Emotions and moodlets are a gameplay feature unique toThe Sims 4inThe Simsfranchise. Sims are emotional creatures. Emotions such as Happy, Focused, and Energized can be helpful for skill building, work performance, and forming friendly relationships. While some players prioritize keeping their Sims consistently happy and worry-free, others enjoy toying with their Sims' emotions.

It may be necessary for a Sim to be Angry or Sad to add realism to the game orfollow specific storylines. If left unchecked for prolonged periods,Sims can die as a result of their extreme emotions. Although some death animations can be funny, many Simmers are stricken with fear each time they see their Sims in emotional distress. Learn how to handle Sims' emotions and avoid an emotional demise.

Three Sims representing the sad, confident, and flirty emotions

Updated on July 29, 2025, by Jenna Amore:With the release of the Lovestruck expansion comes another emotion-based death in The Sims 4. Many players can relate to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and heartache when going through breakups and rejection; but, in The Sims 4, these feelings can be deadly. If Sims do not take safety measures to recuperate and reassess, they could die of a broken heart. Learn how to avoid this untimely demise along with other deadly emotions like anger, hysteria, and embarrassment.

How Do Emotions Work InThe Sims 4

Sims have emotions, just like human beings. There are 18 emotional states that Sims can exist in, each with its own superlatives. Different mods can add more emotions or the ability to control them, but a vanilla play-through allows for up to 34 different emotions. Here are all 34 emotions inThe Sims 4:

When autonomy is enabled, Sims in specific moods will be inspired to do specific things. For example, Sims in a Playful mood will often autonomously tell jokes, watch comedy, or take bubble baths. Players can also make their Sims complete these interactions to amplify their Sim’s current emotions. Correlated emotions like Happy and Energized can add extra buffs to a mood, causing it to intensify. Too many emotional buffs and moodlets can result in extreme emotions.

Three Sims dying of the different emotional deaths in the game: death from laughter, death from embarrassment, and death from cardiac explosion

What Are Emotional Deaths

Unfortunately, Sims can die as a result of their extreme emotional states. There are currently three third-tier emotions that can be lethal for Sims if they exist in the state for too long:Mortified(extremely embarrassed),Enraged(extremely angry), andHysterical(extremely playful). Players withThe Sims 4: Lovestruckcan also experience Simsdying of a broken heart, which some consider to be an emotional death. These deaths can only happen to Sims when they are in the young adult, adult, or elder life stages.

Hysterical

A Sim with over 15 playful moodlets or boosts will becomeHystericaland risk death by hysteria. The following interactions and events can cause a Sim to become Hysterical:

Mortified

A Sim with over eight embarrassed moodlets or boosts will becomeMortifiedand risk death by embarrassment. The following interactions and events can cause a Sim to become Mortified:

Enraged

A Sim with over seven angry moodlets or boosts will becomeEnragedand risk death by cardiac explosion. The following interactions and events can cause a Sim to become Enraged:

Heartbreak

While the previous three emotion-based deaths are a result of stacked moodlet buffs that go unchecked for some time, Sims do not actually need to have an overarching sad moodlet to die of a broken heart. If this death is imminent, players will receive notifications warning them that if safety measures aren’t taken and the sad mood does not pass, the Sim will die. Death by a broken heart is unlikely to happen unintentionally, as several things need to happen for this to occur. Here are some ways Sims can experience sorrow and risk death by a broken heart.

To avoid this death, Sims should wait until their sad feelings simmer before jumping back into the dating pool. While using strategies to reduce sad moodlet buffs, players can have their Sims work on their confidence andbolster their romance skills. If the Sim is in a relationship while the death of a broken heart is threatened, the Sim can go to relationship counseling to sort out their issues. On the Cupid’s Corner app, Sims can select “Go to Couple’s Counseling With…” for 1,000 simoleons to improve the relationship.

A Sim dying of laughter

Emotional Death Effects

If a Sim meets their unfortunate demise due to these three extreme emotions, the camera will shift focus to this Sim and the death animation will play out. Other Sims can attempt to plead for this Sim to save them from death, but if all else fails, they will be reaped by the Grim Reaper. Even as ghosts, they will often be afflicted by +2 mood buffs of the emotion they died by. Sims within the ghost’s vicinity will receive this buff as well.

How To Remedy Intense Emotions & Avoid Emotional Deaths

If too many emotional buffs or moodlets get stacked on top of each other, Sims can experience intense emotions. While some emotions like Tense or Uncomfortable can be fixed by attending to a Sim’s needs, other emotions require specific interactions to diminish their effects. If you notice a Sim experiencing intense emotions and you would like to avoid an emotional death, there are a variety of things you can do. Aside from using cheats and mods to add or remove emotional buffs, the following things can soothe or change a Sim’s emotions:

Drinking Tea

Severalbeverages can improve a Sim’s lifeinThe Sims 4. Different types of tea can improve a Sim’s mood by giving them a +2 mood buff for up to four hours. Choose a specific type of tea to brew to cause different emotional effects.

Boosts Inspired Emotion (+2)

Drinking Emotion Potions & Serums

Emotion potions can be bought at the rewards store using satisfaction points. Earn satisfaction points by completing aspirational goals or whims. The potions cost 200 simoleons each. Additionally, master mixologists can make some of the available emotion potions. Fans can also gift them in the mail if a famous Sim has the CelebuSerum fame perk. There are plenty of other potions that exist in the game, but the following affect emotions.

Boosts Energized Emotion

Lot Traits

When building or editing a lot, you can assign traits to affect the lives of the Sims visiting or staying there. These traits can be added and removed at will. The following lot traits can affect emotions:

Causes Sims to be Happy, Inspired, or Energized

A Sim dying of embarrassment

Baths & Showers

Naturally, taking a bath or a shower increases the hygiene bar for a Sim. This can decrease Uncomfortable moodlets. In addition, specific baths and showers can cause emotional effects. WithThe Sims 4: Spa Dayinstalled, players have a variety of options for bath soaks that can add emotional moodlets. Choose from these bath or shower types to affect emotions:

Decreases Anger and Flirty Emotions

A Sim dying of cardiac explosion or death by anger

Milk, Honey, and Oatmeal Soak

Boosts Flirty Emotion

Lighting Incense

The Sims 4: Spa Dayalso introduced incense to calm a Sim’s emotions. Choose from the following scents to affect a Sim’s emotions:

Boosts Happy Emotion (+1)

Miscellaneous

In addition to the above methods of soothing or changing a Sim’s emotions, the following strategies can be used to affect emotions:

A Sim with a Broken Heart moodlet dying of a broken heart

The emotional effects of sims after they have died an emotional death

An elder Sim makes tea to boost his mood, performance, and cure sicknesses.

Sims who complete the Master Mixologist aspiration and achieve the Potion Master trait can make these handy emotion potions.

The Sims 4 Lot Traits