Anxiety and Depression

How Chinese Medicine Looks at Emotional Health

Chinese medicine has long viewed the mind and body as connected. Rather than placing all emotions in the brain, it links emotions to specific organ systems, and imbalances in those organs can show up as both physical and emotional symptoms. The heart, liver and adrenal glands are the organs most often affected. Poor blood flow to the heart is associated with anxiety, palpitations, panic and insomnia. Poor blood flow through the liver is associated with fatigue, irritability, anger and frustration. Constant stress is thought to wear down the adrenal glands and drain energy.

Joshua also looks at how anxiety presents in each person. Some people are uptight and perfectionistic, with tight shoulders and a clenched jaw. Others are jittery and fearful, exhausted and unmotivated with low mood, or overheated with sweating and irritability. Most people have a mix, but one type usually stands out.

How Joshua Treats Anxiety and Depression

Treatment is individualized. Along with questions about symptoms, Joshua uses pulse diagnosis, tongue diagnosis and examination of the ears and eyes to build a picture of what the body needs. Some acupuncture points calm anxious energy, some ease frustration and tension, and others help restore depleted energy. Acupuncture is thought to trigger the release of serotonin and endorphins, and many patients find it brings a deep state of relaxation. Chinese herbal formulas are tailored to the individual and can be taken as a powder dissolved in tea or as capsules.

Acupuncture can be used alongside medication and psychotherapy. Patients who take medication should not make changes without speaking to their psychiatrist or mental health professional.

What to Expect

Acupuncture helps retrain the nervous system, and like building a muscle, it responds best to regular sessions. It is realistic to give it several treatments before deciding whether it helps.

Self-Care Tips

• Eat every four hours and include protein with each meal to keep blood sugar steady.
• Practice a breathing routine, meditation or quiet mindfulness for even ten minutes a day.
• Exercise in shorter bursts of 20 to 30 minutes so you burn off nervous energy without wearing yourself out.
• Stretch tight areas such as the neck, shoulders and hamstrings.