Stress Bogging You Down? Try Acupuncture for Depression

Updated on March 5th, 2020
depression

Depression is a common problem affecting over 300 million globally. It is a mental health condition that is different from the everyday mood changes and short-lived impulsive responses to day-to-day situations. The symptoms of depression can last long and their severity can vary from person-to-person.

When the symptoms become intense, depression becomes a serious mental health condition. The effects of the condition can interfere with a person’s everyday tasks and can make them perform poorly at work, school, or college.

In the worst-case scenario, depression can also be the reason for suicide in many patients. As many as 800,000 people die every year due to depression and it is also the leading cause of death in people aged between 15 and 29 years.

[Also Read: How to Get Rid of Depression]

Many people take the help of anti-depressants to treat their symptoms of depression. But, there are several others who go for alternative treatments for depression. Alternative treatments like yoga, Ayurveda and acupuncture works better in treating depression. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America the “evidence for the use of acupuncture to treat anxiety disorders is becoming stronger.” In research conducted at the University of York in the United Kingdom, 755 people with depression of moderate to a severe levels were studied.

Out of the total participants, 70% were given anti-depressants, which they continued throughout the study. At the end of the study, it was found that acupuncture, counseling, or both had strong positive effects on the patients. The positive effects of alternative treatments lasted for 3 months after the conclusion of the treatment.

Acupuncture for depression has also received support from Western medicine. It has shown that acupuncture releases endorphins and promotes the activation of natural pain killers. Chinese medicine also supports acupuncture as a treatment for blockages and imbalanced organs.

Did You Know!

  1. Acupuncture is an effective remedy to treat back pain, neck ache, joint pain, and pain in the hands and arms. It is also a drug-free treatment for reducing inflammation and swelling in the body(1).
  2. Acupuncture boosts immunity by fighting the pathogens. It can treat cold and other symptoms of flu that can interfere with your everyday activities.

What are the Acupuncture Points for Depression Treatment?

With the help of acupuncture, the symptoms of depression can be treated fast. But, it is extremely important that the therapy is conducted in the right manner. The therapist must know the exact acupuncture points to treat depression to give the best results. The acupuncture points for depression include:

  • Conception Vessel 17 Point (CV17)/ Sea of Tranquility Point
  • Lungs 1 Point (LU1)
  • Three Mile Point
  • Third Eye Point
  • Sea of Vitality Point (B23 and B47)
  • One Hundred Meeting Point (GV20)
  • Union Valley Point (LI4)
  • Gates of Consciousness Point (GB20)
  • Elegant Mansion Point (K27)

[Also Read: Positive Affirmation for Depression]

Interesting Facts about Acupuncture

  • There are about two thousand acupoints found on the human body. Every acupoint can help in attaining balance and benefit the overall health(2).
  • Unlike Western treatment, which can prescribe the same to two different individuals, acupuncture treatment is always customized based on the patient’s needs. With every patient, the placement of the needle has to change.

Acupuncture and Depression

Acupuncture for depression
Image:ShutterStock

According to traditional Chinese medicine, depression is caused by the imbalance of energy in the body. Thus, acupuncture is the technique that focuses on restoring the lost balance with the use of acupoints on the body(3).

During acupuncture treatment for depression, every patient is treated for their diagnosis using different acupoints. Although the results showing the benefits of acupuncture are yet to be substantiated by solid research, the results so far have been promising.

A recent study found that based on the unique symptoms of every client, using mental and emotional connections to individual acupuncture points can treat depression effectively(4).

Many studies also found the benefits of acupuncture for depression in pregnant women. The studies suggested that acupuncture is an effective treatment for treating depressive disorders in expecting females(5).

[Also Read: 5 Yoga Poses That Treat Depression]

Benefits of Acupuncture for Depression Treatment

When a person suffers from depression, their mind sends signals to the body and as a result, the body produces a high level of stress hormones in the body. Consequently, it leads to constricting of the blood vessels and risks of a heart attack. Thus, when you take care of your mind, it can have positive effects on your body too.

When you take anti-depressants, they treat the condition by giving a boost to the production of serotonin in the brain. However, when acupuncture is used to treat depression, it influences the body to send to positive signals to the mind. When various acupoints are stimulated in an individual’s body, it helps to restore the energy balance and eventually uplifting the mood.

The benefits of acupuncture have been very unique in healing the mind and body. Thus, it is also a great treatment option that can be combined with other standard therapies like relational therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.

[Also Read: Effective Exercises to Get Rid of Depression]

When combined with these therapies, which focus on resolving the imbalance that arises from the mind, acupuncture can be an effective treatment plan that benefits the patients in treating the root causes of depression. The customized acupuncture treatment plans can empower the patients in resolving their mental issues which are the root cause of their depression and other mental conditions.

Although the benefits of acupuncture for depression are yet to be substantially backed by studies, the results of the therapy have shown positive effects in treating the condition. However, it is important to remember that hiring a professional therapist to perform the therapy is extremely essential to get the desired results(6).

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