Anxiety, Depression and Acupuncture

By Molly Hutto, LAc

In light of Robin William's recent suicide, a lot of attention has been drawn to depression and its prevalence in our culture.Despite the tragedy of his death, this shocking event was a catalyst for a long overdue conversation in our society. Depression is still a taboo topic for many people. Although it affects nearly 20% of people at some point in their lives, many individuals feel hesitant to admit they are depressed and therefore put off seeking help.

There are many and varied ways to treat anxiety and depression, ranging from Western medications to lifestyle changes one can implement in their everyday routines. Many people however, are surprised to learn that depression can be treated very effectively with acupuncture. Oftentimes, we think of acupuncture as treating only pain, however, depression is actually an area where this ancient medicine shines brilliantly.

Acupuncturists evaluate a very complex set of systems in the body in order to determine why a patient is experiencing their symptoms. While you may receive the diagnosis of “migraines” for example from your M.D., for an acupuncturist, a migraine is merely a symptom, and while we can certainly treat your migraines a skilled acupuncturist will help you determine why you are getting migraines in the first place, and from there, we can begin to chip away at your personal circumstances that resulted in their formation, thus ideally preventing their recurrence.

In other words, why one patient may experience a migraine is not always the same as why another does, and thus, these two patients will receive different treatment to appropriately match their personal conditions. The same goes for virtually any ailment you may experience, and depression is no exception.

Whether you are suffering from depression that developed due to current events in your life, you are prone to seasonal depression, or you are suffering from chronic depression, acupuncture will support your body's innate ability to heal itself and stabilize your moods. It will access the resources that you already have, allowing you to do the necessary work in order to love the life that you are living here and now. Because of the subtle nature acupuncture uses to create powerful results, unlike many other medical modalities, your body won't have cleanup work to do afterwards with frustrating side effects.

A common sidekick to depression, anxiety, is also effectively treated with the timeless techniques of Chinese medicine. Currently, acupuncture is being utilized by the military to treat veterans who suffer from PTSD using an acupuncture technique that has been coined “Battlefield Acupuncture.” Patients often report feeling very calm and relaxed after a treatment, a beneficial side effect that usually remains for quite some time.