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Peeling Away the Label of Depression with Acupuncture, Part 1 of 2

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:01:26 +0100

Depression, considered a mental disorder by many, is in some ways a natural human condition. It is a profound and complex sadness that has the tendency to slow individuals down and wonder at the world around them. Each person experiences depression differently but when treatment is sought it is often the same; anti-depressants. Partly this is because we have one label, depression, which is supposed to summarize the varied nuances of sadness in ones experience. This diagnosis has the solidity of a lead ball and chain, the finality of a life sentence, and the trappings of a jail cell. If it is left at that, change feels nearly impossible. But when I hear individuals pause and sense into the intricacies of what they feel and put their own words to all of that, a virgin wilderness opens up to be explored. There is more room for change and growth and the creation of meaning and joy.

Like other healing modalities from around the world, treating depression with acupuncture requires an understanding of a patient’s individual constitution. A person is more than his or her depression. He or she may have digestive issues or may have joint pains or a stressful job. This all comes into play when deciding what points to use in an acupuncture treatment. An appreciation for change also becomes necessary. Nothing is constant. What a patient needed one week ago may not necessarily be what a patient needs today. Feelings and emotions wax and wane like the sea’s tides and the nature of an acupuncture treatment does as well. Even though individuality is of ultimate importance in Eastern medicine, there is enough commonality to begin to discuss how acupuncture is extremely helpful in working with the heaviness, darkness and frustration that comes with chronic depression.

Eastern medicine emphasizes that humans are made up of the same substances found in nature. They categorized these substances into elements; Fire, Earth, Water, Metal and Wood. In the west we may say that all living things are made of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Either way, what we know is that we are made up of the same substances the stars, trees, and rivers are made of. Everything in our body from the tiniest cells to the largest organs may be classified by its elemental nature just as a Hemlock and stone can be classified as Wood and Metal. This gives a framework to begin working with the relationships and patterns within the body.

By observing Nature we are able to gain an understanding of what is happening inside one’s body. If you have ever observed a campfire you will have noticed the flames jumping from one piece of wood to another. The flames leap into the air as if seeking to embrace more dry wood. This is characteristic of the fire element within a person. It is what makes relationship possible, the quality of reaching out, making eye contact and connecting, finding commonality in a community. When this is deficient you will first notice it in the eyes. There seems to be a shade drawn, hiding what lies behind their walls. Or they may look away and not make eye contact seeming to always be in the corners or off to the side where they cannot easily be seen and touched. When there is an imbalance in fire the depression can manifest as isolation, feeling unloved and separate, different.

This pattern is quite different for someone who has a metal imbalance. The metal element corresponds with Autumn, the time of year when nature lets go. Leaves change color and fall to the ground. Roots of trees and plants no longer need to sustain the powerful growth of fruits and flowers, but instead conserve their energy to last through winter after which a new season of growth occurs. This change needs to happen in us as well. There is a time to give birth to ideas or relationships or projects, a time for sustenance, and in order for new growth to occur, there is a time to let go of what is no longer useful. When someone continues to hold on to the past too long and mourn what has long been gone, energy is lost and one is left feeling depleted. Of course letting go is not always easy, especially when what we are holding onto is so precious. But in order to feel full again we need to be willing to let the seasonal cycle continue.

Acupuncture helps the cycle continue by swinging open the gates in between the meridians of the body. Like a damn being removed from a river, the opening redirects the flow of qi to areas that are dry and malnourished. Specific points are chosen to move energy into areas that are in greatest need of nourishment. In this way “letting go” becomes more than a trite, quick method of “getting over it.” Rather, it enables a person to feel secure enough to let go with ease, trusting that it is the right time to do so. Similarly if a man is in need of more fire, specific points may encourage warmth from within. No longer does he desperately need warmth from others. Nor is he refusing the warmth that others gladly offer. Soon, the right balance is achieved, enabling him to feel his own fiery joy once again and radiate that heat out to others around him.

Part 2 of this article will include the history and descriptions of specific acupuncture points used in the treatment of depression.

Through The Skin

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:57:56 +0100

The Role of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior

To see self inflicted wounds and scars on a loved one is scary, downright terrifying, and difficult to understand. Self-injurious behavior (SIB) or self-inflicted violence (SIV) affects more that 2 million Americans. 90% begin as teenagers and many of those continue on into adulthood. “Cutting” affects both men and women, but for simplicity I will be using “she” in the following article.

A woman who purposely injures herself is not trying to kill herself. More likely, it is a way for her to control the pain and turmoil inside so that she can live and function in her day to day life. “Why did it start?” and “When will it end?” have answers that over time will become more clear. In the meantime acupuncturists, as part of a team of other helpers, can support these individuals at a time when it is greatly needed.

Along with acupuncture, counseling with a mental health care provider is extremely important. Something is being worked out, what it is may not be known yet, and the support of someone outside the home, talking with her regularly and keeping an eye out for safety, insuring her body is not in need of medical attention, is essential.

