I never thought I would tell anyone that I have depression. When I decided to take medication, it was very difficult to tell my closest family and friends. Still, being here writing about my depression on the internet makes me feel better.
I’m 25 years old, living in Brooklyn with my boyfriend, and basically working day in and day out in digital marketing and as a freelance beauty editor. Hustle His culture, the pressure to succeed (both internal and external), and all the other happenings in my life eventually caught up with me. Balance your hobbies, they say. They say drinking wine with friends is when you come up with the next big idea to pursue. Maybe write a book? During this time, make sure to work out three times a week, maintain healthy relationships, and cook for yourself. The list goes on.
I am forever grateful for my life, but I thought I was invincible and everything was catching up to me. When I turned 23, things started to change. Suddenly it felt like a stranger was living inside my body. I couldn’t understand why I felt so empty even though everyone around me thought I was successful. I was collapsing inside.
I started relying on medication when I was 24 years old. I had been in her therapy for over a year at that point and was trying to set healthy boundaries in my work and personal life. I decided to spend some time on the weekend doing something for myself. It started with solo trips to Target and trying new restaurants. My therapist recommended treatments such as acupuncture to improve my mental health. My friends, colleagues, and even her sister praised her acupuncture treatment for migraines. Although I was a little scared of needles, I was intrigued by the idea of trying acupuncture as part of my weekly “me” time. After searching Chinese medicine several times on Google, I booked an acupuncture treatment in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of my mind and body.
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What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves inserting small needles into the skin in key areas of the body. Acupuncture is used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve health, according to Dr. Nicole Glathe, DAOM, LAc, DiplOM, WTHN’s Director of Innovation for Products and Services. “In the United States today, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain, headaches, migraines, mental health, stress management, digestive disorders, autoimmune diseases, fertility, and more,” she explains. .
What to expect during acupuncture treatment?
I set an internal goal for my first acupuncture session. It’s about focusing on emotional release and surrendering completely to the experience. I discussed my goals with my doctor and identified some areas we could focus on together.
I was asked to lie face down on the massage table and close my eyes. I didn’t know what to expect, but again, I decided to trust the process. My practitioner carefully inserted needles into my calves and back. I could feel the sting, but it didn’t hurt at all, but I expected the next sting to happen soon. I didn’t feel anything after the needle went in. I knew they were there, but I didn’t feel any pain, just the sensation of them hanging off my skin. The health care providers covered me with blankets to keep me warm and left me in a dimly lit room with just my thoughts and the needle.
After a few minutes alone at the table, I began to sob. All my stressors and intrusive thoughts encountered me there and I had no choice but to release them in that moment. I never thought I would carry so much negative energy and built up tension, but my first acupuncture treatment helped me relax and surrender. After just one session, I felt a huge amount of relief throughout my body. It felt like the biggest sigh I’d ever heard.
According to experts, acupuncture is based on “restoring the balance of the body’s energetic state” by promoting the flow of energy through various meridians and acupuncture points. In some cases, practitioners believe that the tiny needles stimulate nerves and help treat pain. In my case, carefully inserting the needle relieved my tension and made me feel better mentally. For a while I had the same practitioner for every session, but now I’m used to seeing different people. At each session, my doctor discusses any concerns with me and develops the best treatment plan for that session.
Benefits of acupuncture for mental health
“Many studies have shown that acupuncture can effectively reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses with fewer side effects than medications,” Dr. Grate says. “Acupuncture stimulates the body’s natural feel-good hormones (endorphins) and reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. This helps shift the body into rest mode rather than fight-or-flight mode. .”
This switch is exactly what I experienced in my first session and subsequent sessions. For 45 minutes, my body is no longer in fight or flight mode and I am able to remove (or at least deal with) any mental, physical, or emotional blocks. As I continued to attend acupuncture treatments every week, I was able to reflect on my emotions and life in real time. I started journaling after each session and wrote down my thoughts and feelings. It ended up being a different form of therapy for me, very different from talk therapy with a therapist. Both were beneficial to me.
“Acupuncture can be safely combined with pharmaceutical antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications to better control symptoms and address side effects of otherwise effective medications,” Grasse said. The doctor explains. While taking medication to alleviate symptoms of depression, knowing I was doing something for myself outside of treatment gave me more control over my health and body.
final point
I go to therapy weekly and choose to take medication every morning, but these things rarely make me feel like I have control over what’s going on in my body. But with acupuncture, it’s just me in a quiet room working with my energy and pain. You can block out all the noise around you and intentionally relax your body and mind while sinking into the table.
Discovering acupuncture has given me the space to reflect on myself, both good and bad days, to have compassion, and to understand my depression. It’s more than meditation, you will feel a calm state of calm even after finishing your appointment. These weekends have become my favorite time of the year, and for the first time in a while I feel in control of my body, mind, and depression.
