Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety affect millions of people, significantly reducing their quality of life and causing debilitating emotional problems. If you have depression or anxiety, Chinese medicine and acupuncture specialist Sue Du, LAc, MS, offers compassionate care at her practice Acupuncture by Sue. Serving people in and around Queens, New York City, Sue uses natural therapies that you can safely combine with conventional treatments. Call Acupuncture by Sue to learn how she can help reduce depression or anxiety, or book an appointment online today.

What are depression and anxiety?

Depression and anxiety are common mental health conditions that often occur together.

Depression

Depression makes you feel sad, hopeless, and worthless most or all the time. Nothing gives you pleasure and you lose interest in activities you used to enjoy. You may also develop problems like chronic fatigue, aches and pains, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns. Without help, the despair depression causes can lead to disability and suicidal thoughts.

Anxiety

The most common anxiety-based condition is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD causes continual anxiety, worry, and fear about everything and prevents you from leading a normal life. Constant anxiety also adversely affects your physical health, increasing your risk of diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart problems.  

What treatments help with depression and anxiety?

The primary depression and anxiety treatments are psychotherapy and medication.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy involves talking with a skilled therapist using varying approaches depending on your symptoms. Some techniques look at underlying causes for your condition, like trauma. Others focus on building self-esteem, challenging unhelpful thinking, or accepting yourself as you are.

Medication

Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs can be effective for many patients, particularly those with more severe depression and anxiety. However, it can take time for these medicines to work, and the first ones you try may not be the most suitable.

Sue offers alternatives for patients who don’t get along with medication or prefer not to use it. Additional therapies like acupuncture could also boost conventional treatment effectiveness under expert supervision.

How can acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help with depression and anxiety?

One of the most common complementary treatments is St. John’s wort, a plant that can reduce mild-to-moderate depression. However, although it helps many people, you must use it with caution because it can interfere with the effectiveness of prescription medications.

The Chinese medicine perspective is that depression and anxiety develop because of disturbances to the Shen (spirit) and blockages to your qi (life energy) flow. Treatments that can help with these problems include acupuncture, herbal medicines like ginkgo biloba, dietary changes, and tai chi.

Sue uses acupuncture to heal your damaged spirit and restore energy flow. She designs each patient’s treatment individually but may use acupuncture points on the upper chest that combat emotional and spiritual problems.

Call Acupuncture by Sue today or book an appointment online to benefit from acupuncture for depression and anxiety.