Qigong Deviation Syndrome

Qigong or t’ai chi has part of the traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Qigong consists of exercises that are rather similar to the kata (‘form’) in karate but performed at a very slow pace. Scientific evidence suggests that qigong or t’ai chi might help problems such as anxiety, depression[1] or COPD[2].

During the 80s, large groups of mostly elderly people performed these exercises in public to keep healthy and fit. In 1992 Master Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Gong, outwardly a qigong practice like any other. But Master Li uniquely placed emphasis not on healing, but on self-cultivation towards spiritual perfection.

Then, suddenly the Chinese government probably feared that the movement could turn ugly and it somehow reminded them of past religions-turned-rebellions. But they failed to understand that Falon Gong has always been strictly non-violent and had no religious or rebellious plans.

The Chinese government, much like the government of the USSR in the 50s and 60s, did their utmost to silence their dissidents, simply invented a syndrome to suppress, imprison and torture practitioners of Qigong or t’ai chi.

In the second edition of the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders (CCMD-2), published by the now totally discredited Chinese Society of Psychiatry, the diagnosis of Qigong Deviation Syndrome is based upon the following criteria: [1] The subject being demonstrably normal before doing qigong exercises, [2] Psychological and physiological reactions appearing during or after qigong exercises (suggestion and autosuggestion may play an important role in these reactions), [3] Complaints of abnormal sensations during or after qigong exercises and [4] Diagnostic criteria do not meet other mental disorders such as schizophrenia, affective disorder, and neuroses[3].

Needless to say that this fraudulent syndrome does not exist and no comparable syndrome has been observed in the rest of the world.

Even the lemma about Qigong Deviation Syndrome on Wikipedia has been poisoned with misinformation and lacks proper scientific proof.

[1] Payne et al: Meditative movement for depression and anxiety in Frontiers in Psychiatry - 2013
[2] Ng et al: Traditional Chinese Exercises for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Journal of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and prevention - 2014
[3] Shan: Culture-bound psychiatric disorders associated with Qigong practice in China in East Asian Archives of Psychiatry. See here.