Acupuncture and Depression
Currently there are
an estimated two million people a year in the UK suffering from depression.
Research shows that with one in 20 of us visiting our GP because of the
condition, it is definitely a modern day epidemic. The World Health Organisation
(WHO) recommends acupuncture as a proven treatment for depression.
Many people are unaware that acupuncture has a long history of use in the
treatment of psychiatric disorders in China. It is now increasingly being used
both on its own and in conjunction with other therapies, such as psychotherapy
and antidepressants, in the UK.
Chinese Medicine
acknowledges that emotional factors play a part in health and that emotional
life cannot be separated from the physical. Acupuncturists talk about seven main
emotions: joy, worry/overthinking, anger, sadness, grief, fear and fright. It is
human nature to experience these feelings - the real problem occurs when we
experience them to an excessive degree or don't experience them at all. For
example, a person can get stuck in anger due to harbouring resentment over many
years, which in turn may manifest in physical or emotional conditions such as
anxiety, depression, or insomnia.
Acupuncture treatment offers patients the chance to see the relationship between
their mind and body - how they eat, drink, and exercise impacts on their mental
health. It is a great way of empowering patients to care better for themselves
in the future.
§ A double blind study was conducted among women suffering from depression. The results found that acupuncture was significantly better in treating depression than either sham acupuncture or no treatment at all (1998, Allen et al)
§ A further study (2000) found that acupuncture gave signifcant clinical improvement to depression sufferers. The patients were treated by true acupuncture ten times in two weeks and when compared to sham treatments showed a marked improvement. It was found to be especially good for treating anxiety symptoms (2000, Eich et al)
§ A 1998 study at University of Arizona into the treatment of depression in 33 women by acupuncture was fairly widely reported in the acupuncture profession and elsewhere. The study found that 64% of the women experienced full remission of depression following depression-specific acupuncture treatment, appearing to show that acupuncture can provide significant symptom relief at rates comparable to standard treatments such as psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy.
§ A 2004 study found that acupuncture was an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy. (University of Stanford)