Acupuncture and Mental Health
Creating Mental and Emotional Wellness with
Acupuncture
Occasionally we must all deal with major upheavals or emotional distress at
some points in our lives. These events can trigger a host of unexpected
feelings and behaviors from depression and panic attacks to major
disruptions in sleep and eating. Not only can acupuncture and Chinese
medicine alleviate symptoms associated with mental health issues, it can
treat the root cause of the problem by helping to rebalance the body’s
internal environment.
What are Mental Health Disorders?
Mental health disorders are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s
thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning
which result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands
of life.
Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder. Mental
disorders can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Experts
estimate that almost a third of people in most countries report sufficient
criteria at some point in their life. The good news about mental disorders
is that recovery is often possible.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders
According to Chinese medical theory, a mental disorder occurs when there is
imbalance within the body. Imbalance can come from an excess or deficiency
of yin and yang that disrupts the flow of qi or energy through the body.
Chinese Medicine does not recognize any mental disorder as one particular
syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique
to each individual using a variety of techniques such as acupuncture,
herbal medicine, bodywork, lifestyle and dietary recommendations and
energetic exercises to restore imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if
100 patients are treated with Chinese medicine for anxiety, each of these
100 patients will receive a unique, customized treatment with different
acupuncture points, different herbs and different lifestyle and dietary
recommendations.
If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental/emotional problem,
please call us to see how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help.
The Five Elements and Emotions
The Principle of
the Five Elements (known as the Wu Xing) describes the flow of qi and the
balance of yin and yang. The Five Elements refer to wood, fire, earth,
metal, and water in Eastern philosophy. They are used to interpret the
relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the
natural environment.
In Chinese medicine, each element is associated with certain
mental/emotional states. For instance, our memory, thought processes,
emotional well-being, and consciousness are also attributed to the heart
and fire element. When the fire element is in balance, the heart is strong
and healthy, the mind is calm and sleep is sound. When the fire element is
imbalanced, we may either lack joy (depression) or have an excess of joy
(mania). Indicators of an imbalance in the fire element include agitation,
nervousness, heartburn, and insomnia.
The Five Elements and Emotions
Wood (Liver) – Anger, jealousy, frustration, resentment, bitterness and
stress
Fire (Heart) – Mania and over-excitation
Earth (Spleen) – Anxiety, pensiveness and worry
Metal (Lung) – Grief and sadness
Water (Kidney) – Depression and lack of will
Yintang: The Third Eye Point
Acupuncture has
been found to be helpful with all types of emotional and mental disorders,
from stress and anxiety to schizophrenia. Often used for such treatments is
Yintang, a point located between the eyebrows - sometimes referred
to as “the third eye.”
The Chinese translation for the acupuncture point, Yintang, is “hall
of impression”. “Hall” is defined as a corridor or passageway, or the large
entrance room of a house. An “impression” is defined as a strong effect
produced on the intellect, emotions, or conscience. Thus, Yintang is
the entrance or passageway to the mind.
Location: Midway between the eyebrows
Indications: Calm the mind, enhance one’s ability to focus, soothe
emotions, promote sleep, and relieve depression.
Study: Acupuncture and Depression
Psychologist John Allen, from the
University of Arizona in Tucson, and Acupuncturist Rosa Schnyer, conducted
the very first pilot controlled study on treating depression symptoms with
acupuncture in the Western scientific world. In a double blind randomized
study, 34 depressed female patients who met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria
were assigned to one of three treatment groups for eight weeks.
The first group received acupuncture treatment specifically tailored to
their depression symptoms. The second group received a general acupuncture
treatment not specific to depression, and the third group was placed on a
waiting list for acupuncture treatment, but received no treatment. The
study found that those in the tailored acupuncture treatment experienced a
significant reduction in symptoms, compared to those in the non-specific
treatment. Moreover, over 50% of the participants no longer met the DSM-IV
diagnostic criteria for depression after the study.
The study findings suggest that using acupuncture alone could be as
effective as other types of treatments for relieving depression symptoms
typically used in Western medicine, such as psychotherapy and drugs.
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In This Issue
·
Acupuncture
and Mental Health
·
The Five
Elements and Emotions
·
Yintang:
The Third Eye Point
·
Study:
Acupuncture and Depression
·
Finding
Center
Finding Center
Dan Tian
Breathing: Connecting to the Center
What does it mean to be centered? In Qi Gong, the ancient Chinese practice
of self cultivation through movement and breathing, it signifies having
energy in the center of the body. This center is called the Dan Tian,
which means “elixir field” is a place to store energy. Think of the Dan
Tian as a reservoir and a place of inner strength.
The Dan Tian, located in the lower abdomen between the navel and the public
bone, corresponds to the physical functions of digestion, elimination, and
reproduction. Psychologically it functions by giving us a sense of
stability and balance. It is also a source of power for physical energy,
sexual vitality, and inner power.
Exercise: Deep Abdominal Breathing
(Dan Tian Breathing)
1. Sit or stand with the spine straight and bring both hands over the lower
abdomen.
2. Breathe in and out through the nose. Breathing through the nose helps to
cultivate more “qi” out of the air.
3. Exhale all the way out to clear the lungs. During “normal” breathing, we
usually only exhale 40 percent of the air out, which leaves little room to
take in a deep breath. So, at the bottom of your exhale, see if you can
exhale a little more.
4. Then, inhale down into the lower abdomen so that the belly expands. This
allows the diaphragm to relax and air to move into the deeper areas of the
lungs.
5. Again, exhale and squeeze the air out from the lower abdomen.
6. Then, take in a full deep breath down into the lower abdomen.
7. During this breathing exercise, keep the chest relaxed.
8. Visualize a golden ball of energy, like a small sun, growing in your
lower Dan Tian. With each breath see this light growing brighter and
brighter.
9. Practice for at least 3 to 5 minutes (10 minutes is ideal). Throughout
the day, take one or two Dan Tian breaths to recharge your internal energy.
10. Enjoy!
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