Acupuncture for Anxiety & Depression
Oak Bay Victoria BC
Acupuncture can help with symptoms of anxiety and depression through resetting the nervous system’s response and improving the body’s ability to cope with stress.
What is anxiety & depression?
Anxiety and depression are painful patterns of emotions that interfere with living a full life. Anxiety is a fear and worry-based, while depression is a low mood involving sadness and/or anger. For many people, anxiety and depression are a tag team, two sides of the same coin. You feel anxious and restless — like you can’t relax. Yet you feel like you can’t do anything. On the flip side, too long spent in a depressed, low energy state can make you feel anxious that you are falling behind.
Research estimates that up to 30% of the global population experiences some form of anxiety, a complex condition with 13 subtypes listed in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
And it isn’t all in your head. Both anxiety and depression can also include physical symptoms. Anxiety removes our ability to fully rest and recuperate, while depression makes us prone to too much or too little appetite, sleep, and emotional regulation.
Typically managed with medication, physical symptoms range widely:
- headaches and pain
- insomnia
- shortness of breath
- variations in heart rate
- panic attacks
- appetite changes
How acupuncture can help with anxiety and depression
Acupuncture is a great tool for resetting the nervous system’s response pathways and helping your body find its parasympathetic baseline again.
- A 2016 review of studies involving over 400 patients found acupuncture significantly more effective than conventional treatments for anxiety.
- A 2018 review of 13 studies echoed these findings, with the largest (120 randomized patients) showing acupuncture reduced anxiety and depression symptoms by more than twice as much as standard pharmaceutical and psychotherapy approaches.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve the body’s ability to cope with stress through improving HRV.10. When the body is under stress, an area of the brain called the hypothalamus releases specific neuro-chemicals and research shows that acupuncture can calm this response. Acupuncture has also been shown to increase the release of endorphins, which play an important role in the regulation of physical and emotional stress responses such as pain, heart rate, blood pressure, and digestive function.
If you love technology and measurements, you can see your own heart rate variability change on your smart watch after treatment. Despite the nervous system registering brief sharp sensations (from the needles), parasympathetic (rest and digest) activities increase by the end of the treatment.
Even if you are not into tech, you will still feel the relaxation after a treatment; clients often relax so much they fall asleep on the table. People often report feeling relaxed for the first time after months of dealing with a divorce, death or difficult life situation. They have noticeably more relaxed shoulders and deeper breathing. Most importantly, they have more energy and calmer minds to deal with their challenges.
If you are anxious about needles, I also offer acupressure.
References
Sabrina provides a supportive space to recharge and address some of the daily stresses of a busy life. She is always learning new skills and has a nurturing touch. My stress and anxiety levels are significantly reduced after our appointments. Highly recommend.
N.L.
Have questions?
Resources for Anxiety & Depression
Mind Space offers group education classes for managing struggles with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and parenting young children. In BC, these courses require a deposit, but are very affordable if you attend enough appointments.
Inclusive Care for All Bodies & Brains
As with any kind of new experience, it is normal to wonder if or how a situation will work for you.
I have been offering relaxation massage for 20 years and acupuncture for over 10, and have hundreds of tips and tricks for accommodating a wide variety of needs and making your entire treatment experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible.