For people who have experienced or are experiencing depression, the mood can be very dark and the feeling is constantly of one filled with sadness and longing. Depression is an emotional problem whose symptoms can manifest psychologically and physically and which can greatly affect the person’s normal daily activities. Some of these symptoms may be suicidal ideation, thoughts of doing harm to others, feelings of hopelessness, lack of interest in any particular social activity or recreation, inability to concentrate, fatigue, crying spells, worrying and anxiety among others.
In the United States, around 8 million people suffer from depression. The most common treatment for this disorder is antidepressant drugs and the antidepressant drug market is one of the most profitable markets for the pharmaceutical drug companies. Most antidepressants work by regulating the serotonin levels in the brain. These drugs actually do more harm than good and besides the financial cost of using them and their side effects patients are required to take them frequently and for prolonged periods of time. Acupuncture Orlando, on the other hand when complemented with Chinese herbs, is a much more effective and long-term alternative to treating depression and other forms of extreme negative emotional disorders.
Interestingly, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which acupuncture is a part of does not see depression as an illness per se but nevertheless does greatly help treat its symptoms applying acupuncture and other modalities to correct energy imbalances in the body. Needles used by acupuncture are as thin as human hair and are placed at certain points in the body to help improve or regulate the flow of energy the Chinese refer to as chi meaning vital force. Acupuncture is widely used as a treatment for pain and painful disorders and now has been proven to be a very effective treatment of prolonged anxiety and depression.
Drugs such as antidepressants only address the symptoms of depression; never its root cause, which is emotional and physical stress. These stressors can lead to chi blockages in the body or alter and decrease beneficial neurotransmitters, such as serotonin resulting in the manifestation of depression, fatigue and anxiety.
Chronic depressive patients seldom have suicidal thoughts or tendencies; they often more suffer from stress, poor sleeping and anxiety. Acupuncturists often with help from Chinese herbal medicine choose specific acupuncture points to treat the undying cause of the patient’s depression. Acupuncture brings into the patient an increased level of energy and takes out the levels of sleeplessness and anxiety after a few sessions of it. One of acupuncture’s greatest features is that there are no side effects to this treatment. Another great thing about it is that the body and mind are now able to identify what causes depression and take measures to correct the imbalances that rise up during stressful times.