Emotions
Will
Health
Life
Everyone experiences the “seven emotions” and desires. The so-called “seven emotions” refer to the seven emotional changes of joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fear, and shock. Among these, joy, anger, worry, thought, and fear are known as the five emotions, which are closely related to the five organs. Abnormal emotional activities can disrupt the balance of yin and yang in the body, impairing the functions of the corresponding organs, leading to a multitude of diseases, premature aging, and even shortened lifespan. Therefore, emotional wellness is crucial; it involves controlling and regulating emotions to achieve mental peace and emotional happiness. How to prevent and treat emotional injuries? Dr. Qian Lie, Chief Physician of Mental Health at Xiaoshan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, shares methods for emotional wellness.
Regulating the Five Emotions
In today’s increasingly competitive society, the pressure from childhood studies, adult work, and loneliness in old age has led to a rise in psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, with a noticeable trend towards younger ages. Current treatments for these conditions often lean towards anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications and psychotherapy, but we should also pay attention to the preventive and therapeutic approaches of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for emotional disorders, in line with the philosophy of health preservation and disease prevention.
The Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine) states: “Anger harms the liver, joy harms the heart, worry harms the lungs, thought harms the spleen, and fear harms the kidneys.” In TCM, the five elements theory associates the heart with joy, the liver with anger, the lungs with sadness, the spleen with thought, and the kidneys with fear. These five emotions are closely related to the five organs.
Joy Harms the Heart
“Joy brings harmony and clarity of will, allowing the nutritive and defensive qi to flow smoothly.” However, excessive joy can harm the heart, as stated in the Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot): “Those who are joyful have their spirit scattered and not contained.”It is often said, “When one encounters joyful events, their spirit is uplifted,” which can invigorate a person. However, excessive joy can damage the heart’s qi, leading to scattered spirit and excessive pathogenic qi, resulting in insomnia, forgetfulness, and palpitations, especially in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, where excessive excitement can trigger angina or myocardial infarction. Therefore, joy should be moderate; joy brings harmony and smoothness, but excess can harm the body.
Anger Harms the Liver
“Anger causes qi to rebel, and in severe cases, can lead to vomiting blood and diarrhea.”“When yang qi is present, great anger can cause the qi to be exhausted, leading to blood stagnation and fainting.” Great anger or unresolved frustration can lead to liver qi stagnation, causing discomfort, irritability, dizziness, and other symptoms. In severe cases, liver qi can rebel, causing blood to follow the rebellious qi, potentially leading to myocardial infarction, gastrointestinal bleeding, stroke, or even death. Those who frequently experience anger are also prone to hypertension, coronary heart disease, and gastric ulcers; thus, we should strive to avoid anger for better health.
Thought Harms the Spleen
Thought refers to concentrating on problems. Excessive worry can affect the spirit and lead to more chaotic thinking. TCM believes that “excessive thought leads to qi stagnation,” which can cause dysfunction in the nervous system and reduced secretion of digestive fluids, resulting in loss of appetite, insomnia with vivid dreams, and neurasthenia. These symptoms are related to the spleen.
Although thought is associated with the spleen, it is also related to the heart spirit. “Excessive thought can hinder the spleen’s ability to transform and transport, leading to stagnation of spleen and stomach qi, preventing the spleen qi from ascending and the stomach qi from descending, resulting in loss of appetite, poor digestion, and abdominal distension. If the essence of food is not absorbed over time, it leads to gradual decline in vitality, fatigue, pale complexion, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
Worry Harms the Lungs
Worry is closely connected to the lungs; when a person is worried, it can harm the lungs, leading to shortness of breath, dry cough, hemoptysis, and hoarseness.Sadness is a further development of worry, characterized by a pale complexion and lack of spirit. Both worry and sadness can harm the lungs, hence the saying, “Excessive sadness harms the lungs, and lung damage leads to qi depletion.”The character Lin Daiyu, who is overly sentimental and perpetually melancholic, ultimately dies from lung disease, exemplifying the harm of excessive sadness to the lungs.
Fear Harms the Kidneys
Fear arises from excessive mental tension, leading to timidity. Shock occurs when one suddenly encounters a change, causing mental tension. For instance, sudden danger or thunder can cause fright. Fear and shock can disrupt the nervous system, leading to symptoms such as deafness, dizziness, and impotence. The kidneys store essence and govern the reproductive system, considered the engine of life; ancient physicians referred to the kidneys as the “foundation of pre-natal essence.” Excessive fear can cause kidney qi to become unstable, leading to incontinence, and in severe cases, nocturnal emissions, impotence, tinnitus, deafness, and dizziness. Prolonged states of fear can deplete the pre-natal essence, ultimately shortening lifespan.
The human body is an extremely complex organism, and everyone experiences the seven emotions and desires. Normal emotional activities are beneficial for physical and mental health.However, abnormal emotional activities can lead to uncontrolled emotions, resulting in dysfunction of the nervous system and imbalance of yin and yang in the body, triggering diseases. Therefore, to maintain good health, one must be adept at regulating emotions.Here are several methods for emotional wellness:
1
Regulation Method
The regulation method involves harmonizing and moderating emotions to prevent excessive emotional extremes, achieving psychological balance. One should practice restraint in anger, remain unperturbed by praise or blame, and be adept at self-regulating emotions to nurture the spirit and body. One should be responsive to external stimuli while maintaining mental stability, keeping emotions balanced and discerning right from wrong. Maintain a calm attitude towards life and a stable mental state.
2
Release Method
The release method involves expressing and venting accumulated negative emotions through appropriate means to quickly restore psychological balance. For example, when faced with misfortune and deep sorrow, it may be beneficial to cry; when feeling repressed due to setbacks, one can shout vigorously and freely to release pent-up emotions, thereby restoring mental and psychological balance. When experiencing negative emotions, one can also seek the guidance of others to express the frustrations held within.
3
Displacement Method
The displacement method, also known as the method of shifting emotions, involves changing the focus of one’s thoughts or altering the surrounding environment to detach from negative stimuli, liberating oneself from emotional entanglements. For instance, when feeling unhappy or in pain, one can take a walk in a beautiful park or an open area to dispel worries; when in a bad mood, listening to suitable music or watching a humorous performance or comedy can alleviate distress and uplift the spirit. During emotional agitation or arguments, engaging in physical activities such as playing sports, walking, hiking, or practicing Tai Chi can bring joy and invigorate the spirit.
4
Emotional Regulation Method
The emotional regulation method, also known as the method of overcoming emotions with emotions, is based on the principles of yin-yang and the five elements between emotions and the five organs. It uses mutually regulating and restraining emotions to shift and interfere with harmful emotions, achieving emotional coordination. For example, anger can be overcome by worry; fear can be resolved by anger; joy can be countered by fear; worry can be alleviated by joy; and shock can be mitigated by worry.
Expert Introduction
