Many of us think of acupuncture as a mechanism for physical wellness since it is primarily marketed as a tool for weight loss or lower back pain. While the physical benefits of acupuncture certainly include pain relief and weight management, using acupuncture for stress and anxiety is a great tool to relieve mental anguish. Depression, stress, and anxiety can actually lead to physical pain. But the reverse is also true: pain can lead to any one of these conditions.
Every part of us is interconnected so we must make the effort to treat our bodies holistically, especially in periods of high stress such as COVID-19. The Traditional Chinese Medicine practice of acupuncture is one way to do so.
Mental Health and High Stress
Understandably so, your stress and anxiety levels may be high due to the pandemic. Here are three steps you can take to handle new levels of stress. Acupuncture can help you to calm your mind and prepare your body for each step.
#1: Acceptance. Accept that change has come and that you are not alone. No one anticipates a pandemic or the level of stress it can bring. Do not punish yourself for circumstances that you cannot control — punishing yourself will only bring you down further.
Process your feelings and be solution-oriented. Think about what you can do next. To adapt, overcome, and rebuild, you will need energy.
#2: Avoid sitting idle all day. Get into exercise and meditation. If you are starting to lose interest and motivation in your day to day, one of the first things to go is your sleep quality. It may seem counterintuitive, but we need energy to fall asleep. That is why we start sleeping better when we begin exercising regularly. When you energize your body, you can more easily fall asleep at the end of the day. You feel lifted when you wake up.
#3: Maintain your immune system. Acupuncture works as a preventative medicine that helps keep your immune system in check. While most of our patients may come into the office with specific symptoms, we recommend a check-in every month to prevent those symptoms from coming back. Continued acupuncture sessions will keep your blood and Qi (known as your life force) moving. When you keep your Wei Qi (known as your body’s protective shield) high, your immunity is high.
If you are struggling with low energy, an acupuncture practitioner can help as they work with the energetic and physiological parts of the body.
Considering Acupuncture?
At Mind and Soul, we consider ourselves acupuncture physicians as we work with the gut, body, and mind as a whole. We don’t have to divide our bodies but treat them holistically for optimal function.
We are not a conventional mental health clinic in that we provide a flexible combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and psychiatry. To accommodate you, we offer video call telehealth appointments.
To find out if you are a good candidate, you can schedule a consultation with us online or call us at (305) 456-1014.