In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) mental-emotional sensations are referred to as the Seven Affects. The Seven Affects are: Joy, Thought, Anxiety, Sorrow, Fear, Fright and Anger. Each is attribute to one of five viscera in the body (the liver, heart, spleen, lungs or kidneys).

When these five viscera are properly transforming qi (or life force), they engender the seven metal-emotional sensations in a healthy, balanced way as part of the natural expression of life. The seven affects may be produced in response to external or internal stimulation.

Each of the seven affects is also associated with a particular movement of qi. This is really cool...check this out.

Anger cause the qi to rise. Have you ever felt a rush of energy to your head and face when you are feeling angry? Or maybe you've seen someone's face get bright red. It happens so fast! Culturally we have expressions like, "he was so mad steam came out of his ears" or "she blew her top." We can feel the qi rising and that's why we have created these familiar phrases.

Joy causes the qi to slacken (or slow down). Joy causes the qi to relax and slow down. Think about a time when you were joyful...it's impossible to laugh and feel tension at the same time. Joy is said to have a balancing effect and be the antidote to the other 6 affects. Excessive joy and relaxation, however, will have a negative effect.

Fear causes qi to descend. When there is intense fear, people sometimes lose control of their bladder or feel like they are about to "pee their pants" as the qi moves down. 

Sorrow causes the qi to scatter. Sorrow often leaves us fatigued and drained as the qi has scattered and dispersed.

Thought and Anxiety causes the qi to bind. A certain amount of binding is good. In excess people may notice they are clenching their teeth, sighing frequently...overall just tense.

Fright (shock) leads to chaos of the qi. When we are suddenly startled we "jump" and feel that sense of chaotic qi. 

If the emotions become excessive and the qi is moving in these ways for prolonged periods of time, the corresponding viscera will be effected and disease may result.

Okay...so remember when I said each of the seven affects may be experienced in response to internal or external stimuli? Well...here's what that means.

A person can experience anger when something outside of the body is upsetting. The qi will move up and the sensation of the qi ascending quickly is the feeling we call "anger." Are you with me, so far?

AND...if for some reason the qi moves up in this same way, we will feel anger even if there is nothing upsetting in the external environment. Have you ever felt really angry or frustrated and not had any idea why?? When the qi mechanism is inhibited, qi doesn't move properly and when it's not moving properly...we experience mental-emotional and physical sensations. 

In TCM we don't talk about the "mind-body" connection like Westerns do. We don't talk about the connection because connection implies separation. In TCM, physical and mental-emotional sensations occur simultaneously and when you rectify one, you rectify the other. 

Sources: Chinese Medical Psychiatry: A Textbook & Clinical Manual By Bob Flaws and James Lake, MD

Happiness and Joy are considered the antidote for the other six affects because of their relaxing effects. Sometimes, shifting from one intense emotion to joy or happiness will feel like too big of a leap emotionally. In this case, focus on relaxing as much as possible.

Here are some suggestions:

-Take a deep breath
-Perform some gentle movement (i.e. qi gong, yoga, tai chi)
-Give yourself quiet time and space to meditate, pray, journal, read an uplifting book...whatever you do to relax and sooth yourself
-Create a gratitude list of several things you are grateful for
-Take a walk, preferably in nature
-Ask for support from family and friends

And of course, when appropriate, be sure to get support from caring health care professionals.