Acupuncture for Mental Health: What are the Benefits?

Holistic approaches to mental health issues are supplementary and complementary methods that can help enrich the treatment process for many, allowing for better treatment results, quicker relief from symptoms, and positive lifestyle changes. Acupuncture for mental health is one of these holistic treatment approaches that can help a number of individuals getting help for mental health issues. If you’re wondering if acupuncture is something you should integrate into your mental health treatment plan, find out more about the benefits of this supplemental technique to decide for yourself if it’s something you’d like to try.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient holistic practice that originates from Chinese culture. For generations, this technique has been used as a way to assist individuals dealing with a number of issues, including mental health complications, chronic pain, infertility, and more. But, it wasn’t until fairly recently that the Western world has accepted acupuncture as an effective and practical method of treatment for mental health.

Essentially, the process of acupuncture involves placing tiny needles into the skin at various pressure points located on the body. The concept of this practice is to stimulate the nervous system, which ties into the function of many of the body’s organs. And, issues associated with these organs can relate to the development of many issues. Furthermore, it can help to promote immune function, so it’s also a practice for the prevention of injuries and illness.

Using Acupuncture for Mental Health Purposes

Acupuncture is proven to be a successful and helpful tool in the treatment planning of a number of mental health issues. This is because it promotes overall wellbeing and stress reduction, which can be assistive to almost anyone who’s seeking help for any mental health condition. Basically, acupuncture helps the body to perform better as it promotes the release of endorphins, the cycling of hormones, and even the circulation of the blood. The result is a better functioning body, relief of pain, and better organ functioning all-around.

While acupuncture can help people dealing with a number of issues, in the mental health field, it’s most notable for use in patients diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. Acupuncture, as it affects the body’s nervous system, can show great appeal to people living with these conditions as it can help to reduce the severity of symptoms. And, promote better feelings of overall mental wellbeing.

Some of the Many Benefits of Acupuncture for People Living with Mental Health Issues

Acupuncture, as a tool in the mental health community, is helpful as a stand-alone treatment to allow individuals to benefit from its advantages. Or, it can be used simultaneously with other methods of treatment including traditional therapies like CBT or DBT and in combination with other holistic practices like yoga or mindfulness meditation. Either way, people who use acupuncture as a way to manage mental health symptoms can experience benefits including:

  • reduced pain
  • stress reduction
  • improvement of depressive symptoms
  • better blood pressure
  • improved heart rate
  • relief from stress

Trying Acupuncture at Delray Integrative Medicine

Here at Delray Integrative Medicine, we strive to provide numerous outlets so that individuals living with mental health issues can get the most from their outpatient care. This means providing a number of holistic and evidence-based approaches so that every person can utilize the combination of treatment that best suits their needs.

Finally, one of the holistic and supplemental approaches we make available includes acupuncture. At our facility, we make a few different types of acupuncture available to address different needs. So, whether you’re in treatment for a mental health issue or would like to add this complimentary practice to your daily regimen after treatment concludes, this service is available to you. Find out about all the mental health services we offer, including acupuncture, on our website today!

Dr. Raul J. Rodriguez

Dr. Raul Rodriguez

DABPN, DABAM, MRO

Existing patients, please text 561-409-7296 for follow-up appointment requests or if you have medication concerns please text 561-409-7296.

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