Holding It In: The emotional roots of constipation in the large intestine

Holding in Emotions + Constipation

Experiencing emotions is perfectly normal and perfectly natural. There is a time and place to experience all of them - it’s what makes humans unique and beautiful. The kicker is, we should be able to let these emotions pass through us in a healthy way. It’s when they get stuck that problems can begin to arise. Let’s explore how that looks through a TCM lens.

Every organ in the body is associated with a particular emotion:

Liver + gallbladder = anger

Spleen + stomach = overthinking, worry

Kidney + urinary bladder = fear, shock

Lung + large intestine = grief, sadness

Heart + Small intestine = Joy

But there is so much more to the Large Intestine’s story! Physiologically, the Large Intestine is about letting go of what doesn’t serve us - letting go of waste (obviously). Emotionally, it’s no different.

This means that the Large Intestine is related to all emotions in a way - although it’s particularly affected by grief and sadness considering it’s relationship with the Lungs. This also explains why our struggle to release emotions can manifest as constipation.

How do i know if there’s an emotional connection to my constipation?

The first step to determining if your emotions are rooted in the emotional, is to tap into what you’re feeling. Are you holding onto feelings of anger, grief, fear, worry?

Another helpful step is to examine your core beliefs. Are your core beliefs underpinned by internal narratives like “i don’t belong” or “I will be rejected” or “I don’t have value”?

How can acupuncture help?

The reality is there are several potential explanations for your constipation - Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency (dryness), blood deficiency, Qi stagnation, and more. But its important to not overlook the potential emotional factors.

Your acupuncturist will help you examine all of these possibilities so you can release what is no longer serving you, and return to a state of harmony.