The Importance of Emotions in Traditional Chinese Medicine

By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP

Emotions are an extremely important aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Emotional well-being is an integral part of health in the TCM model. Each emotion is associated with an organ, and when out of balance, it can cause specific symptoms.  These are what the experienced acupuncturist or TCM practitioner is looking for when you walk into their office with a complaint.

Emotions are, of course, a natural part of being human. Feeling joy, sadness, and anger are all perfectly normal experiences we have in our day-to-day lives. It is when these emotions become excessive or are repressed and turned inward that they can become pathological and cause disease. The belief is that balancing the organ associated with the emotion will balance the emotion. Sometimes the organ is out of balance, leading to emotional imbalance. But sometimes the emotional imbalance can produce the organ imbalance. The difference to the practitioner is important only in preventing a recurrence of the problem. For example, if a person is experiencing extreme fits of anger, frustration, red eyes, problems sleeping, migraines, and constipation, they are seen to be suffering from an imbalance of the Liver. This can be corrected with acupuncture and herbs. The liver returns to balance, the migraines disappear, sleeping improves, and the bowels return to normal. But if the patient is in a job he hates, with coworkers that make him angry, and is constantly fighting with his wife, his anger will remain, and the Liver imbalance will return. This is why, during the diagnostic process, the practitioner asks many questions; to the patient, they might seem to have no bearing on the presenting condition. The practitioner’s job is to evaluate all aspects, not just the physical, so that once the imbalance is corrected, the environment that created it no longer exists.

It is important to remember that, in TCM, cause and effect are not linear but circular. We usually think of something as the cause of an act or effect, such as eating too much causing a stomachache. Eating too much is the cause, and the stomachache is the effect. This is linear thinking. In TCM, linear cause-and-effect does occur when symptoms are present. For example, going outside without enough warm clothes in the middle of winter can cause you to catch a cold, leading to symptoms such as a runny nose, achy muscles, and a fever. These symptoms are the effect of the cold, which was the cause. However, in some cases, the symptoms are not the result of straightforward reasoning, especially when we are dealing with emotions.

One very common cause of emotional imbalance in TCM is repressed emotions. TCM is all about balance and flow. If emotions are not expressed, they become stuck, which can block the flow or cause stagnation, which in turn can lead to disease. How the disease manifests is highly individualized by many factors, and it is up to the practitioner to determine the “how”. Releasing emotions can heal disease. Even things that are considered extreme and long-standing stagnation in TCM, like cancer. Diseases that, in the West, are seen as incurable.  Emotions that lack avenues for expression and release can lead to disease and disharmony in the body, manifesting as physical symptoms. So, it is very important to have a healthy emotional life, to express your emotions freely, and not let things build up.

Here is a breakdown of the emotions, the organs associated with each, and some symptoms that occur when an imbalance occurs…

HEART

Emotion – Joy
Emotion out of balance – Lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair, confusion, anxiety, fidgeting, easily startled
Organ Function – Regulates the heart and blood vessels; responsible for an even, regular pulse; influences vitality and spirit. Connected to the tongue, complexion, and arteries
Symptoms of organ imbalance – insomnia, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, excessive dreaming, poor memory and concentration, dizziness, spontaneous sweating

SPLEEN

Emotion – Worry, overthinking
Emotion out of balance – Dwelling or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work
Organ Function – Food digestion and nutrient absorption, the first step in the formation of Blood and Qi, holds blood in the vessels, connected to the muscles, mouth, and lips, involved in thinking, studying, and memory
Symptoms of organ imbalance – Tired, loss of appetite, mucous discharge, poor digestion, abdominal distension, loose stools or diarrhoea, weak muscles, pale lips, bruising easily, excessive menstrual blood flow, other bleeding disorders

LUNG

Emotion – Sadness
Emotion out of balance – Excessive sadness, grief, or detachment, uncontrolled crying
Organ Function – Respiration, controls sweat and body hair, creates energy (Qi) from the air and redistributes it throughout the body, works with the Kidney to regulate the water metabolism, is an important part of the immune system, and helps protect the body from viruses and bacteria, provides moisture to the skin
Symptoms of organ imbalance – Shortness of breath, fatigue, cough, catching colds easily, fever with chills, sore throat, runny nose, headache, asthma, chest oppression, pale complexion, dry skin

