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“Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it? “Supposing it didn’t”, said Pooh after careful thought. Piglet was comforted by this. A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh, 1928
What exactly is anxiety? While grief focuses on the past, worry and anxiety fixate on what might happen in the future. When we are stuck in either of these places, the magic of the present moment is closed off to us. Life no longer flows. This can be devastating on your whole life.
Anxiety: Its Many Elusive Forms
Emotions, including anxiety, have served an important evolutionary purpose in humanity’s development. It is that recognizable feeling that enables us to anticipate danger and plan accordingly. We can handle the world from a safer vantage point when we are able to effectively respond to certain situations that otherwise would have fallen apart. Once handled, we can put our worry aside. This can be a healthy relationship with anxiety because it helps us get to where we need to be in an effective way.
As we can see, certain forms of anxiety are considered to be a normal and healthy response to the stresses of daily life and new situations. However, anxiety that occurs randomly or in an excessive manner is a sign of concern. This is when it can be difficult to free ourselves from its grip or to even distinguish the borders between what is real and what is not real.
What are these forms of anxiety? Everything from mildly worrying about an upcoming speech or exam to intense phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a nervous stomach, and even panic attacks. It is worth emphasizing that some forms of anxiety might be due to challenging circumstances such as illness affecting a loved one, or challenges that threaten our ability to feed and house our family.
However, caution must be taken if you find yourself consumed by unproductive thought patterns about things that you can’t help or change. These kinds of thought patterns can become ingrained habits that over time can impair your quality of life.
The Effects of Anxiety in the Body
A wise expression says that, “Energy flows where intention goes”. Chronic anxiety and worry deplete our body of essential energy that is needed to keep us healthy. It interferes with restful sleep, digestion, can lead to headaches, moodiness, fatigue, palpitations, dizziness, muscle tension, and so on.
Evidence of how long-term anxiety affects the body was demonstrated in a study conducted on almost one thousand patients with heart disease. They concluded that “Anxiety is associated with increased risk of mortality in CHD (chronic heart disease) patients, particularly when comorbid with depression”. They also determined that chronic anxiety is accompanied by inflammation, nervous system activity, and hypertension.
The good news is, as we start to have more awareness of what is going on we can make steps to create new habits that will help us have control over our rebellious emotions and habits. One of my favorite methods is acupuncture.
Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for Anxiety & Depression
Fortunately, acupuncture can help balance both the mental and physical manifestations of anxiety returning you to an easy-going life.
In the classical Chinese Medicine model, the most common form of anxiety is an imbalance of the Heart and Kidney channels. These can manifest as heat, blood deficiency, or blood loss. Other possible affected organs are the Spleen and Kidneys which can led to retention of fluid. An important consideration is to also recognize that there is almost always an emotional component contributing to anxiety. This oftentimes is due to a feeling of powerlessness that can easily lead to depression. In this instance, the Liver and Gallbladder becomes affected leading to excessive heat.
Acupuncture treatments for anxiety can use both body and auricular (ear) points that are selected based on the diagnosis. Body acupuncture points may include Heart 7, Kidney 6, and Spleen 6 to harmonize the Heart and Kidney and nourish the cooling Yin energy of these organs. In cases of excessive Heart Heat, the points Heart 8 and Heart 9 may be used to sedate the Fire within the Heart. Auricular points, such as Shenmen (Spirit Gate), can effectively reduce anxiety; in some cases, retaining ear tacks or small magnetic balls at this auricular acupuncture point can prolong the effects between treatments. Some of my favorite points are P-6, H-7, and CV-17.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes are some of the most valuable and powerful self-help tools that can help transform your life for the better. Putting them into practice on a regular basis will start to help you feel more in control of your life, will start to help you identify the deeper patterns, and help you feel renewed.
You can choose anything that resonates with you and will be something that you can stay on track with. Sometimes it’s necessary to change your diet, take up an exercise routine, learn some meditative practices to calm down the mind such as Qi Gong, Taiji, Yoga, or any other kind of practice that will help you connect with your mind-body-spirit.
Learning valuable lifestyle techniques that will help you feel more in control of your life will help you have a lasting effect on your overall health. This will lead to a better emotional and mental state.
Activities such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Yoga are excellent forms of mind-body-spirit techniques that can improve feelings of anxiety and depression. Practicing these functional exercises in conjunction with regular acupuncture treatments and often diet changes will provide the foundation for a positive change in your life.
As an acupuncturist I can fully vouch to the effectiveness of acupuncture to calm down the nervous system and harmonize the mind. If you have never tried acupuncture look up some your local acupuncture practitioners to see which one you are drawn to and give it a try. If you are in our local area feel free to check out our caring clinic Hummingbird Wellness Boulder.
May your travels be calm, with grace and ease.
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