Does Acupuncture Really Help People Who Suffer from Anxiety?
Acupuncture does in fact really help people who suffer from anxiety. It is one of the oldest natural remedies for this disorder that has been used by thousands and has a very high success rate. Let’s look at exactly how acupuncture works to address this and why it is successful. Before we do this, let’s look at other ways that people treat and deal with this condition.
We all suffer from anxiety to some extent. However, some suffer to extremes where their anxieties take control of their lives and makes it difficult for these people to live normal lives. These people fall into three categories based upon how they address this disorder.
These people fall into three categories based upon how they address this disorder. The first group seeks professional help via their medical doctor, a psychiatrist, or therapist. They may be prescribed medication and/or attend therapy sessions. The second group self-medicates to numb the effects of this disorder. This group turns to alcohol and/or drugs to cope with their issues. The third group manages to live their lives with this disorder but does so at a very high price. They find little tricks to help them get through each day.
Prescribed Drugs and Their Long-term Effects
A medical doctor or psychiatrist may prescribe medication for people who are afflicted with this disorder. The most popular medications include Ativan (lorazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam). These medications can have a very positive effect initially and help to alleviate symptoms. However, the long-term effects are so harmful, that many people refuse to take them. These may include confusion, dizziness, disorientation, slurred speech, and depression.
Self-Medicating to Numb the Pain
The most readily available drug for self-medication is still alcohol. This may soon change with Marijuana becoming legal in some states, but at the time of this writing, for most adults, alcohol is still the number one substance that people who suffer from anxiety turn to. Alcohol does a wonderful job of numbing our minds and bodies. However, just like many substances, you start to require more and more to numb that pain and before you know it, your consumption can become extremely hazardous to your life.
Avoiding the Issues
Under the most extreme circumstances, people manage to find ways to adapt. There are those who find little tricks to help them cope with their anxiety to get them through each day. Unfortunately, these little tricks become the dam that is holding back the water and all it takes is a crack in the dam and the water will come gushing out. This is not a way to cope with this disorder. This is simply a temporary way to avoid the painful effects of it.
How Can Acupuncture Help?
If you have ever had an acupuncture treatment, you have probably walked out of the doctor’s office in what some may call a slightly drunken state. Others call it “euphoria” while others may call it bliss. When properly administered, the insertion of acupuncture needles into specific points of the body causes the brain to release endorphins. Endorphins “are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus … and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being.” Two treatments per week can be quite sufficient to allow the most anxious person to start feeling much more relaxed and able to deal with normal levels of stress.
Is it necessary to have an acupuncture treatment every week for the rest of your life to keep your anxiety levels reduced? The answer is “no”. Some people find that after only 2-3 weeks, they feel like a radically different person. Others may take a week or two more. However, acupuncture is not intended to be used to treat a specific ailment on a regular basis. It resolves issues and then a patient can come back periodically for treatments when they feel that it is necessary. This may mean in 3, 6, 12 or more months. Each person is different and will react to acupuncture treatments differently.
Many of us have at one point or another gone for therapy to address issues in our lives. Unfortunately, therapy takes a long time to yield results and many people need immediately relief for their anxiety. Given the other options of taking very powerful medications prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist, or self-medicating, wouldn’t you want to consider natural remedies for anxiety? Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years. Experience for yourself what Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has known for centuries.
To read more about how Dr. Liang treats this condition, click here.
