Acupuncture for Depression

Millions of people in America suffer from depression. Depression is behind thousands of suicides that are committed each year. Although there are many antidepressant drugs available in the market such as Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Elavil and Trazodone, yet all these medications are capable of doing, is maintain the serotonin levels of the brain. Their effects are not long-term and they have to be taken repeatedly, day in and day out. In such a scenario, people always look for alternative methods for treating depression, and acupuncture is one of them.

How does it Work?

Acupuncture treatment is based on the belief that all humans beings possess energy which is called "chi". Chi flows throughout the body in a uniform manner, using the energy channels known as meridian lines. When a person suffers from any kind of disease or ailment such as depression, it means that "chi" is not able to flow properly in the body and hence, needs correction. For regulating the flow of chi, needles are used, which are pricked on particular points of the body. This piercing and puncturing of the body with needles helps in restoring the lost energy balance of the body, thereby curing depression. Here is the whole technique explained in scientific terms, but first let's find out how depression occurs in a person.

Depression mainly occurs on account of imbalance in the neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which is released by neurons in the nervous system. Serotonin regulates the moods and sleeping pattern in a person. An imbalance in the level of serotonin results in many disorders, like, depression, and is believed to play an important role in the regulation of mood and sleep. Abnormal levels of serotonin have been thought to play a part in many disorders, notably as part of the biochemistry of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, migraine, and stress. Norepinephrine, is another neurotransmitter which affects the sympathetic system.

Electroacupuncture is a technique which adds a current to the needles thereby, increasing the effectiveness of the acupuncture needles. By using electroacupuncture on particular acupuncture points in a depressed person, there is an increase in the release of these neurotransmitters i.e., serotonin and norepinephrine from the central nervous system. When the levels of these stress hormones increases in a depressed person, his various symptoms of depression such as, fatigue, insomnia, mood swings, anxiety and stress, start decreasing.

Benefits

Acupuncture in the treatment of depression, can prove to be much more beneficial than the regular anti-depressant drugs which people take. Here are some of the benefits of this treatment for depression.

Firstly, unlike the western medicines, acupuncture treats the root cause of depression, which is the internal imbalance of the stress related hormones. Secondly, there are no side effects of using acupuncture for the treatment of depression and anxiety. The anti-depressant drugs can produce many side effects such as nausea, weight gain, nervousness, blurred vision and dry mouth, and their long-term usage is not good for the health of the body. However, this treatment method causes no side effects in the person at all. Thirdly, benefits of using acupuncture for anxiety and depression are lifelong. Even when a person stops taking the treatment, his depression and stress won't come back.

Thus, acupuncture is a holistic approach of treating depression. For making the treatment even more effective, it should ideally be combined with psychotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine.