Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Almost all of us can relate, at some time or another, to the feeling of excessive worry and agitation about everyday life events with no obvious reason for that level of concern. The feeling of anxiety can develop gradually and can be continually unsettling and feel unresolvable, making it difficult to overcome.
From shortness of breath and variations in heart rate, to full blown and debilitating panic attacks, headaches, pain and insomnia, anxiety is a complex condition that our western doctors generally treat with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medication.
When anxiety is extreme and ongoing, not just a phase, it becomes Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). People with symptoms of GAD tend to expect a negative outcome in situations and have uncontrollable worry throughout all aspects of life. The worry is often unrealistic or out of proportion. As a result, daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Eventually, the anxiety takes over, dominating the ability to think clearly, and interferes with daily functioning.
Social Anxiety Disorder is another western diagnosis that causes anxiety. This is characterized by paralyzing fear of social situations and of being judged and humiliated regardless of what happens.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosis that is challenging to live with. It develops after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. Symptoms of fear, paranoia, and shortness of breath may begin immediately after the crisis or even years later and can result in intense episodes that are triggered without warning. Common causes include war, natural disasters, or a physical attack.
These are just a few of the disorders outlined by the western medical field that are the cause for anxiety.
How does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) view anxiety?
TCM views it, not as a brain or chemical dysfunction, but as inner organ energetic imbalances caused by dietary, environmental, lifestyle, and hereditary factors. According to TCM theory, each of the organs play a role in the emotions and have their own specific emotional sets attributed to them. For example, worry, ruminating on issues, and excessive mental work are symptoms of a Spleen imbalance. Lack of joy and despair are symptoms of a heart imbalance. Liver emotional symptoms are anger, frustration, and irritability. With the lung we see more grief, sadness, and detachment. And finally, with an imbalance of the kidneys, a person may be fearful, isolated, and lack willpower.
According to TCM, the Shen resides in the heart. The character Shen (神) is a general term for divine being and is translated as “Spirit” or “Mind.” The Shen is the basis for consciousness, cognition, emotional life and our “presence.” It is responsible for things like thinking, planning, and feeling, and having an overview of how our life is going. It is the Shen that is most strongly affected by emotional impacts in our lives and is where the experience of anxiety stems from.
The emotions associated with anxiety will cause the muscular structure surrounding the chest cavity to constrict and tighten around the lungs and heart. This chest constriction restricts the qi flow to the heart as well as to the liver, a condition diagnosed in TCM as stagnation in the liver. If this isn’t released, the tension now contained within the chest cavity will continue to strain the heart and create heat to build-up. Left untreated, this results in disturbing the Shen causing anxiety and panic.
In treating anxiety, TCM’s main focus is to calm and harmonize the Shen. By relieving the pressure on the heart, while relaxing the patient, the other underlying organ imbalances can then be addressed.
How can acupuncture provide relief of anxiety?
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is comprised of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). Information is received from the body and the external environment and either triggers a “fight or Flight response” by the SNS or a “rest and relax” response by the PNS. These signals direct the body to respond in different ways, either to increase the heart rate and contraction, or to lower blood pressure and to slow the heart rate.
One of the most sensitive measures of the body’s ability to deal with stress is the Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The heart beats at a consistent rate based upon response to stimulus from the outer environment. When the body responds to a stressful event and moves through it while only elevating the heart rate temporarily, this is a sign of better health in all areas including a positive mental health picture.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve HRV by helping the body to be resilient and to more easily process life stressors. When the body is under stress, an area of the brain called the hypothalamus releases neurochemicals that increase heart rate and ready the body to respond to the potential dangers of a situation. Research shows that acupuncture calms this response by increasing the release of endorphins, the “feel good” chemicals that lower heart rate and blood pressure, relieve pain and support digestive function. This calming effect on the body overall alleviates those feelings of anxiety and panic when an outside trigger is occurring or during a pervasive anxiety cycle.
This is very similar to resolving the liver qi constraint that was mentioned earlier. By opening up the chest, relaxing the muscle tissue, and allowing the blood to flow thereby lowering the blood pressure, the Shen or spirit of the heart is calmed.
Lets work on your mental health together
By coming in for regularly scheduled acupuncture sessions we can address your fear and anxiety, and underlying imbalances while working toward restoring your sense of well-being.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been a healing force for patients for thousands of years. I am available here for you - to design an approach with acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and dietary and lifestyle advice. Whether you are on medication or looking for a purely natural route, Chinese medicine is a wonderful way to integrate a proven holistic approach into your daily life.
Dr. Judy Klamecki, LA.C is a California board certified licensed acupuncturist that specializes in acupuncture for anxiety in Monterey, CA.