Stress, and Mental Health

Stress

From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), stress describes the response to an increase or a change in the demands placed on the body and mind. The resulting effect is to shift the body out of its normal, balanced state.

The stress response is automatic, and it cannot be prevented or controlled. Everyone experiences stress, and everyone processes it differently. Modern life chronically activates our stress response, even when we’re dealing with mundane occurrences.

Stress can impact mental health disorders including depression, anxiety and PTSD. WS-TCM can help recalibrate stress hormones in the body by acting on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis connects our central nervous system and endocrine system, releasing stress hormones into the body. Studies have shown that acupuncture influences patients’ neurobiological response and helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, making it an effective treatment for nerve-related disorders such as anxiety and circadian rhythm disorders.

Mental Health

In Chinese medicine, emotions are integral to wellbeing, and they have a relationship with specific organs and body systems. We use modalities including acupuncture, Chinese herbs, lifestyle recommendations, and stress reduction techniques to restore homeostasis—or balance—to the HPA axis. Your personalized plan may include techniques such as breathing, hydration, nutrition, exercise, tools for processing emotions, and methods for ridding your body of the negative effects of stress.

For addressing a long-standing condition such as depression, the first visits are aimed at understanding your particular pattern of depression and addressing symptoms as they arise. When necessary, visits focus on decreasing any acute symptoms. The duration of treatment depends on how long you’ve been experiencing depression and its severity. Acute or more urgent symptoms can often be relieved immediately, or at the very least in the first two sessions. In general, you can expect that after 1 to 2 months of weekly visits, you will experience an overall change in your depression, as well as a change in any other symptoms you may be experiencing. Treatments are relaxing and provide an opportunity to reflect on symptoms and feelings, past or present.

While acupuncture can quickly resolve depression symptoms initially, in order to sustain the positive results of treatment, your acupuncturist may provide you with some diet and lifestyle modifications. Simple dietary changes can have a tremendous impact on the frequency and severity of depression symptoms. Vitamin and mineral supplementation can also be an easy way to help balance out mood swings and fatigue. If you are taking anti-depressants, your acupuncturist can prescribe Chinese herbs that work synergistically with your medications to address symptoms. If you are looking for an alternative to pharmaceuticals, Chinese herbs are a safe and effective way to continue treatment on a daily basis. Your acupuncturist will have a detailed look at your lifestyle, diet and medications and will make suggestions accordingly.

The effects of an acupuncture treatment for stress are immediate. After your first treatment, you will have a sense of feeling more relaxed. This feeling can last anywhere from one to several days. You may also notice an immediate improvement in muscle tension and your overall energy level. With regular treatments, the effects will be longer lasting and more cumulative. In most cases, coming for treatment once a week is sufficient. Duration of treatment depends on the individual. The severity of symptoms and the effects stress has had on your health determine how quickly your condition will be resolved. Once you come for a few visits, you and your acupuncturist will see how you are responding and a more definite treatment plan can be established.