Acupuncture for Anxiety, Depression and Sleep Disorders
Providence, Rhode Island
In Western medicine, anxiety, depression, post-partum depression and post-stroke depression are often treated with drug therapy. These treatments can be effective but positive results can come with a price. Undesirable side effects of medication can include weight gain or weight loss, mood swings, and a loss of mental alertness. Medications to treat depression can increase anxiety and for some people, medications may not work at all.
If you or a loved one is suffering from depression or anxiety, acupuncture may be a beneficial treatment option.
Acupuncture has none of the side effects of medication and yet several medical studies have found that it can yield similar or even better results. Research suggests that acupuncture raises endorphin levels in the short term, which reduces anxiety, while increasing dopamine and serotonin levels in the long term to help people cope better with stress.
People who use acupuncture for anxiety and depression generally report:
- Improved energy
- Improved mental alertness
- Better memory
- A reduction in tension, restlessness, sadness and anxiety
- Regulate appetite
- Less physical body pain
- Better sleep and less insomnia
Healing from depression and anxiety is a process that occurs over time. The effects of acupuncture are cumulative. Your Doctor of Acupuncture will discuss a course of treatment that will likely include a series of acupuncture sessions and may include diet therapy and Chinese herbs.
If you are currently on medication for depression or anxiety, share this information with the acupuncture doctor. It is possible that over the course of treatment you can lower the dose of your medication but do not discontinue your medication without consulting a medical professional.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lee or Dr. Fischer at the Traditional Eastern Medicine clinic in Providence, call 401-743-9533.
