According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 48 million American adults suffer from an anxiety disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health also puts depression among U.S. adults at a high number—17.3 million. When it comes to depression and anxiety, a lot of people are looking for answers. The answer, for many of them, turns out to be acupuncture for depression and anxiety.
Here are three things you didn’t know about this treatment option.
Pregnant Women Benefit from Acupuncture for Depression and Anxiety
When you are pregnant, depression and anxiety symptoms can feel especially acute. Because women have approximately double the chance of having anxiety or depression that men have, it is especially important to offer them effective treatment options.
According to one multi-study review published in Medical Acupuncture, there is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for anxiety and depression in women.
It’s Easy to Start Acupuncture Treatment
When it comes to trying acupuncture for depression and anxiety, you really have nothing to lose. There are virtually no risks, and any that do are far outweighed by the reward of relief from anxiety and depression symptoms. Many people report feeling a stronger sense of well-being only after a few sessions.
Acupuncture is also easy to combine with other forms of treatment. If you are already undergoing other forms of treatment for depression or anxiety, such as therapy or medication, you don’t really have to worry about how the different treatments will affect one another.
If you are worried about combining treatments, talk to your doctor or an acupuncturist to learn why you have no reason to fret.
The Benefits Are Long-Lasting, But Not Permanent
Undergoing acupuncture for depression and anxiety is not only easy, it’s also highly effective at reducing symptoms for extended periods of time. According to Teri Goetz, who writes for Psychology Today, a study from the University of York found that acupuncture can have a strongly positive effect on depression symptoms. The study looked at 755 individuals with depression. The average level of depression on a scale of 27 was 16. At the end of the trial, that number was lowered to a 9 using acupuncture.
Once the study concluded, participants reported benefits up to three months after their last treatment.
Talk to us today to learn more about acupuncture for depression and anxiety!