Acupuncture is beneficial for mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, overall life stress, and simply feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, fear, and worry. These symptoms can build up over time and might seem impossible to overcome. In Chinese Medicine, the body, mind, and spirit are considered to be one and indivisible.

An issue in one place will affect the others. So there are often more things going on for a patient, for example this could be –  back or neck problems. circulation, high blood pressure, insomnia or digestive issues next to mental illness and/or stress. The body will hold the tension somewhere in the body and the emotion (fear, anger, worry or sadness) will cause energy to stagnate, knot or deplete. Eventually pain or sickness will show in different ways as a warning that there is more going on at a deeper level.

Finding help or the right therapist can be a long and costly endeavour. I am pleased to be able to help right away – within days and sometimes even same day. Most private healthcare insurers now cover British Acupuncture Council members. To find out if you can claim back your fees, check the BAcC’s list here, or better yet, contact your insurer directly for information. Patients often remark that after beginning regular acupuncture treatment, they find that stressful situations no longer affect them the same way. Each patient will react differently to treatment but there are many cases who will feel immediate relief and change.

The following article from Dr. David Mayer (2023) from the National University of Health Science explains why more psychiatrists are recommending acupuncture to their patients. Meeting with a therapist and taking prescription medication isn’t the only way to effectively treat common mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. As acupuncture continues to move into mainstream medicine, psychiatrists are among the many practitioners who are referring their patients to acupuncture clinics. At the National University of Health Sciences Whole Health Center, David Mayer DACM, LAc., ACSM-CPT, NASM-CNC, commonly treats depression and anxiety. Often it is the root cause of symptoms such as headaches, GI issues, insomnia, and low energy that patients seek treatment for. In addition to treating those symptoms, he also provides a treatment strategy that helps reduce ongoing anxiety or depression.

“When patients come in for regular treatments, acupuncture can be an effective way to improve mental wellbeing,” he said.

According to Dr. Mayer, acupuncture helps regulate the internal excesses or deficiencies that contribute to mental health issues. Today, the World Health Organization recommends acupuncture for the treatment of over 100 different conditions, including depression. 

Acupuncture has recently become popular as a pain relief tool that, unlike opioids, comes without addiction or side effects. In addition to treating pain symptoms, new studies show that acupuncture has significant benefits for mental health as well.

A 2021 study ‘Effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials’ published in the Annals of General Psychiatry found that acupuncture therapy aimed at reducing anxiety in patients has beneficial effects compared to controls. Similarly, a 2020 ‘Effect of Acupuncture on Chronic Pain with Depression: A Systematic Review study found that in the treatment of chronic pain with depression, acupuncture could get better clinical efficacy compared with medicine therapy. Additionally, it could be used in patients who had poor response to the conventional medication and serious side effects.

Studies have also found that acupuncture could be useful alongside medication. Researchers stated that acupuncture showed clinically-relevant benefits in reducing the severity of depression compared to sham acupuncture, usual care, and as an adjunct treatment to anti-depressant medication.

One of the biggest advantages of acupuncture is that it has no negative side effects or contraindications. This can be particularly beneficial for pregnant women, who are unable to take certain medications or want to reduce the amount of medication they’re taking. It can also be beneficial for those who use prescription medication.

Acupuncture gives patients a lot of options. Acupuncturists can even treat side-effects patients are experiencing from their medication alongside treating their mental health concerns. Additionally, acupuncture can help reinforce the main function of the medications by helping to stimulate the central nervous system.

When treated with acupuncture, most patients will get off the table feeling better than when they walked in. Results are frequently immediate.

Since acupuncture moves qi, blood and fluids which can reduce inflammation and thereby reduce pain, I regularly see pain reduction immediately after treatment – not just from endorphin release but from the reduction of inflammation. According to researchers, chronic inflammation may be linked to depression.

The only problem is, life is what it is and things around us keep happening, so how long the results last varies.

For the best results, regular visits are key. Most patients come once a week and other patients once a month for a tune up.

Depression and chronic pain are frequently seen together. According to a journal article published in Neural Plasticity, “chronic pain, as a stress state, is one of the critical factors for determining depression, and their coexistence tends to further aggravate the severity of both disorders.”

One of the great things about acupuncture is that it can “multitask” points and treatment strategies. In clinic, acupuncturists can treat a patient for both pain and mental health conditions all in one visit. This can help patients get the most out of their appointments and their time.

Depending on what a patient is going through, acupuncture can effectively treat a long list of conditions. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all method. Rather, acupuncture treatments are a directed treatment strategy based on a patient’s needs, which focus on the root and branches of a problem. As a result, acupuncture won’t just make you feel better, it can also help improve your overall health.

So, if you are struggling, please don’t wait any longer. Have a look at the different options of treatment and reach out to me today.