Everyone deals with emotions in their own way. But did you know that your emotions can be predicting factors of your current health situation? Emotions can also be detrimental if they are not dealt with or handled in a timely manner. East Asian Medicine pays close attention to a person’s emotions because it can give clues about how the body is functioning and where attention should be focused. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Emotional problems can be caused by extraordinarily stressful events or any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone. They can be caused by single blow, one time events, such as a horrible accident, a natural disaster or a violent attack. Or they can also stem from ongoing, relentless stress, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood or struggling with cancer. There are also other factors such as constitution, diet, excessive sexual activity, overworking or drugs, which can also cause emotional problems.
In East Asian Medicine (EAM), there are seven recognized emotions. The seven emotions are anger, fear, worry, anxiety, joy, sadness / grief and fright. They are naturally occurring emotions without pathological consequences in many instances. However, abrupt, severe or chronic occurrences may cause pathophysiological consequences. This excess leads to disruption of qi and blood, directly affecting the organs and the energetic pathways of the organs. When this occurs, the emotions can then become major factors in the cause of endogenous illness.
1. Anger – Anger is a powerful and intense emotion that arises in response to perceived threats, injustices or frustrations. It manifests as a heightened state of arousal, often accompanied by resentment, irritability and the desire to confront or retaliate. Anger is a natural self-defense mechanism, mobilizing our energy to assert boundaries or seek justice. However, it can lead to aggression and strained relationships when not managed constructively. Uncontrolled anger causes liver imbalances such as the stagnation of liver qi or liver-blood, and the rising of liver yang or liver fire. These will cause symptoms in the head and neck such as headaches, tinnitus, dizziness or red blotches in the front of the neck, flushed face, chest congestion or a bitter taste in the mouth. In women, there may be breast distention, menstrual pain and irritability during menses. Chronic anger can result in high blood pressure. Anger can also affect the stomach and spleen, causing indigestion and other problems.
2. Fear – Fear is a primal emotion that activates when we encounter situations or stimuli that we perceive as dangerous or threatening. It triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, preparing us to confront the threat or flee from it. Fear can arise from real or imagined dangers and can be rational or irrational. While fear can protect us from harm, excessive or irrational fear can restrict our lives and limit our potential. Fear consumes kidney qi, leading to kidney qi deficiency. Kidney qi deficiency causes kidney qi to descend instead of rise, which leads to urinary incontinence. This situation can readily be seen when extreme fear causes a person to urinate uncontrollably. The descending of kidney qi can also lead to fatigue, low back pain, other urinary problems and a desire for solitude. In women, fear can also cause irregular menstruation. Fear can be the emotion responsible in children who suffer from bedwetting and also the related symptoms of shyness and timidity. Long-term anxiety due to worrying too much can deplete yin or yang or qi of kidneys, eventually leading to chronic weakness.
3. Worry – Worry is a form of persistent and repetitive thinking focused on potential adverse outcomes or uncertainties. It often arises when we feel uncertain or lack control over future events. Worrying is an attempt to anticipate and prepare for possible problems, but it can also lead to heightened anxiety and distress. Worry is linked to the spleen and is a normal emotion. However, too much worry consumes spleen energy, which leads to deficiency of spleen qi. Worry also causes the stagnation of spleen qi. A person with this condition may exhibit digestive disturbances such as poor appetite, abdominal bloating and distention or poor digestion, loose stools or diarrhea. A weakened spleen cannot efficiently turn food into energy, which eventually results in chronic fatigue, lethargy, inability to concentrate, depression, anxiety, weakened limbs or menstrual irregularities in women.
4. Anxiety – Anxiety goes beyond occasional worry and refers to a persistent state of unease, restlessness and excessive worry about everyday situations. It involves a heightened fear and anticipation, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, and shortness of breath. Anxiety is understood as an imbalance or disharmony among the heart, liver, spleen and kidneys, with qi, blood and yin deficiencies or stagnations playing central roles. The heart houses the Shen (spirit or mind), and disturbances here can lead to symptoms such as restlessness, insomnia, and difficulty quieting the mind. Other symptoms can include palpitations, night sweats, insomnia, restlessness, dry mouth, poor memory, fatigue, poor appetite, irritability, tension, mood swings, chest tightness, headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, low back weakness and tachycardia.
