I have so much to say but here I have the perfect opportunity to say it and somehow I let other “action items” go to the top of the To-Do list.  But it is still January, so I still have time to make good on my blog promise.  And so I will use the opportunity to connect anxiety to acupuncture.

One thing that I notice acupuncture does with patients -whether they know it or not- is to make them be more calm.  We acupuncturists may not be able to solve all your problems, but when we help you to achieve more peace in your life, you are in such a better position to solve your own.  I can’t tell you how many people who come here say that getting acupuncture is the only time they have to themselves.

I don’t know about you but to me time to yourself is invaluable.  Acupuncture at One World Acupuncture is like meditation except that acupuncture relaxes you, you don’t have to do all the work to relax yourself.  It helps to regulate your breath, you don’t have to work so hard to get your breathing under control.  And if you do pray or meditate regularly, you may find it easier to do these activities with regular acupuncture treatments.

The other thing I’ve noticed about patient getting regular acupuncture is that they are happier.  It is not the acupuncture that makes them happier; it is they who make themselves happy using acupuncture as their guiding tool.

In life, things happen to all of us.  We get sick, our families get sick, we lose jobs, our families lose jobs, we are too busy, we are lonely, we never get to be alone, we suffer tragedies, loss of loved ones, and we fear about things that could happen.  None of us has as much control over these outcomes as we wish.  And for that, we suffer.

There are many ways to accept this loss of control in order to mitigate the suffering which can cause anxiety: therapy; engaging in hobbies; religion; spending time with friends and family; vacations; doing things we love to do; having pets; self-exploration; meditation; and prayer.  Most folks who suffer the most with anxiety want to keep busy so they don’t have to think about what is troubling them too much.

While at times, keeping busy can be highly functional, in the end it just seems to make matters worse.  Most people who are anxious don’t sleep well, they digest eating properly or “digest” what others or life is saying to them.

My job as an acupuncturist is to alleviate suffering as best I can.  In order to be successful, most patients have to give me and it (acupuncture) time to work.  And I do recommend that you just throw your hat in the ring – commit to coming at first twice a week and then once a week- and enjoy the process.   Slowly, each acupuncture session will bring you a little closer to your goal of feeling less anxious and more joyful.

Next time, I’ll blog about depression which IMHO is a little trickier than anxiety to treat.

Be well, Tess Bois