Can Acupuncture help Anxiety and Depression?. People who suffer from anxiety and or depression understand that those can be very serious matters not only of mental health but physical and spiritual health as well. For many years anxiety and depression were considered “mental disorders” and were greatly stigmatized within society to the point that many people suffering the symptoms never sought help or diagnoses, let alone received any treatment.
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Fortunately in 2013 much of the stigma and misunderstanding of anxiety and depression is no longer a problem, though more education is still needed for many people. Chapters and even books could be filled on this subject, and it is way too broad to cover in detail within a short blog. But let’s take a very brief look at anxiety and depression and see if there might be some help available by treating them with acupuncture.
There is no absolute answer to the question of whether acupuncture can treat anxiety and depression because it depends on what the root cause(s) of the ailment is. Depending on the root cause, it can be said that acupuncture can be an effective treatment in many cases of anxiety and or depression, but perhaps not in all cases.
Some anxiety/depression is triggered by stress. Acupuncture is one of the best stress remedies available, so if the ailment is triggered/caused by stress, then acupuncture can certainly be extremely effective in providing relief.
Can Acupuncture help Anxiety and Depression? Other anxiety/depression can be caused by nutritional deficiencies. One major root cause of anxiety, depression, and even addictive disorders is chronic low potassium. That’s an area where nutritionists, as well as herbal, homeopathic, and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) experts, can help. Sometimes the potassium or other nutritional deficiency can be caused by poor digestion, processing of foods and nutrients, and poor absorption of them. That could be caused by a poorly functioning gall bladder which is not producing enough bile, so food is not digested, and then processed and absorbed properly. That is a case where acupuncture can be effective by stimulating the gall bladder, and or other poorly functioning organs.
A major cause of anxiety is the lack of serotonin. By stimulating the body to produce more serotonin, anxiety/depression can be greatly reduced for many people who are suffering. Though they can be separate ailments, anxiety if untreated almost always leads to depression, and depression will almost always lead to some sort of anxiety. So it can be a vicious cycle.
Along with serotonin, other imbalances within the brain and body’s chemical makeup can be roots causes for anxiety and depression. Acupuncture, as with most alternative healthcare takes a holistic approach to the human body. So by bringing what acupuncturists refer to as “Qi” (chi) – the body’s natural energy flow into proper balance, then it aides all functions and organs of the body to begin to function more properly, which then leads to health improvement.
Summary:
Ignoring mental health can ruin a person’s quality of life and health. If you are suffering from anxiety and or depression; or if you are just seeking a good way to obtain natural stress relief, then someone like Dr. Tony Willcox of Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach Florida can consult with you and review your symptoms to see if acupuncture may be helpful.
Some cases of anxiety/depression may require the treatment of medicine depending on the root cause. But acupuncture can be effective as a primary or supplemental form of treatment in many cases.
So to answer the question of whether acupuncture can treat anxiety and depression, the answer is YES, it can in many cases.
Contact us today to learn more about our Palm Beach Acupuncture, and let expert acupuncturist Dr. Tony Willcox help you with your anxiety or depression.