Anxiety

Anxiety disorder is an umbrella term for many different mental health disorders resulting in the physical and mental symptoms termed anxiety.

Anxiety disorders include:

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• Panic disorder (PD)

• Social Anxiety Disorder

• Phobias

19% Of Adults have experienced Anxiety in the past year, making it the most common mental disorder. Because Anxiety is so common, it tends to be normalized, and many do not get treatment.

Anxiety varies widely in its symptoms and severity from person to person. While for some anxiety can be transient and only present in stressful life events and transitions, for others, anxiety can be a debilitating daily struggle.

First line treatments for anxiety disorders often include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and SSRI’s. While stress reduction techniques, therapy, or pharmaceutical treatments may work for some, it is difficult to find a first line treatment that helps everyone. One third of individuals being treated for anxiety report poor treatment response and persistent symptoms.

Because anxiety is so personal, an individualized approach is needed.

Acupuncture is an effective treatment in managing anxiety, an can improve the effectiveness of first line treatments. A meta analysis of 20 studies showed that acupuncture yielded better treatment outcomes in generalized anxiety disorder than conventional treatments alone (Yang et al, 2021).

Acupuncture improves anxiety by

• Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System – getting the body out of it’s “fight, flight, freeze” response

• Improving sleep quality which may contribute to worsened anxiety

• Releasing muscle and fascia tension which accumulates from chronic anxiety

Chinese Medicine treats anxiety by identifying the root cause of imbalance in the body. Your Chinese Medicine practitioner will work with you, taking into account how your anxiety presents, what worsens it, and what helps it to come up with a treatment plan to help you feel your best and take control of your life.

For Charleston residents living with anxiety, treatment options are available to you. Schedule your free phone consultation with Victoria Ansell, LAc., to see how acupuncture can help you treat your anxiety at the root.