A Common Mental Health Challenge in the United States
Ranking among the most common mental health challenges affecting people in the United States today is Anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 40 million adults aged 18 and older struggle with anxiety.
Everyday events, genetics, and brain chemistry often trigger anxiety. These triggers can cause symptoms such as mental restlessness, increased heart rate, dizziness, muscle tension, shortness of breath, and an overwhelming sense of fear or panic.
Everyone experiences anxiety differently. While Western medicine often applies the same treatment to all forms of anxiety, Chinese Medicine takes a personalized approach. Practitioners start by identifying which organ system is disturbed, aiming to understand how that imbalance affects the individual’s overall energy and well-being.
Chinese Medicine places great emphasis on the connection between the mind, body, and spirit. There is no separation, a person’s physical health is a reflection of their emotional state. The organ systems must function in harmony for there to be a balance in the body.
Anxiety often reflects a disturbance of the Zang organs; these include the Heart, Lungs, Spleen, Liver, and Kidneys. Each organ has specific functions and is associated with different emotions. The heart stores the shen (your mind/spirit), the lungs are related to grief, the liver to anger, the spleen to worry, and the kidneys to fear. These are all commonly experienced emotions and can influence the flow of energy throughout your body.
A consultation with Dr. Tony Willcox will give a deeper understanding of how anxiety manifests and its relation to the diagnostic principles in Chinese medicine. Once a tongue & pulse diagnosis has been made, the information will be used to make a differential diagnosis. Depending on the specific situation, the anxiety can be due to Heart/Spleen Qi Deficiency, Lung Qi Deficiency, Liver Qi Stagnation Affecting the Spleen, or Kidney Qi Deficiency just to name a few.
Medications may help to alleviate the symptoms you are experiencing, but they offer undesirable side effects. The mind often creates anxiety through the way you view the world, Chinese Medicine can help facilitate a shift in perspective.
Acupuncture works by stimulating the central nervous system and increasing the production of endorphins and enkephalin. These are the naturally occurring chemicals in our bodies that improve our mood and overall well-being. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Therapy are used to support the physical body by helping guide qi to move more freely and alleviate the feeling of being stuck emotionally and spiritually.
Some good lifestyle adjustments to try for when you are beginning to experience anxiety:
-Reducing/eliminating caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol consumption -Avoiding hot, spicy, cold, and raw foods
-Avoiding overthinking and setting overly ambitious goals -Avoiding exhaustion
-Taking supplements (B vitamins, magnesium, iron)
Come see us at Acupuncture Zen where we can help you to reconnect the spirit with a deeper sense of self.
Call 561-NEEDLES (561 633 3537) and schedule an appointment.