Depression-Doctor.com: Depression Quiz

Treat Depression Naturally - Learn How!

Acupuncture and Depression

When was Acupuncture developed?
Over 2000 years ago, acupuncture was developed in China.  By means of hair thin needles, practitioners of this ancient medical art seek to relieve a patients suffering through a series of invisible lines that run through the body. 

The practice of acupuncture was not widely received in the states until about fifteen years ago and it is now used by more than twelve million Americans each year.  The treatment options that acupuncture offers are by far more practical for the individual who is seeking something more than traditional medicine has to offer.  More often than not, patients are happier with these types of treatments as they tend to be far less invasive than the normal medical therapies of the day.

Can you treat depression with acupuncture?
The practice of treating depression with acupuncture is fairly new and many sufferers are reaching fro something new because of the adverse effects of the many drugs that are often times prescribed for depression. 

Practitioners of acupuncture are finding great success when treating patients with depression as they are able to offer more hope than most prescription medications could ever hope.

Why not use the medications for treatment of depression?
Most patients complain of the horrible side effects that the depression treating drugs have. 
Some of them result in severe pain, sexual dysfunction and confusion.  This is common with the drugs of this type as they look to block the functions of the brain that are thought to cause depression.  This in turn causes the brain to also lose some of the normal function.

 When this occurs, you have the manifestation of side effects, many of which can be severe and thoroughly depressing in their own right.

What are the side effects of depression?
Common side effects of depression medications are listed below:

• Sexual dysfunction
• Confusion
• Severe Headache
• Body pain or weakness
• Fatigue
• Insomnia

How depression is treated with Acupuncture?
Acupuncture treatment for depression seeks to change all of that. Acupuncture is done by inserting a series of needles in various parts of the body.  These treatments can last for around an hour at which time the acupuncturist will then remove the needles and schedule another treatment. 

Will acupuncture cure my depression?
The problem with the acupuncture treatment is that it is not a cure.  Many times the depression is still there but only treated for a period of time then will return which then necessitates further treatments. 

• It was estimated that last year alone, depression sufferers spent upwards of five hundred million dollars for acupuncture treatments.  Of those, ninety percent were women who have been long sufferers of depression.

• The trend shows that most often, patients will spend a considerable amount of time and money trying the traditional treatments before turning to what modern medicine calls “alternative fads.” 

This would be an unfair classification to say the least.  A poll taken showed that one third of the nations twenty thousand acupuncture practitioners were in fact licensed medical doctors with degrees from some of the most prestigious schools in the world. 

• The trend remains the same in the coming years as many doctors are seeing the advantages of opening their minds and their practices to some of the more alternative treatment options that patients are seeking.

Furthermore

• For depression patients, the influx of acupuncture practices is good news.  While it does not offer a cure, it can offer treatment that is without side effects and has shown more promise than any of the drugs have ever given. 

• Acupuncture practitioners are careful to not make promises that the treatments cannot hold.  While there is a chance that the depression will return, the chances are better that you can live depression free within a few months time with the proper amount of treatments.

With this break in the action, drug companies are struggling to keep up.  The drugs that were once held in such high regard have lost their luster in light of more promising treatments that keep the patients from suffering side effects that are seemingly pointless and altogether more bothersome than the depression itself.

It is no secret that people who suffer from depression are known to have some type of sexual dysfunction, the drugs that are currently on the market tend to magnify these this dysfunction making the patient even more self destructive in light of the new developments.  Faced with the chance to be treated and not have any side effects whatsoever has brought a new breed of patients to the doors of acupuncturists the world over.

A matter for the record would be the vast majority of patients who have been completely cured of their depression in a very short time with the use of this new treatment.  A study showed that over seventy percent of all those polled claimed to have been cured within a few months time and the other thirty percent had showed marked improvement even though the depression remained after the treatments wore off.

Should I consult my doctor before seeking acupuncture treatment?

Many modern doctors attribute the fad to the claim that acupuncture is somehow mystical in nature and thereby the power of suggestion takes over.  Because many believe that the body can do amazing things on its own. 

• Therefore, doctors claim that the mere suggestion of a cure through acupuncture is the main reason for the so called cures.  These allegations have spawned a good many research studies and thus they have been disproved.

• All in all, people now believe in acupuncture for a variety of illnesses and the more people that seek treatment, the more that the treatments will gain acceptance the world over.  There is no right or wrong answer when seeking treatment for any type of illness and that includes depression.  For those who suffer from depression, any chance, even though it may be looked down upon by the medical establishment, is better than nothing.  Relief from the effects of depression is what they are looking for and they care very little about what others feel about it.  In the end, if the treatment works for them and they are depression free then everything was worth it.

• Check with your local chamber of commerce to find an acupuncture practitioner near you.  They will be glad to explain everything about the treatments and answer any questions that you may have regarding your particular condition.

Learn how to treat depression immediately and naturally!

Drugs for Depression

Amoxapine (Asendin)

Buspirone (BuSpar)

Clomipramine (Anafranil)

Clozapine (Clozaril)

Cymbalta

Haloperidol (Haldol)

Lorazepam (Ativan)

Pemoline (Cylert)

Venlafaxine (Effexor)

Paroxetine (Paxil)

Fluoxetine (Prozac)

Risperidone (Risperdal)

Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

Carbamazepine (Tegretol)

Diazepam (Valium)

Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

Sertraline (Zoloft)

Provigil

Depression Articles

Depression Can Co-Occur with Other Illnesses

Depression and Inheritance

Substance Abuse and Depression

Delusion and Depression

Seeking Professional Help

Why Aren’t the Holidays Fun Anymore?

Nothing Seems Fun Anymore! What is Wrong With Me!

Seasonal Depression - Alternative Treatment

Happy Light for Depression Treatment

Depression Treatment

Self Help

Psychotherapy

• Behavior Therapy
• Cognitive Therapy

Looking for a therapist

Natural, Herbal and Alternative

• Herbs
• 5-HTP
• Aromatherapy
• B Vitamin, Zinc, Magnesium
• Meditation
• Acupuncture

Antidepressants

• Side Effects
• TCAs
• MAOIs
• SSRIs

Medication for Depression

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Existential Therapy

Gestalt Therapy

Postmodern Therapy

rTMS

Adlerian Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Psychodynamic Theory

Reality Therapy

Transactional Analysis

Psychoanalytic Theory

Emotional Freedom Techniques

Transpersonal Psychotherapy

Thought Field Therapy

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

Interpersonal Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Tempurpedic Mattresses

Role of Diet in Depression

Depression and Exercise

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Depression Pills