At Haynes Acupuncture on the Gold Coast we treat mental health very seriously. Depression is a condition that can often have debilitating effects on a person’s ability to function in their daily life. It can affect both psychological and physical well-being.
Worldwide, between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and/or anxiety increased by nearly 50%, to 615 million. Close to 10% of the world’s population is now affected and mental disorders account for 30% of the global non-fatal disease burden (1).
Depression is multifactorial and symptoms can include insomnia and sleep disturbance, stress, anxiety and a lack of interest in normally pleasurable activities. It can lead to addictions to drugs or alcohol, as sufferers look for ways to mask their symptoms. Western medicine prescribes antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy as a treatment. Meanwhile, Eastern medicine uses acupuncture and meditation; calming the patient’s physical and emotional well-being can be improved by controlling the energy flow through the body.
There are a wide range of self-help measures and alternate therapies which can be useful for some types of depression, either alone or in conjunction with drug treatments (such as antidepressants) or talk therapy with a psychologist. Self-help and alternative therapies that may be useful for depression are: relaxation and meditation, good nutrition (supplements may be prescribed), alcohol and drug avoidance, exercise and acupuncture(2).
One randomised controlled trial using Acupuncture in conjunction with usual care was found to be beneficial in reducing anti-depressant medication use, pain medication use and patients reported having a reduction in depressive symptoms (3).
Acupuncture has also been seen to be effective with improving sleep, quality of life and mood in people suffering major depressive disorders (4).
If you would like to speak to a practitioner to discuss your treatment, please give us a call on 5531 6461 or email us on info@haynesacupuncture.com.au
1. Investing in treatment for depression and anxiety leads to fourfold return.2016 http://www.who.int/news-room/detail/13-04-2016-investing-in-treatment-for-depression-and-anxiety-leads-to-fourfold-return
2. Black dog Institute https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/docs/default-source/factsheets/treatmentsfordepression.pdf?sfvrsn=4
3. MacPherson et al., Acupuncture and Counselling for Depression in Primary Care: A Randomised Controlled Trial. PLoS Med, (2013) retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3782410/
4. Bosch P, van den Noort M, Staudte H, Lim S. Schizophrenia and Depression: A systematic Review of the Effectiveness and the Working Mechanisms Behind Acupuncture. Explore (NY). 2015 Jul-Aug;11(4):281-91.
