Ancient Wisdom for Modern Anxiety: Using Chinese Medicine to Find Calm
“Anxiety is like a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If nurtured, it carves out a channel that drains away all other thoughts.”
—Arthur Somers Roche
Each year in the United States, over 30% of adult Americans are diagnosed with some form of anxiety disorder. However, everyone experiences anxiety to some degree because it’s a natural part of being human. Whether you label it as anxiety or not, if you find yourself worrying, feeling nervous, or uneasy, these sensations are forms of anxiety.
Experiencing mild insecurity or tension is perfectly normal. Yet, when these feelings become a daily occurrence, they can significantly interfere with your quality of life. Extreme anxiety can hinder your productivity and ability to interact with others.
Fortunately, there are non-pharmaceutical options available that address anxiety without merely masking the symptoms. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acknowledges that experiencing a range of emotions—both positive and negative—is a natural part of life. The mind and body are designed to manage small amounts of fear, worry, grief, stress, anger, and even joy. However, when any emotion is experienced too frequently or intensely, it can disrupt the body’s balance and potentially lead to illness. This is why TCM is particularly effective in treating anxiety: it recognizes that anxiety manifests differently in each person, and its treatments are tailored to your unique physiology and symptoms.
Anxiety can manifest in various forms and come with a range of symptoms. Acupuncture is one effective tool for addressing these imbalances by regulating energy flow and restoring harmony among the organ systems. The acupuncture needles stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers, which can help ease anxiety and promote relaxation. Additionally, acupuncture can activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the "rest and digest" response—while dampening the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the "fight or flight" response.