Stick a Pin In It

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For the past year or so I have been trying alternative methods to improve my symptoms of depression and anxiety. I have said in the past that I am an advocate of medication to an extent. The effects medication can have upon a condition like this can be limited, and can often limit a person further due to side effects of medication. I know that some people have experienced GPs that have only offered medication to them as a treatment for depression. The doctors I've seen have always expressed the importance of a combination of medication and talking therapies in cases of severe depression.

I haven't always had the best experience with talking therapies. Who you are treated by can be a bit hit and miss. And that's OK. Try to hold onto hope that there will be a counsellor out there that you will establish a natural rapport with. It can be frustrating when it seems like you are ticking off counsellors fasting than items on your grocery list. If you're able to persevere it will be worth it and if you need a break for a while that's perfectly OK too. Having to retell painful memories over and over again can be exhausting. I certainly found it disheartening and a break was very beneficial to me. 

In the meantime you might consider exploring some alternative treatments or non western medication. I've previously had hypnotherapy but my heart and more importantly my head, wasn't in it. I was sceptical and mostly complying because my family really believed it could work for me. I've since expanded my mind, cast a wider net as such and decided to look into acupuncture. 

After the new year turned into 2016 I decided to look into acupuncture as I'd been plagued with insomnia, stomach problems and my anxiety levels were at an all time high. I'd been reading some mental health memoirs and each one had mentioned an alternative treatment in their treatment plans for depression. One in particular voiced the enormous benefits acupuncture had upon their recovery and overall quality of health. The fantastic thing about it is that you can have treatment for multiple health concerns in one session. I've had treatment for anxiety, depression, insomnia, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), chronic knee pain, hip pain, shoulder and neck pain caused by large, heavy breasts and on one occasion treatment on my back. 

After having a few stints in hospitals I'd got over my fear of needles! However, even if you aren't a fan of needles don't run for the hills just yet! They are incredibly fine, small needles, all of which are of course sterile and brand new for each procedure and will be disposed of in a medical waste bin upon removal. I very rarely feel them going in. My acupuncture therapist instructs me to breath in deeply and then out, she lines the needles up over the points and as I breath out she pops them in. Sometimes a nerve is hit, occasionally they will feel uncomfortable as she may have tried a particularly difficult point which she says many patients struggle with. You might feel a slight pinch for a brief time but as the treatment goes on I completely forget about them. I often count the needles as she is removing them. I believe my highest count has been around 50! She's said that she's not treated anyone with that many needles before but I do have a number of areas being treated. After the procedure you may feel quite tired, which isn't surprising as the body has in a sense experienced trauma. I certainly don't feel like I have! The experience is incredibly calming and I feel free of anxiety once the session is over. I particularly like when my therapist walks around the treatment table and lightly touches all of the needles once they've been inserted, each light brush leaves my body feeling like it's rising from the treatment bed. I've never fallen asleep but my body relaxes completely and my arms often fall off of their resting place on my chest, on one occasion I've opened my eyes at the end of the hour to find my arm extended off of the table like a wing! 

If you decide to look into this therapy I'd advise you to look at one website in particular which I've linked here. It lists all of the registered practitioners in your area. All of those on the website have to meet certain criteria and need a certain level of qualifications to have their profiles listed on the website, so you can be assured that they are legitimate and fully qualified to perform acupuncture.