Medical guidance: Professor Li Yan, Director of the Psychological Sleep Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Every day we experience emotions; sometimes they are pleasant, sometimes unpleasant. So, what do emotions mean to us and what information do they convey? To understand this, we first need to grasp emotional experience.
What is emotional experience?
Emotional experience not only refers to the emotions we feel, but in psychology, each emotional experience can be divided into three main components – bodily sensations, cognitive thoughts, and behavioral responses.
Bodily sensations are the body’s response to emotions. For example, fear is often accompanied by accelerated heartbeat, muscle tension, and rapid breathing.
Cognitive thoughts are usually related to emotions. Someone feeling sad may think that the current situation is hopeless or that they cannot cope, feeling “I’m terrible” or “I always mess things up.”
Behavioral responses are the actions a person takes or intends to take in response to their emotional state. Typically, people instinctively react to an emotion, and these experiences are known as “emotion-driven behavior.” For example, when very angry, someone may feel like breaking things.
So, do you understand? To identify an emotion, we should analyze it from the aspects of bodily sensations, thoughts, and behaviors.
Are negative emotions valuable?
In life, many people dislike “bad emotions” and wish to be happy every day. Can we eliminate “bad emotions”? In fact, any emotion is among the most important signals we are born with. Positive emotions bring us good experiences, while negative emotions also have positive value and significance.
Sadness: can help us reflect on past experiences and losses, teaching us to cherish and care for ourselves, our families, and loved ones.
Depression: can prompt us to contemplate the meaning and direction of life, leading us to find new interests and goals.
Anxiety: can help us concentrate our attention, plan ahead, and better handle potential crises.
Fear: can protect us from potential dangers and even prompt us to take measures to ensure our safety.
Anger: can help us recognize our boundaries and needs, driving us to take action to address injustices or violations.
Embarrassment: can make us aware of social boundaries, rules, and expectations, enabling us to improve our behavior and performance in social interactions.
Clearly, emotions have a dual nature. Although negative emotions have a protective function, excessive or prolonged negative emotions or emotions beyond our capacity to bear should be taken seriously and adjustments made as necessary. If it involves mental or physical illness, timely specialist consultation is recommended to assess the condition and level of social functional impact.
Medical guidance: Professor Li Yan, Doctor of Medicine, Doctoral Supervisor, Chief TCM Physician, National Level 2 Psychological Consultant. Currently, Director of the Psychological Sleep Department at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Awarded the title of Outstanding Young TCM Talent in Guangdong Province, Young Renowned TCM Physician at Guangdong Provincial Hospital, and Good Doctor of Guangzhou. Currently serves as Chairman of the Sleep Psychology Professional Committee of Guangdong Province Association of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Integration, Vice Chairman of the Mind-Body Medicine Professional Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Clinical Mind-Body Medicine and Psychological Therapy Professional Committee of Guangdong Clinical Medicine Association, and more.
Studied under Professors Tong Xiaolin from Guang’anmen TCM Hospital in Beijing, Zhang Xuewen from Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Huang Huang from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, and Li Fazhi from Henan University of Chinese Medicine, deeply influenced by renowned senior TCM practitioners in the academic and clinical aspects of TCM. Through years of clinical practice, developed a TCM theoretical guidance system primarily based on the “Six Channels of Cold Damage” and “The Theory of the Spleen and Stomach,” particularly proficient in applying theories related to “Six Channels of Cold Damage differentiation” and “The Spleen and Stomach theory” to treat anxiety disorders, depressive episodes, sleep disorders, panic disorders, bipolar emotional disorders, schizophrenia, and other mental-psychological-sleep-related diseases.
Received systematic training in various psychological therapies such as psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, marriage therapy, family systemic constellation, and sandplay therapy, flexible in utilizing individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, family systemic constellation, sandplay games, affective therapy, and other therapeutic methods, covering a wide range of sleep disorders, depressive episodes, various neuroses, interpersonal difficulties, adolescent emotional behavioral disorders, marital and family relationship abnormalities, parent-child relationship abnormality, occupational adaptation difficulties, and other psychiatric disorders.
Clinics: Monday and Wednesday mornings (Psychological Sleep Department, Guangdong Provincial Hospital, Dade Road), Thursday mornings (Special Needs Clinic, 5th Floor, West Wing, Guangdong Provincial Hospital, Dade Road).
Brief Introduction of Psychological Sleep Department, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Established in 2005, the Psychological Sleep Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine has developed rapidly since its inception, with a wide range of diagnosis and treatment capabilities and significant national influence. The specialty currently has 13 clinical physicians, 3 psychotherapists, with an annual outpatient volume exceeding 30,000, a pure traditional Chinese medicine treatment rate of nearly 95%, and an efficacy rate of over 80%.
The Psychological Sleep Department focuses on various sleep disorders, mental disorders, psychological disorders, and some complex diseases. It also addresses correction of poor interpersonal relationships, abnormal parent-child relationships, learning disabilities, adolescent adjustment problems, and marital relationship abnormalities.
During the clinical diagnosis and treatment process, equal importance is placed on physical treatment and psychotherapy, with treatment plans highly individualized according to each patient’s needs. Specialized therapies include a combination of Chinese herbal decoctions, acupuncture, psychotherapy, and physical therapy. The department offers individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, sleep cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, sandplay therapy, acupuncture, and other distinctive therapies, ensuring significant clinical efficacy with prominent traditional Chinese medicine characteristics.
Contributors: Yang Lingling, Fu Xiaolu
Execution Editors: Zhang Jingwen, Jin Hui
Reviewers: Wang Junfei
Responsible Editor: Chen Jiajia
