Feeling Sad? Acupuncture Can Help!

The Chinese view of depression is very different to that of conventional western medicine. The TCM theory (Traditional Chinese Medicine) sees the symptoms of depression manifesting not only as emotional expression, such as sadness and lethargy, but also as physical body discomfort with symptoms such as autoimmune disease, chronic pain and digestive issues.

The Heart and the Liver

In TCM two organs have a physical and energetic responsibility for our ‘joy’. They are the heart and the liver. Both have very different functions to those accorded to them by western science. The liver is responsible for the movement of our energy – our ‘qi’ (pronounced chee). If this energy doesn’t move efficiently, it can cause signs of lethargy and stagnation, which makes it difficult for us to connect with our joy. One of the functions of the heart is to ‘house the mind and the spirit’ and, in order to feel happiness, there needs to be movement from the liver energy to enable us to connect and feel uplifted.

The Power of Acupuncture

Acupuncturists ask many questions to enable assessment. Based on the answers, they choose acupuncture points to move the qi. Naturopathic acupuncturists may also recommend nutritional supplements and herbal tinctures to complement the acupuncture points, further helping to mitigate the physical and emotional signs of  low energy and mood.

Acupressure

For a quick stress fix, try some acupressure. Start at your wrist and measure three fingers down, onto your arm. Where your third finger sits is an acupressure point. Apply pressure here with your thumb and gently rub in a circular motion for two minutes or until you feel less anxious.

To find out more about how you could train to be a CNM Acupuncturist, attend an Open Evening at either CNM London or Bristol.