Depression and Anxiety
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, there are approx. 1 million Canadians who suffer from some form of depression and The World Health Organization predicts depression will be the second-leading cause of disability in the world by 2020, trailing only heart disease. Western antidepressant drugs such as Prozac, Paxil — which work by altering certain chemicals (e.g. Serotonin) called neurotransmitters in our brains — are often prescribed for people suffering from depression.
Chinese traditional medicine does not recognize depression as a particular illness per se but rather an internal imbalance or blockage caused by the exposure to external stresses. Such stress, if not treated, can cause energy blockage or changes of the neurotransmitters such as a decrease of brain concentration of the serotonin levels — resulting in symptoms such as anxiety, poor sleep, fatigue, and eventually, depression.
Acupuncture, combined with Chinese herbs have proven to be very effective, safe and natural method to treat anxiety, stress, emotional swings which may lead to depression.