5. Joy – Joy is a positive emotion associated with happiness, delight and well-being. It arises from pleasurable experiences, accomplishments or connections with others. Joy manifests as a radiant smile, laughter or profound contentment. Experiencing joy promotes overall well-being, enhances relationships and boosts resilience. However, excessive joy (over-excitement, over-stimulation, over-agitation or rowdy over-exuberance), can be harmful to the heart. First, heart energy produces joy. Excessive joy consumes heart energy, which leads to deficiency of heart energy so heart qi slows down, which leads to lack of enthusiasm and vitality, depression and despair. Secondly, excessive joy slackens the heart, which leads to heart the qi being scattered. As the heart is a combination of the mind and spirit in EAM, some people experience an inability to concentrate or have confused behaviors or mental restlessness. A person with extreme disturbances of heart qi might be seen chattering happily to him or herself with outbursts of laughter. Heart imbalances are often associated with palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, irregular heart beat, excessive dreaming, poor long-term memory or psychological disorders. Conversely, a person with heart imbalances or heart disease may also exhibit emotional symptoms.
6. Sadness / Grief – Sadness or grief is a complex emotion that arises from loss, disappointment or longing. It is a natural response to various life experiences, such as the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship or unfulfilled expectations. Sadness can encompass a range of feelings, including loneliness, despair and emptiness. Grief is the deep sorrow and mourning experienced when someone or something significant is lost. Allowing ourselves to experience and process sadness and grief is an important part of healing. People cry to release their grief or sadness, which is natural behavior. However, an excess of grief or grief that remains unresolved and becomes chronic, can create disharmony in the lungs. Grief consumes lung qi and makes the lungs weak, leading to respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma or shortness of breath. Grief also impacts the lung’s function of circulating qi around the body and makes qi stagnant, eventually leading to fatigue or depression. When grief becomes extreme, it can affect the whole body and cause symptoms that we would call shock, which includes pallor, difficulty breathing, a feeling of suffocation in the chest, as well as loss of appetite, constipation and urinary problems.
7. Fright – Fright, a fear-induced startle, is a brief and intense reaction to a sudden and unexpected threat. It triggers an immediate physiological response, causing a jolt or jump, increased heart rate and heightened alertness. Fright is an instinctual and automatic response designed to help us react quickly to potential dangers. Although short-lived, it can leave us feeling shaken and vulnerable. Fright primarily affects the heart, especially in the initial stages, however, if it persists for a long time, it becomes conscious fear and moves to the kidneys. Fright affects the heart qi and it causes it to scatter, wandering around or adhering to nothing. The clinical manifestations of this emotion include a tendency to be easily startled, cold sweats, sudden palpitations or persistent palpitations and mental restlessness. Severe fright can have a long-term effect on the heart, as is evident in victims of post-traumatic stress syndrome. Chronic stress from fright can cause a general dysfunction of qi, debilitating the entire system. This can lead to a wide range of problems such as anxiety, insomnia or overall body weakness.
These seven emotions provide a framework for understanding and navigating the intricate landscape of human feelings. Anger, fear, worry, anxiety, joy, sadness / grief and fright represent fundamental emotional states that influence our thoughts, behaviors and overall well-being.
If you have emotional dysregulation, there are several things you can do to restore internal balance. Exercise, tai chi or qi gong can be extremely beneficial at keeping the energy flowing and allowing for better emotional coping skills. Even taking a daily walk can help. Herbal medicine is very helpful for balancing the spirit and addressing the root cause of the disharmony. Spending time with friends or out in nature are also great ways to avoid emotional outbursts. EAM recognizes that pain and illness are not “in your head”. Each part of the whole contributes to your wellbeing on every level – physical, mental and emotional. If you are ready to make changes and get help with your emotions, consider East Asian Medicine. You might be surprised how your emotions have been holding back your ability to heal.