Acupuncture: An Ancient Remedy for Modern Stress, Anxiety and Depression
In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, it’s understandable that more and more people are struggling with stress, anxiety and depression. Having worked with countless patients in clinic and seen first-hand the powerful impact acupuncture can have on promoting mental health and wellbeing, I am passionate about sharing how this ancient practice can positively impact the lives of people suffering with these conditions.
Understanding Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Stress can result from both external pressures and internal struggles leading to feelings of overwhelm and emotional exhaustion, while anxiety often includes excessive worrying, restlessness and a sense of imminent danger or doom. Depression, on the other hand, manifests as persistent sadness, loss of interest and lack of energy, but can also include loss of self-esteem, loss of appetite and insomnia. Together, these conditions can have a profound impact on overall wellbeing and quality of life.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture originates from Chinese Medicine and involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific points on the body. This ancient practice aims to restore the flow of vital energy, known as Qi, along pathways called meridians. By stimulating these points, acupuncture helps rebalance the body, mind, and spirit, facilitating the body’s own natural healing potential towards health, vitality and peace of mind. Acupuncture for anxiety, stress and depression is very helpful.
A Holistic approach to health and wellbeing
Although people suffering with stress, anxiety and depression may experience similar symptoms, the underlying cause of their symptoms is absolutely unique to the individual. For one person it may be disharmony of the Liver that’s causing imbalance, whilst for another person it may be disharmony of the Yin-Yang dynamic. When I see patients for the first time, I take time to talk through their health and wellbeing history, lifestyle and environment in detail in order to get a holistic picture of their experience. This enables me to determine the underlying causes of imbalance for that unique individual, and then build a treatment plan that is entirely tailored to their needs.
This holistic approach of using acupuncture for anxiety, stress and depression is the reason why so many patients notice an improvement in other health issues that may have been bothering them as well as experiencing better sleep and overall wellbeing.
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Healing our emotions
When experiencing any level of stress, anxiety or depression, it can often feel like we are left battling with our emotions as life simply “happens” to us rather than us experiencing life from the driver’s seat. This can be a very disempowering situation. I have seen the dramatic impact having a safe, calm and accepting space to be heard and seen has had on so many of my patients as they gain greater awareness and learn to work with their emotions. After all, emotions are such an integral part of our make up as human beings alerting us to situations that may or may not be good for us. Even anger, which is often considered a negative emotion, is extremely useful in directing us towards setting boundaries that are good for us or taking a stand for something that gives us purpose in life. Our health and wellbeing suffer though when our emotions fall out of balance, for example when we lose our temper over small things or suppress our anger when we really want to speak up. Acupuncture for anxiety, stress and depression is extremely beneficial.
The Five Elements of Acupuncture
In Eastern philosophy there are five elements of nature that are closely associated with the main internal organs of the body. Each element and organ are expressed through the following emotional energetics:
Wood – Liver: Anger, resentment, bitterness, frustration
Fire – Heart: Joy, over-excitation, anxiety, mania
Earth – Spleen: Pensiveness, over-thinking, worry
Metal – Lung: Grief, sadness
Water – Kidney: Fear, lack of will
Emotional or physical stress, infection, poor nutrition and lifestyle can all lead to disharmony in the flow of qi through the organs, which in turn impacts the emotional energetic of a particular organ. If there is Kidney disharmony then a person may find they get overly fearful or struggle to reassure themselves in challenging situations. If there is disharmony in the Spleen a person may find they can’t stop thinking things over and seem to be worrying all the time.
One of the strengths of acupuncture treatment lies in restoring balance where there is disharmony. By doing so we can rebalance the energetics of the internal organs so that their emotional expression flows more naturally. So, for example, someone whose Liver balance has been restored often finds they get less wound up by things that used to frustrate them, whilst they move towards setting boundaries in their life without getting angry or upset.
The physiological effects of Acupuncture
As well as restoring balance through the Five Elements, there are a number of physiological effects of acupuncture that can help those suffering with stress, anxiety and depression. Research suggests that Acupuncture influences the release of neurotransmitters that play a crucial role in regulating mood, sleep and stress responses. Improving the duration and quality of sleep is essential for emotional wellbeing and plays a significant role in maintaining a balanced mental state. Acupuncture has also been found to lower the level of stress hormones like cortisol and to activate the parasympathetic nervous system promoting relaxation and helping people regain a sense of emotional equilibrium.
Whilst acupuncture for anxiety, stress and depression is very beneficial, I often recommend everyday practices alongside treatment such as simple breathwork, journaling, walking in nature and making sure there is time for relaxation before bedtime to help restore emotional balance and wellbeing.
Find out more
Are you convinced by the benefits of acupuncture for anxiety, stress and depression? Are you based in West London and do you have any further questions or doubts? Please feel free to book an appointment with our West London based Bridge To Health acupuncturist Barbara Barakos at 07944 848 953 or 020 3757 6544 or by email: barbara@bridgetohealth.co.uk. Or simply book an appointment directly. She will be happy to see you at our Ealing or Uxbridge clinics.