What role does acupuncture play in the treatment of individuals who need to injure themselves? Acupuncture can help in many ways by addressing the emotional and energetic influences of the patient. Specific points are used depending on the individual’s constitution, to open up meridians and harmonize the systems of the body. All that is fine and good, and not to be dismissed, but what I would like to focus on in this article and what I find really intriguing is how the acupuncture treatment simulates the cutting process, and how that in itself can help a person feel what they feel safely and compassionately without the urge to cut.

The Ritual

Cutting is a ritual. She begins to experience peace as soon as the thought to cut crosses her mind. Obtaining the razors, locking the door to the bathroom, seeing the blood seep through opened skin; the supplies required and steps involved lead to a sacrifice. With acupuncture the ritual includes preparing the body, removing the needles from their packaging, touching the pulse, piercing the skin with the needle. The acupuncture treatment separates itself from the cutting ritual in that there is no blood, she is not injured, no scars are made, and she is not alone. The acupuncturist and patient are able to perform the ritual together, slowly, step by step, engaged in the process the entire time. She is no longer performing a ritual by herself hidden behind locked doors where no one can see. Instead, this new ritual is done with openness and acceptance in a supportive and healthy relationship between two people.

Needles and Razors

When asked to describe how she feels when she cuts she will use words like “detached, outside my body, cut off, spacey, like I’m on drugs, out of it” or on the other side of the spectrum she will answer “the searing pain is all I want to feel, the cut releases the rage, I feel completely awake and alive”. During the acupuncture treatment, as I direct the needles into and under her skin, much like she directs the razor, I may invite her to be aware of the sensations she has in her body and describe what she feels. I help her keep company with whatever comes in a gentle and curious way with enough distance not to be overwhelmed by it. The relationship she is forming with her body is allowing her to be inside of it safely. Instead of reactively cutting off the images, memories or emotions, she can stay with all of that, with help, and trust that she will be ok.

Endorphins to the rescue

Acupuncture does not cause the same amount of pain that one experiences from cutting, however certain styles of acupuncture intentionally produce more bodily sensations, some of them mildly painful. Throughout the treatment, feelings of achiness or movement or tremors may be felt by the patient. Points located around the hands or feet may feel more sensitive when stimulated. This is all normal and beneficial. When needles or razors wake up the area being needled, nerve receptors below the surface of the skin get activated and send out a message to the brain that pain relief is required. Endorphins, the body’s own opiates, are then produced in response to pain. They course through the blood and affect cortisol, dopamine and serotonin levels. The calming and sedating effect of the hormone and neurotransmitter release is similar to that of other opiates such as morphine and heroin. And much like these addictive drugs, after experiencing this peaceful place just once, the craving to go there again and again is powerful, even if it involves slicing through one’s own skin to get to it. As time goes on the cutting may get deeper or more frequent in order to produce the same effect, much like one develops tolerance to a drug.

Acupuncture is able to break this cycle. The calming effect of acupuncture carries over beyond the treatment room. In addition to the effect it has on endorphins, acupuncture is also addressing other underlying imbalances throughout the body and can help greatly in the treatment of depression and anxiety, minimizing the urge to cut in reaction to painful feelings. (See Acupuncture for Depression).

Intention

It may appear obvious that acupuncture and cutting have very different intentions. Acupuncture is about healing, cutting is about hurting. However, these two distinctions become vague and fuzzy when dealing with a process under the surface of logical thought. Possibly the hurting is just one stage of the healing. One woman, Eli, who wanted to stop cutting but was having trouble, brought in a photo similar to the one above, Kali the Hindu goddess of destruction. In one hand Kali holds the sharp sickle and in another a bloody severed head, and in another hand a bowl of healing oils. She looks dangerous and menacing and she seems to be smiling with wisdom. Eli couldn’t put into words why she cut herself but knew there was something in the story of Kali that was part of her own story. We continued with her treatments, inviting the image of Kali, and the violent wounds on her arms over time faded into pale scars.

The similarities that exist between the acupuncture treatment and the cutting ritual can be used as a way to be with the person doing the cutting without actually being there with them while they perform the act. Whether needles or razors are used, the same chemicals are released in the body and similar feelings may arise as well. This allows communication during the experience, while the individual is having similar bodily sensations and feelings that otherwise would be struggled with alone. Participation of the patient and a willingness to share the experience with the acupuncturist, takes away the sense of isolation and shame that often accompanies self injury.

Within the safety net of the acupuncture visit, the ritual over time can help an individual shift away from cutting in a dissociated way to taking part in a therapeutic relationship with the acupuncturist, which eventually enables the patient to show the same acceptance and respect toward her self. The intention is solely for her healing and moving forward in a direction she understands to be positive and life affirming.

