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SHENCLINIC
BERKELEY ACUPUNCTURE
Berkeley Acupuncture, Acupressure, and Herbs
serving Berkeley, Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, and the East Bay
since 1987

ACUPUNCTURE FOR DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS

Studies have suggested that treating depression with acupuncture has a positive effect on depressed patients, particularly when used in combination with psychotherapy and herbal treatments.

Psychologist John Allen, from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and Acupuncturist Rosa Schnyer, conducted the very first pilot controlled study on treating depression symptoms with acupuncture in the West. In a double blind randomized study, 34 depressed female patients who met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were assigned to one of three treatment groups for eight weeks.

The first group received acupuncture treatment tailored to their symptoms. The second group received a general acupuncture treatment not specific to depression, and the third group was placed on a waiting list for acupuncture treatment, but received no treatment.

The study found that those in the tailored acupuncture treatment experienced a significant reduction in symptoms, compared to those in the non-specific treatment. Moreover, after the study, over half of the participants no longer met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for depression .

The findings suggest that using acupuncture could be as effective as other types of treatments for relieving depression symptoms such as psychotherapy and drugs. While these results are promising and the United Nations World Health Organization has approved acupuncture as a treatment for depression, further clinical trials with larger samples are deemed necessary to endorse this new hope for relief.

 

Sources:

Allen, J. J. B. (2000). Depression and acupuncture: a controlled clinical trial. Psychiatric Times Online, 22, 3.

Tian, C. H. (2002). Acupuncture treatment for depression. New England Journal of Traditional Medicine, 1, 4-7.

 

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINES FOR DEPRESSION, STRESS, AND ANXIETY