How Emotional Imbalances Affect Your Health
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we believe that emotional imbalances can play a big role in physical health. Emotions are a natural part of life, but when they’re suppressed or linger for too long, they can disrupt the flow of qi (your body’s energy) and affect the health of your organs.
In TCM, we recognize seven key emotions, each connected to a specific organ. Here’s how I see these emotions showing up in my practice:
Joy (Heart): Joy is linked to the heart, which holds the "shen" (our spirit and emotions). Balanced joy nourishes the heart, but too much (think overexcitement or restlessness) or too little (feeling flat or depressed) can lead to sleep disturbances and anxiety.
Anger (Liver): Anger is tied to the liver. I often see patients dealing with frustration, irritability, and even physical symptoms like headaches or dizziness when anger is repressed or excessive. This can cause liver qi to rise, leading to tension throughout the body.
Sadness & Grief (Lungs): The lungs are deeply affected by prolonged sadness or grief. These emotions can weigh heavily on the chest, causing shortness of breath or feelings of depression. I often work with patients to support lung qi and help process grief.
Worry (Spleen): Worry and overthinking are tied to the spleen, which plays a key role in digestion. When you're stressed or stuck in your head, it can manifest physically as bloating, indigestion, or fatigue. I focus on supporting the spleen to ease both mental and physical strain.
Fear (Kidneys): Fear impacts kidney health, which governs our body’s stability. Excess fear can make us feel ungrounded or weak, sometimes even causing physical symptoms like frequent urination or knee pain.
Shock (Heart & Kidneys): Shock scatters qi and affects both the heart and kidneys. It can leave you feeling uncentered, with palpitations or even memory issues. In these cases, we work to restore balance to both organs and help you feel grounded again.
I often see patients with physical symptoms that seem unrelated to emotions, but when we dig deeper, we uncover emotional layers that have been stored in the body for years. Through acupuncture and herbal medicine, we bring these emotions to the surface so they can flow freely rather than stay stuck and cause health issues.
If you’d like to learn how TCM can support your emotional and physical well-being, book a Free Discovery Call. I’d love to help you uncover and process what your body may be holding onto.