For further information:

A Bright Red Scream, Self-mutilation and the Language of Pain by Marilee Strong, 1998

Bodily Harm, The Breakthrough Healing Program For Self-Injuries by Karen Conterio and Wendy Lader, PhD, 1998

Dry Skin Brushing for Detox

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:27:53 +0100

Dry skin brushing is a luxurious treatment you can do on yourself and makes a nice addition to your daily hygeine routine, particularly when your focus is on detoxification.

What daily skin brushing will do:

•    Removes dried, dead cells, which block the pores of the skin, allowing the skin to breathe easier. This imrovies its ability to protect and eliminate waste products of metabolism.
•    Increases circulation of blood and lymph through the vessels that lie close to the surface just under the skin. The blood, fluid, and its contents are returned to the heart for redistribution and/or elimination.
•    Increases nutrients to the skin. By clearing out stagnant material, there is more oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange. Nutrients, vitamins, minerals, enzymes etc., are also brought to the area.
•    Removal of waste products of cellular metabolism through the blood vessels and through sweating.
•    Decreases the workload on the rest of the other organs of the body in regard to circulation and elimination.
•    Warms the body.


PROCEDURE

Use a loofah, natural bristle body brush or nylon bristle brush before the bath or shower. Brush the skin toward the heart starting with the lower limbs, arms, back then the front of the body using a moderate pressure with short strokes upward and inward. You may use a smaller softer brush for the face with smaller circular motions. You will see a pink color in the skin and feel a slight tingling sensation. One time through for each body area is sufficient. For added benefit and pleasure apply sesame body oil that's been infused with   your favorite essential oils. Step into a hot steamy shower and let the healing begin!

If you have delicate skin or easily damaged skin go lightly or use a softer brush. If you have open wounds or known malignancies of the skin it would be best to wait before doing this treatment.

The Tender Heart

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:48:45 +0100

"Who invented the human heart, I wonder? Tell me and then show me the place where he was hanged."
Lawrence Durrell from Justine

It gets shattered in love, races from fear, and bursts with joy. Anyone who has experienced a broken heart knows that what we call the heart is more than the physical organ in the chest, responsibly beating away. In Eastern Medicine the Heart is known as the Emperor of the body, having cardinal importance in the body’s many functions, and the other organs of the body will suffer in order to provide their ruler loyal protection.

Protection may be needed from a deep hurt that was experienced in the past and will not be repeated, if the Heart has anything to say about it. This kind of protection provides a cage of safety, allowing the Heart to observe the happenings of the world without risking the danger of interacting with it. However, keeping this cage maintained sacrifices time and energy from the other systems of the body. One may then experience insomnia, headaches, emotional difficulties and digestive problems.

The Chinese use the word Shen to describe the spirit that resides in the Heart and is responsible for the quality of one’s consciousness. In the age of computers, email, cell phones, time efficiency, traffic jams it is easy to disengage from the Heart and spend more time in the head. Repeatedly checking your Twitter account could possibly be the most instant and gratifying method of leaving behind the hurt and sorrow that has made its home inside the Heart. Anxiety, irritability, and excess worry are the side effects however. Other forms of therapy, such as acupuncture help the Heart be a safe and inviting retreat for the Shen to rest, regenerate, and blossom.

Like a small bud full of potential expanding into a flower when the bright sun of the solstice shines, our own thoughts and feelings need to be expressed in an outward direction during the Summer months. The Heart is in its power at this time of year. In the summer season, the cosmic energy is in alignment for the manifestation of creative ideas we had in spring. Writing, drawing, dancing, singing, whatever your passion, your expression must proceed from the roots of mere thoughts and ideas to branches of active and tangible materialization.

When this creative impulse is liberated and set free your question will not be where the inventor of the human heart was hanged, but where he lives now, so that you can grab him and kiss him all over with ferocious abandon.

Wet Sock Treatment

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:47:59 +0100

This is an easy home treatment for congestion in the head and chest area, for example, a sore throat, ear infection, headache, migraine, nasal congestion, upper respiratory infection, cough, bronchitis, and sinus infection. It is most effective if done early when symptoms first appear. Great for kids!

Supplies:
1 pair cotton socks
1 pair thick wool socks
Towel
Warm bath or warm foot bath

Directions:
1.    Take a pair of cotton socks and soak them completely with cold water. Be sure to ring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip.
2.    Warm your feet first. This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective and could make condition worse if your feet are not warmed first. Warming can be accomplished by soaking your feet in warm water for at least 5-10 minutes or taking a warm bath for 5-10 minutes.
3.    Dry off feet and body with a dry towel.
4.    Place cold wet socks on feet. Cover with dry thick wool socks. Go directly to bed. Stay warm and covered.
5.    Keep the socks on overnight. You will find that the wet cotton socks will be dry in the morning.

Effects of the Wet Sock Treatment: This treatment acts to reflexively increase the circulation and decrease congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head, and throat. Due to this treatment’s sedating effects many people find it helpful for sleep difficulties.