KIDNEYS

Emotion – Fear
Emotion out of balance – Fearful, no willpower, insecure, aloof, isolated
Organ Function – Responsible for reproduction, growth, and development & maturation, connected with lungs in water metabolism and respiration, responsible for bones, teeth, hearing, and head hair
Symptoms of organ imbalance – Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, vertigo, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short-term memory, low back pain, sore or weak knees, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, hair that turns grey prematurely, hair loss, and osteoporosis, lowered libido

LIVER

Emotion – Anger
Emotion out of balance – Explosive anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, moodiness
Organ Function – Stores the blood, responsible for the smooth flow of Blood and Qi throughout the body, regulates the secretion of bile, connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes
Symptoms of organ imbalance – chest distension, red face, bitter taste in the mouth, dizziness, ringing in the ears, jaundice, menstrual problems (cramps, irregular or heavy periods), headaches, tendonitis, nausea, vomiting, sighing, breast tenderness, swelling and/or itching of the genitals, blurred vision, floaters, dry skin and hair

Here are examples of some combination patterns:

Heart & Kidney

If a patient is experiencing extreme mood swings between Joy (mania) and Fear (depression), it indicates an imbalance between the Heart (Joy) and Kidney (Fear). We would see symptoms such as insomnia, dream disturbed sleep, heart palpitations, and dizziness.

Liver & Lung

If a patient is experiencing violent mood swings between Anger and Grief, an imbalance between the Liver and Lung is present with symptoms involving breathing problems, issues with bowel movements, and waking between 1 and 5 am.

The way the TCM model views emotions is very specific. For example, there are many different types of depression. It depends on which organs are involved. Here are some examples:

Liver

If the depression is actually anger turned inward on itself, which is common with many women, the Liver is out of balance. Symptoms could include PMS symptoms, cramps during the period, vomiting, and nausea.

Spleen

If obsessive thinking or worry characterizes the depression, we would suspect the spleen and look for symptoms such as decreased appetite, diarrhoea, fatigue, heavy bleeding during periods, and bruising easily.

Kidney

Sometimes the depression comes with panic attacks (Fear). In this case, we would suspect the Kidneys.  We would look for urinary changes (usually increased frequency), low back pain and weakness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), poor appetite, and diarrhea.

Emotions are not the only factor contributing to disease. Another thing to consider is lifestyle. It is difficult to avoid getting cold, to have an umbrella for when it might rain, to get enough sleep, and to eat properly. We live in a fast-paced world full of stress on both our minds and our bodies. We always seem to be rushing, and there never seems to be enough time. And although we sometimes can’t help getting sick or feeling a little under the weather, it is important to remember that an imbalance may stem from events in your life. There is no needle for a bad relationship, stressful job, or frustrating coworker. A practitioner can help you to deal with the stress in your life that may be causing the imbalance, but we can’t remove the stress. Only you can do that. Sometimes we feel that we are unable to change the circumstances that are causing stresses in our lives, but a practitioner can help you to deal with that stress by advising on how to eat healthily (eating with the seasons, and the incorporation of the 5 flavours – Sour, Salty, Spicy, Bitter, Sweet), and how to incorporate exercise and meditation techniques such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong into your life. The TCM practitioner is trained in how to live, or the “Tao” (which comes from Taoist philosophy), helping both to rebalance a patient and to educate him on how to maintain that balance by living a healthy, balanced life.

We are all living full, busy lives. Imbalance is everywhere, and staying healthy isn’t easy. In my practice, I have found that people often feel overwhelmed and exhausted. I always suggest that they be kind and gentle with themselves, and try to do at least one nice thing for themselves every day, as our happiness is so important for our health. We are living in a time when we are dealing with so much, so it is important to take the time to do things for yourself, like have a bath, read a book, spend time with your children, or walk outside in nature. Whatever brings you happiness and makes you feel good. It is these small things that are the keys to wellness. Life is the journey we all share, and if we live it mindfully and with wisdom, that journey will always lead to balance and happiness.

Lovely featured image photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash