods
- Smoking
General Treatments for Melancholy in Persian Traditional Medicine
The treatment of melancholia and humoral imbalance in traditional medicine should be carried out according to the individual’s temperament. In general, these patients are treated with tonic foods and energizing medicines. It is also beneficial to use remedies that support the heart and stomach.
As long as melancholia is in its early stages, it is easier to treat; however, if it becomes chronic, treatment becomes more difficult.
- The hair should be kept short.
- Clean clothing should be worn, and pleasant perfume may be used.
- The living environment should be calm and clean.
- The patient should remain cheerful and try to enjoy life.
- The climate should be clean, moderate, and humid. Fragrant plants should be placed in the room, and the living space should have a pleasant smell.
- Before meals, the patient may take a shower, wash the head with lukewarm water, and drink water after bathing.
- The body may be massaged with sweet almond oil or sweet violet oil.
- Regular physical exercise is recommended.
- Regular bowel movements should be maintained (avoid constipation).
- Excessive sweating should be avoided.
- Sleeping at 10 p.m. and waking at 6 a.m. is recommended.
Recommended Foods
Use the following foods and mood balancing herbs in Persian medicine: lamb, celery, basil, fresh parsley, savory, tarragon, beetroot, turnip, carrot, wheat germ, Persian melon, grapes, sweet plum, sugar cubes, white mulberry, raisins, figs, dates, pistachios, apples with skin, pears, honeydew melon, quince, coconut milk, sweet almonds, grains and legumes, sesame, chickpeas, wheat, mung beans, organic cow butter, beef tallow, sesame oil, sweet almond oil, fresh local cheese, cream, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, honey, saffron syrup, almond porridge, sekanjebin, organic eggs, cooked rice with dill, cooked rice with Persian Black Cumin seeds, cooked rice with saffron, chickpea stew, sesame bread, date paste, grape paste, sesame seed paste, carrot jam, various types of halva, and all kinds of porridge.
Melancholy in Different Temperaments and Its Treatments
1- Melancholy in sanguine temperament
Its symptoms include mental disturbance, excessive laughter, redness of the face and eyes, vascular congestion, heaviness of the head, rapid breathing, and redness of the skin.
Individuals with an excess of blood or high blood pressure should first undergo hijama (cupping therapy) under the supervision of a specialist, or venesection on the left arm. They should also avoid consuming cabbage, goat meat, eggplant, lentils, beans, salty foods, and eggs.
In addition, you may mix 10 grams of lotus flowers, 20 grams of borage flowers, 30 grams of violet flowers, 40 grams of Assyrian plum, and 50 grams of jujube. Grind the mixture, then divide it into 15 equal parts. Soak each portion in 1.5 glasses of boiling water and continue until the volume is reduced by half. Then strain, sweeten the liquid, and drink it for seven days.
If this condition is accompanied by insomnia, mix and grind the peel of Yellow Terminalia chebula, peel of Black Terminalia chebula, and peeled emblic (each 30 grams). Then combine them with 500 grams of pure honey and take one spoonful of the syrup every morning, noon, and night.
2- Melancholy in melancholic temperament
Melancholy in a melancholic temperament presents with more severe symptoms, such as hallucinations, intense crying, negative thoughts, extreme emotional attachment to a person or object, and general physical weakness.
For treatment, first perform venesection on the left arm. Then mix and boil chicory root, borage flowers, and the peel of Terminalia chebula fruit, 5 grams each. After straining, dissolve 10 grams of manna of Hedysarum in the filtered liquid and drink it daily.
Boil goat’s milk, and after removing it from the heat, add sekanjebin and drink it three times a day. It is recommended to take a shower every morning, noon, and night, and wash the head and body with lukewarm water. The patient should also try to engage in enjoyable activities and laugh frequently throughout the day.
Additionally, mix 5 grams of lotus flower and Lallemantia iberica seeds, 10 grams of borage flower, 15 grams of violet flower, and 200 grams of honey (Gol-e-Ghand, a mixture of rose petals and honey). Prepare it as a soft paste and consume one syrup spoon every morning, noon, and night, swallowing it with water, or alternatively mix it with cold water and sugar before consumption. Avoid eating foods with a hot temperament.
3- Melancholy in choleric temperament
Some of its symptoms include screaming, delirium, intense anger, a fixed or predatory gaze, and warmth of the skin.
First, excess yellow bile should be removed under the supervision of a doctor. Then, as a treatment, use leek and coriander seeds (5 grams each), Polypodium vulgare (Basfaij), lemon balm, borage flower, yellow chebulic myrobalan peel, black chebulic myrobalan peel, and Terminalia chebula peel (10 grams each), Indian lavender (15 grams), and Roman mastic (20 grams). Mix and grind all ingredients, then combine with 500 grams of wax-free honey. Take one syrup spoon every morning, noon, and night.
4- Melancholy in phlegmatic temperament
Individuals with a cold and moist temperament who suffer from melancholy often experience boredom and a feeling of coldness in the body.
These individuals should use Adiantum capillus-veneris and Cuscuta epithymum (Shami epithymum), 10 grams each; Basfaij and fennel seeds, 20 grams each; senna, Terminalia chebula peel, and violet flowers, 30 grams each; chicory root, jujube, Assyrian plum, and Bargani plum, 20 pieces each. After mixing and grinding all ingredients, boil one tablespoon of the mixture in water every morning and night, then strain and drink.
In conclusion, the treatment of melancholy in Persian traditional medicine is a holistic approach that focuses on restoring balance between body, mind, temperament, and lifestyle. Rather than addressing symptoms in isolation, this traditional system emphasizes personalized care through herbal remedies, dietary adjustments, and daily routines designed to harmonize the body’s internal state. By understanding the root causes of imbalance and applying time-tested natural therapies, Persian traditional medicine offers a comprehensive framework for supporting emotional wellbeing and long-term mental clarity.
Resources:
1- The Qanoun in Medicine, Abu Ali Sina (Avicenna), p 246, (Persian).
2- Daeratol Maarif Giah Darmanie Iran (Noskhehaye Shafabakhsh), by Haji Sharifi, Ahmad (Attare Esfahani)