One Group of Acupuncturists is Changing the Way We Treat Mental Health Problems
You may already know that acupuncture therapy in the U.S is becoming more popular for treating physical ailments such as headaches, chronic lower back pain, and osteoarthritis. You may even be part of the 6.5% of Americans who have tried acupuncture therapy.
A group of trained practitioners called Acupuncturists Without Borders are now utilizing acupuncture for a different reason. The online subscription jweekly.com recently published an excellent story about Carla Cassler, a member of Acupuncturists Without Borders. Cassler’s story began when she traveled to Israel and offered acupuncture treatments for anxiety and depression, specifically focusing on treating issues caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cassler noticed that in one of her trips to the war-torn country that, “When you’re in Israel, every conversation is related in some way to some kind of trauma.” This resonated with her so she was determined to do something about it.
Cassler and her associates decided to use a method developed by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association that focuses on placing needles into five different pressure points in the ear. The ear may seem like a sensitive and almost dangerous part of the body to involve in acupuncture therapy, but Cassler asserts that it is “safe and simple” and that “the ear is a microcosm of the whole body.” The five pressure points in the ear directly connect to the brain and other regulatory centers of the nervous system, so focusing on the ear allows an acupuncturist to soothe anxiety and stress., something that the people of Israel desperately need. This particular treatment is especially helpful to victims of terror attacks, wars, and natural disasters that are common throughout the Middle East. Acupuncturists Without Borders have also taken their practices to areas in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Far-East Asia. Cassler noted that acupuncture therapy was used in the 1990s to treat victims of the Holocaust, although it was not widely accepted as an alternative medical treatment back then.
It’s clear that using acupuncture for anxiety-related issues is becoming more popular because it is simple and effective. Cassler’s account of her first acupuncture workshop in Israel proves that the benefits of acupuncture therapy go beyond what can be measured in percentages and statistics. Cassler noted that the first day of the workshop was a bit strained, but in just one day, people were smiling and hugging. Cassler described the second day as filled with “all the things that happen when you have human contact.”
Human contact is probably something that doesn’t cross your mind on a daily basis, but you do notice its absence when you have been away from friends and family for any period of time. The pressure points in which typical acupuncture treatments focus on can be scientifically studied, and we can produce concrete evidence that shows how effective the treatments are for physical ailments. It seems though; the biggest benefit of acupuncture therapy could simply be more human contact. It doesn’t matter if someone is a victim of trauma or just a sufferer of everyday stress — creating more human contact could be the one solution we have been looking for.