Stress and Anxiety
There have been a lot of inquiries recently for treatments to help with stress and anxiety, which is not surprising because we have all been going through a very stressful time. There has been a lot of uncertainty, upheaval of our daily life, lack of stability – which is really hard.
Anxiety
So what is anxiety? It’s a very broad term and it means a lot of different things. It means something different for every person who experiences it. Generally speaking, anxiety is a reaction to stress, so it’s a symptom of your body feeling stress. A few common words that might be used to describe it are worry, fear, unease or panic to name a few. And there can be physical and/or mental signs of it. It’s important to say that it is very common, so if you are feeling anxious or worried you are not alone. At least a quarter of the population in the UK have experienced a mental health problem at some point. Something positive to say is that people are starting to open up about mental health these days. And the more we talk about it, the easier it is for someone to say “Yes I have anxiety.”
Treatment
Acupuncture uses very fine needles in points around the body to help bring balance to the body, whether that’s on a physical, mental or emotional level. Acupuncture can be used safely alongside other therapies, such as medication or counselling. In fact, combining acupuncture treatment with other therapies can enhance their beneficial effects. And at the same time, acupuncture treatment can help to reduce any unwanted side effects from medications.
How do I work?
So when a client comes to see me in clinic for anxiety, first we will talk about what it means to them specifically. For 10 different people that are experiencing anxiety, they will all describe it differently, so it’s important for me to understand what it means to them. And as a result, for each of the 10 different people, I am able to tailor a treatment strategy that is individual to their needs. Some people might be able to describe exactly where they feel anxiety in their body, for example, in their stomach or bowels, head, chest or they might find it easier to notice what is being disrupted due to anxiety, such as sleep or the ability to concentrate. No matter how one is experiencing anxiety, we can unpick it and figure out what is going to be the best way to treat the individual.
Emily also created this video on how to use acupressure to help relieve anxiety & stress.
I am always happy to have a phone call to chat about how acupuncture could help you.
