Acupuncture and Emotional Balance

According to the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body, mind, spirit, and emotions are all connected and kept in balance by Qi, or the universal life-force energy. Acupuncture is one of the methods used in this centuries old medical tradition to help maintain a healthy, balanced flow of Qi throughout the body. Anxiety, depression, sleep difficulty, and even problems associated with ADD/ADHD can arise when the flow of Qi is blocked in some way, and, when this happens, acupuncture finds the source of the blockage and then seeks to release this blockage.

Anecdotal evidence as well as numerous clinical studies strongly suggest that acupuncture is effective for relief from anxiety, depression, sleep difficulty such as insomnia, and stress. While acupuncture has not yet found wide acceptance within the conventional medical community, those seeking a natural alternative or supplement to prescription medication may find acupuncture a good fit.

Acupuncture is believed to have several therapeutic benefits for the body and mind:

• Natural Healing Ability: One of the main beliefs in Traditional Chinese Medicine is that the body has the power to heal itself when in balance. Acupuncture seeks to tap into this power through the balancing of Qi.
• Complete Healing: Practitioners of acupuncture see the body, mind, and spirit as one unit and attempt to heal all the aspects of an individual to create balance.
• Healing Lifestyle: Acupuncturists stress that their clients also live a healthy, balanced lifestyle through proper nutrition, exercise, and relaxation techniques. When the person is in good physical health, they are much more likely to be in better mental and emotional condition as well.

Acupuncture and Anxiety

In clinical studies performed to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture for anxiety, results showed that treating patients with anxiety caused significant improvement in symptoms. Studies also showed that acupuncture is as effective as some prescription medications for the reduction of anxiety symptoms.

Acupuncture for Depression

Researchers have found that acupuncture appears to exert influence over neurotransmitter production in the brain, which may account for the practice’s positive effects in those suffering with depression. Studies comparing acupuncture to antidepressants found that using acupuncture as a supplement for those using prescription medication showed significantly better improvement than taking antidepressants alone. Another study showed that 77% of patients with depression in relation to a chronic illness experienced improvement in depressive symptoms through acupuncture.

Acupuncture and Insomnia

Because sleep difficulties such as insomnia can have many causes including stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, researchers believe that acupuncture may be helpful for those experiencing sleep difficulty because this practice seeks to treat multiple problems within the individual. A study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine showed that stimulating acupoints caused significant improvement in those experiencing problems with fatigue, poor sleep quality, and depression in relation to sleep difficulty.

Acupuncture and Stress

An acupuncturist seeks to treat the source of the stress, making acupuncture a comprehensive approach to stress relief. During the first session, the practitioner will interview the patient to discover what lifestyle choices or situations are most likely contributing to the high levels of stress in their life. From there they will decide which acupoints are most likely to unblock the Qi to promote relaxation and emotional balance. Many patients report that acupuncture has a calming, soothing effect, quieting the mind and relieving stress.

Acupuncture and ADD/ADHD

The use of acupuncture for improvement in the symptoms associated with ADD/ADHD is largely anecdotal, but many people have reported significant improvement in concentration, focus, and mental clarity through the use of acupuncture.

Countless studies have shown that acupuncture creates a sense of overall health and wellness, which will in turn be helpful for those suffering from any number of emotional disturbances.

Author: Nan Little