How Acupuncture Can Treat Depression by Restoring Bodily Energy

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique that involves the insertion of needles into the skin at certain points on the body in order to control the flow of energy within it. Referred to as qi, this energy is believed to travel across twelve channels called meridians, each of which represents a major organ or function of the body. Along these meridians are acupoints, which are the focus of acupuncture treatments and can be used to influence the flow of the qi across the twelve main channels and thus restore balance to the body’s energy levels.

Although Western medicine does not acknowledge the idea of qi, research suggests that the needles used during acupuncture activate various regions and receptors of the brain, including its natural opioid receptors. Furthermore, numerous peer-reviewed studies are beginning to acknowledge the benefits that acupuncture can have on various bodily processes including sleep, anxiety, and mood.

Traditional Chinese medicine treats depression as a disorder that stems from imbalances of energy. This technique aims to restore the balance using the acupoints located on each individual’s body. When using acupuncture to treat depression, therapists diagnose each client based on their unique acupoints, and, in combination with other forms of therapy, create an individualized treatment plan. The changing nature of acupoints makes individualized treatment an essential part of using acupuncture to treat depression. As of now, practitioners rely on currently available data to determine individual acupoints in order to create plans that restore energy balance and bring harmony into the minds of those whose lives have been swallowed by depression.

Research on the effects of acupuncture on depression is still in its infancy, but the results thus far are promising. A recent study found that using the mental and emotional connections to individual acupuncture points based on the unique symptoms of each client can effectively treat depression in most cases. A review of studies that examined the effects of acupuncture on pregnant women suggests that it is an effective means of treating major depressive disorder in individuals within this population.

In terms of the brain activity that correlates with acupuncture, research is also limited, but one study found that it increases activity in the insula, a region of the brain located deep within the cerebral cortex that is involved in regulating the body’s homeostasis and has been linked to perception, self-awareness, and interpersonal experience. Interestingly, another study found a connection between changes in insula activity and MDD, highlighting the possibility that acupuncture could treat this disorder through its action on this brain region.

There is no question that the mind and body are tightly linked. Those suffering from depression and anxiety produce higher levels of stress hormones, causing blood vessels to constrict and increasing the chances of heart disease. By taking care of our minds, we can, in turn, create positive effects on our bodies, and the same is true the other way around.

While medications, such as antidepressants, treat depression by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain—making them direct lines of contact with the mind—acupuncture influences the body, which can then have positive effects on the mind. The stimulation of specific acupoints in each client can restore their body’s energy balance, ultimately having beneficial effects on mood.