Acupuncture and Depression
Prolonged feelings of sadness, discouragement, and hopelessness greatly affect the quality of life.
All of us, at one time or another, have experienced some form of depression. It is a healthy response to overwhelming events in our lives. When we are balanced physically and mentally, we can easily bounce back from a depressed state and continue on with our normal lives, but when these feelings become persistant and occur without precipitating factors, depression may set it.
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Today more than 28 million Americans are taking antidepressant and antianxiety drugs. In 1998, doctors wrote more than 130 million prescriptions for antidepressants. According to the Physician Desk Reference, the top antidepressant drugs address only the signs and symptoms of the disease and can cause a myriad of side effects: tremors, facial tics, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and sexual dysfunction. Depression alone is stressful enough on your body, and drugs can add an even greater amount of stress. How can acupuncture help?
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine incorporate thousands of years of experience in treating depression. Not only can they help to alleviate the signs and symptoms accompanying depression, it can address the root causes and underlying imbalances.
Acupuncturists understand that there is a powerful interplay between between body and emotions; the two are inseparable. When we experience emotional upset, our internal environment also becomes disrupted, leading to physical symptoms of depression, and when our internal environment has changed, our emotions can be greatly affected.
According to acupuncture theories, depression can be the result of imbalance or .jpg)
blockage in one or more of the body's organ systems and meridian pathways. When Qi becomes blocked or the quantity of Qi is insufficient and unable to properly nourish the organs, illness, disease, and emotional upset take over. Many things can cause Qi to become blocked:
What will an acupuncturist do?
Dr. Hanna will take a complete health history in order to find out where and why Qi has become blocked. He will then develop a treatment plan, tailored to your specific symptoms and signs. The goals of such a plan will be to eliminate visible symptoms, while addressing the root causes and underlying imbalances
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine provide safe, natural, drug-free, and effective ways to address depression. The focus is upon achieving a balance of body and mind.