Negative Affects
Distress - Anguish
Uncertainty, knowing instinctively something is wrong or missing, (the
alarm), creates distress. The purpose of distress is to call attention to a constant stimulus, to
indicate to the self and others that all is not well and that some action is
required. 
Distress-Anguish is an affect response to a constant level of stimulus
in which the characteristics are crying, rhythmic sobbing, arched eyebrow, mouth
down, and tears. Darwin assumed and Tomkins (1963: 5) agreed that the act of
crying or crying out is an expression of ‘both bodily pain and mental
distress.’
Fear - Terror
My daughter is fearful because she doesn't know what's wrong with her
daughter. Her fear is transferred to me. The level and intensity increases as I
hear the child crying.
The affect range Fear-Terror is recognisable by the characteristic eyes
frozen open, fixed stare, pale, cold, sweaty. Along with Distress-Anguish and
Anger-Rage it is triggered by overload. The response to an over abundance of
incoming information is a fixed stare at or to one side of the stimulus source,
an increasing pulse rate, body hair becoming erect and a pale, cold, sweaty
skin. Tomkins (1991: 495) describes it as a toxic condition and at the top of
the range, Terror, is designed to punish rather than to interrupt, as in the
case of Startle. Terror frequently follows Startle but it might be followed by
Excitement if previous experience and memory recalls that affect
Anger - Rage
My response to being reminded of my failure to collect the prescription is
both shame and anger. Initially, very briefly, I am humiliated and quickly
replace that with anger as a defence to the pain of shame.
The highest density level of stimulation causes the affect anger. It is
expressed by a red face, narrowed eyes and tense facial muscles. Additionally,
it is frequently accompanied by deep and rapid breathing, an increase in blood
pressure, an open mouth, clenched jaw and a loud cry. If a stimulation source,
for example pain, causes initial distress but continues for a prolonged period
of time, it may have sufficient density and strength to ultimately activate
anger. (Tomkins 1995: 112) Tomkins goes on to argue that the primary function of
anger is to make bad matters worse, by amplifying both the stimulus and
response. The intensity level will remain high and it may or may not include
aggression.
Shame - Humiliation
Not setting the alarm is a brief experience of shame as I recognise my error
and fallibility. Later more intense shame, moving toward humiliation, occurs at
forgetting the prescription. In each case the affect interest, whatever
I was previously doing, has been interrupted by shame. 
Tomkins describes Shame-Humiliation as an affect auxiliary because it
requires the presence of, and exists only in the terms of other affects. It may
be co-assembled with other negative affects such as distress or anger but
primarily acts to partially inhibit the positive affects of Interest-Excitement
and Enjoyment-Joy. The classic characteristics are eyes averted and downcast,
eyelids lowered, and a loss of tonus in face and neck. Sometimes the whole body
can slump or droop. Blushing, another characteristic is a response to shame
itself which Tomkins considers is not innate but a reaction to increased
self-consciousness.
Dissmell
So what's this word dismell? Never heard it before? No, and it will not be
found in the Oxford English Dictionary. It is a Tomkins' neologism for which he
apologised (Tomkins 1991: 21).
As I drank the coffee I could smell the sour milk and if I was repulsed sufficiently
may have decided not to drink. 
If disgust is a word indicating a bad taste, dissmell, Tomkins says, is his
analogue for a bad smell. The facial characteristics are upper lip wrinkled and
head pulled back. The body may also withdraw distancing itself from the source
of the bad smell. Dissmell is an early warning of noxious substances. Dissmell
and disgust may operate independently or together at different intensities.
Anyone on the receiving end of the dissmell affect, being treated as if they
smell bad, will suffer reduced self-esteem and thus experience shame (Nathanson
1992: 125).
Disgust
Tasting the coffee with the sour milk evokes the affect disgust and is often
combined with dissmell.
Tomkins couples disgust with dissmell as drive auxiliaries as well as having
the status of affect. Disgust like dissmell limits the hunger drive. The lower
lip and tongue is lowered and protruded, the head thrust forward and down. It
may involve spitting out or vomiting in the extreme and not just as a response
to bad tasting food. In the case of divorce or a failed relationship mutual
disgust may exist between the parties to the extent that a party is physically
sick when thinking about the activities of the other. The rejection of one party
by another may be caused by revulsion to their behaviour. The response is
disgust, a metaphorical spitting out. As with dissmell the recipient of disgust
will suffer reduced self-esteem and experience shame. (Nathanson 1992)
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