Humans experience seven emotions and desires, which are joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fright, and fear. It is normal for a person to feel happy at times and sad at others, or to experience worry and fright. However, excessive emotions can harm the body, primarily affecting the five internal organs.The Huangdi Neijing states: anger harms the liver, joy harms the heart, thought harms the spleen, sadness harms the lungs, and fear harms the kidneys.
1. Excessive Anger Harms the LiverIn TCM, the liver qi should be smooth and free-flowing; when the liver is soft, the blood is harmonious, but when the liver is stagnant, the qi reverses. Anger is a common emotion; when one is angry, the qi rises, and the liver loses its smooth flow, causing the liver qi to rebel. Some people experience pain in the sides or discomfort under the ribs after anger, which is due to this reason, referred to in TCM as “liver qi rebelling against the spleen.”“Yang qi, when in great anger, can cause the qi to be exhausted and blood to rise, leading to sudden fainting.” This indicates that severe anger can lead to blood rising with the qi, causing a separation of the vital essence and blood, resulting in blood stagnation above, which can cause sudden fainting. In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhou Yu died from excessive anger leading to blood vomiting.
2. Excessive Joy Harms the HeartExcessive joy can damage the heart qi. For example, in the Rulin Waishi, the story of Fan Jin passing the imperial examination, where he suddenly goes mad due to mixed feelings of joy and sadness, is a typical case of joy harming the heart. TCM believes that “the heart governs the spirit,” and the heart is the center of emotional and cognitive activities. Joy is a manifestation of a happy mood, which can promote the circulation of qi and blood, relax muscles, and aid in recovering from fatigue. As the saying goes, “When one encounters joyful events, the spirit is uplifted.” However, excessive joy can damage the heart qi, which is reflected in the saying “extreme joy leads to sorrow.”
3. Excessive Worry Harms the SpleenExcessive worry can affect the spirit and lead to disordered thinking. TCM states that “worry causes qi stagnation,” and excessive worry can lead to dysfunction of the nervous system, reduced secretion of digestive juices, and symptoms such as loss of appetite, insomnia, and neurasthenia, which are related to the spleen.
4. Excessive Sadness Harms the LungsSadness is closely related to the lungs; when a person is sad, it can harm the lungs, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath, dry cough, hemoptysis, and hoarseness. The character Lin Daiyu, who is often melancholic and ultimately dies from lung disease, is a prime example of excessive sadness harming the lungs. Sadness is a state caused by grief, manifested as a pale complexion and lack of vitality. Both worry and sadness can harm the lungs, hence the saying “excessive sadness harms the lungs, and lung damage leads to qi depletion.”
5. Excessive Fear Harms the KidneysFear arises from excessive mental tension, leading to cowardice. Fright is caused by sudden changes, resulting in mental tension. For instance, sudden danger or a thunderstorm can cause fright. Fear and fright can disrupt the nervous system, leading to symptoms such as deafness, dizziness, impotence, and even death, as commonly said, “scared to death” or “scared to the point of losing control.”
Additionally, the seven emotions can lead to qi dysfunction, resulting in various diseases; many clinical conditions are closely related to emotions, and the seven emotions also influence the progression and exacerbation of diseases.In the Suwen: On Pain, it states: “I know that all diseases arise from qi. Anger causes qi to rise, joy causes qi to relax, sadness causes qi to deplete, fear causes qi to descend, fright causes qi to become chaotic, and worry causes qi to stagnate.”1. Anger Causes Qi to RiseThis refers to excessive anger leading to liver qi being excessively released, causing qi to rise, and in severe cases, blood follows the qi upwards, resulting in pathological changes.2. Joy Causes Qi to RelaxThis refers to excessive joy harming the heart, leading to the heart qi dispersing and, in severe cases, the heart qi being violently expelled or the spirit being unsettled.3. Sadness Causes Qi to DepleteThis refers to excessive sadness harming the lungs, leading to lung qi being depressed and depleted.4. Fear Causes Qi to DescendThis refers to excessive fear harming the kidneys, leading to kidney qi being unstable and qi sinking.5. Fright Causes Qi to Become ChaoticThis refers to sudden fright harming the heart and kidneys, leading to an unsettled spirit, chaotic qi, and unstable kidney qi.6. Worry Causes Qi to StagnateThis refers to excessive worry harming the heart and spleen, leading to stagnation of heart and spleen qi, resulting in dysfunction of transformation and transportation.
The human body is an extremely complex organism; normal mental activities are beneficial for physical and mental health. However, abnormal mental activities can lead to uncontrolled emotions, resulting in dysfunction of the nervous system and imbalance of yin and yang, thereby triggering diseases.Therefore, to maintain good health, one must be adept at regulating emotions.
