Emotions are an integral part of our well-being and have a direct impact on our physical health. Emotions initiate physiological reactions in the body — hormonal secretions, the release of neurotransmitters, changes in pulse, blood pressure, breathing, and digestion. Positive emotions are highly beneficial for the body. Negative emotions, including stress, take a toll on the body over time.
Traditional Chinese Medicine identifies seven “extreme” emotions as injurious to our health. These are excessive joy, anger, anxiety, excessive concentration, grief, fear, and fright.
Each emotion affects a specific organ system, and our emotions may become out of balance if the flow of energy is blocked in the energy pathway of an organ system. Restoring balance to the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians, for example, can reduce the frequency and severity of anger and frustration.
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Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies
by Leon Hammer, MD
A big book (425 pages) on Chinese medicine as it applies to mental health. The author is a practicing psychiatrist (he worked with Fritz Perls and Alexander Lowen) who studied Chinese medicine in order to bring its insights to his clients. The book includes many case studies that, by design, are fairly extreme examples of mental imbalance. The subject matter is mental illness, not simple psychological well-being, and is probably of more interest to students of Chinese medicine than to the general public.
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Curing Depression Naturally with Chinese Medicine
by Rosa N Schnyer and Bob Flaws
Unlike Dragon Rises, this book is written for the general public and is helpful for individuals who suffer from depression. It explains some basics of Chinese medicine, followed by theory that is specific to depression. There is practical, self-help advice here, including a chapter on the three free therapies: diet, exercise, and relaxation.
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