The Importance of MEntal Wellbeing

After seeing hundreds of acupuncture patients, I have come to believe that most people struggle to some degree with their mental health. This could be from feeling stressed at work, through feeling frustrated or upset about physical injuries, to suffering from things such as panic attacks. It's completely normal, especially in the tough times we live in, to have periods where we feel incredibly sad, angry, or experience a range of other emotions.

This page will explore what mental health is, with a focus on how Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can help.

There are two important things to consider at the beginning when discussing mental health in relation to acupuncture.

  1. You cannot separate the body, mind, and spirit. Every acupuncture treatment works on both the emotional and physical levels. Often, especially in chronic illnesses, there is a connection between mental and physical health, where one can influence the other, creating a never-ending negative feedback loop that leads to chaos.

  2. The free flow of emotions is key. We should experience all emotions, even on a daily basis, as this is perfectly natural and a very human response. For instance, if we're stuck in traffic, we're bound to get angry. If we watch a sad film, we're likely to cry. If someone tells a funny joke, we should laugh. It's only when we get stuck in one emotion, such as being angry or frustrated all the time, that we start to experience issues.

Prevalence of mental health

Mental health is one of the biggest problems facing our modern society. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 450 million people suffering from mental disorders, and this number is only expected to increase. Much of this, I believe, can be attributed to the way our society functions—constantly glued to our phones, where we act like addicts seeking dopamine rushes from 'doom scrolling,' constantly multitasking (I, for one, go on my phone while watching TV), and so on.

Of course, mental health covers a range of conditions from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Some of the statistics for these conditions are staggering. For example, depression affects roughly 264 million people globally, and anxiety affects roughly 275 million.

There are, of course, remedies for these conditions (of which acupuncture is one, obviously!).

Acupuncture Depression

A Deeper Dive Into Mental Health

Some Causes

There are several reasons why mental health issues can surface, including:

  1. Biological factors: Genetics and brain chemistry can play a role in mental health. For example, chemical imbalances can impact mood regulation. In fact, this is how many antidepressants work. Antidepressants alter the balance of certain neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, in an attempt to improve one's mood.

  2. Lifestyle factors: Diet, exercise, and substance use can affect our mental health. Substances can include things like smoking, alcohol, and drugs. It doesn't necessarily have to involve excessive drinking; even having a beer every night can have an impact.

  3. Environmental factors: What we experience throughout our lives can affect our mental health, including trauma, abuse, and other significant life changes. This could result from major incidents that leave a lasting impact on us or from seemingly simple things.

Sometimes, it's the subconscious factors that have a profound effect. As adults, we can rationalise our experiences and emotions (or at least ask questions about them). However, as children, we lack the ability to do so. Let's consider an example: A father closes his office door to have peace and quiet while he works. In his mind, this allows him to work better to provide for his family. In the child's mind, they may perceive it as their father shutting them out when all they want is love. It may seem irrational from an adult's perspective, but as children, we do not know better. It can be these small, repeated incidents that affect us in the long term.

Some Symptoms

There are numerous symptoms that someone can experience regarding their mental well-being. These symptoms can range from feeling withdrawn and desiring quiet time to experiencing panic attacks with palpitations. The meaning of these symptoms varies from person to person, and part of our role as acupuncturists is to understand what they mean to you as an individual. Below are nine signs of mental health struggles:

  • Feeling anxious or worried

  • Feeling depressed or unhappy

  • Emotional outbursts

  • Sleep problems

  • Weight or appetite changes

  • Quiet or withdrawn

  • Substance abuse

  • Feeling guilty or worthless

  • Changes in behaviour or feelings

There are several ways you can get help. This includes:

  • Talking therapies, such as CBT, psychotherapy, counselling, and more.

  • Medications, such as antidepressants.

  • Building support networks, which can include friends, family, support groups (of which there are plenty), and more.

  • Making lifestyle changes, whether it's stopping drinking for a month or going for a daily walk. Sometimes, it's the small changes that make a big impact.

  • Finally, of course, there is acupuncture!


A SHORT INTRODUCTION to Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a 2,000+ year-old medical practice that employs small needles to facilitate the body's self-healing process. It is primarily focused on restoring internal balance and operates by manipulating what we commonly refer to as "qi," often translated as energy or breath, and regulating its flow within our meridians. There are 14 meridians in which we can insert needles, and within these meridians, there are over 365 acupuncture points to choose from.

Acupuncture perceives illness as a disharmony within the body, which can often be attributed to one or a combination of three disease causes:

  1. Internal diseases (e.g., emotional imbalances)

  2. External diseases (e.g., conditions like Wind cold, resulting in cold symptoms)

  3. Miscellaneous diseases (e.g., COVID or poisoning)

It has been suggested that nearly 90% of all illnesses have an emotional component associated with them. In my experience of treating hundreds of patients, I find this to be entirely true.

Acupuncture Mental Health
Acupuncture for Trauma

How the emotions affect us

In acupuncture, there is a concept called 'the eight principles.' These principles consist of four sets of opposites that can encompass most diagnoses, including yin and yang, hot and cold, internal or external, excess or deficiency.

Let's explore two opposites, anger and sadness, from a Chinese Medicine perspective:

  • When we are angry, our Liver energy rises to the top, and our bodies generate heat. Think of the common phrase describing someone as "hot-headed," for example. This phenomenon can be easily explained in Chinese Medicine.

  • When we are sad, it affects our Water element (more on this later). The Water element has associations with winter (thus coldness), but also because it is the most physical and the most yin, it resides at the bottom of everything. This can result in everything sinking down to our feet, giving us a sense of a sinking feeling and making everything feel heavy.

These are just two of the emotions explored from a Chinese Medicine perspective. An incredible study has been conducted that looked at the heatmaps of people's bodies when they experienced certain emotions. The image below illustrates how what we believe in acupuncture can be physically observed in our bodies.

Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/12/30/258313116/mapping-emotions-on-the-body-love-makes-us-warm-all-over

A Five Element view of Emotions

Five Element Acupuncture

Going a bit deeper, there is an acupuncture framework called the Five Phases. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical practice that revolves around manipulating specific points on the body. These points are associated with five fundamental elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each element corresponds to specific organs and bodily functions. Wood represents the liver and gallbladder, Fire corresponds to the heart and small intestine, Earth relates to the spleen and stomach, Metal is associated with the lungs and large intestine, and Water corresponds to the kidneys and bladder.

Each of the Five Elements in Chinese Medicine has an associated emotion. Going back to the beginning, it is normal to experience a mixture of these emotions, but the key is being able to transition from Joy to Contentment to Fear (for example) in a free-flowing motion. As acupuncturists, when we consider mental health, we are looking for prolonged or intense stimulation of emotions that fall outside the 'normal' range of physiological function.

Of course, there are not just five emotions. There are many different nuances to fear, anger, and contentment. For example, Wood is associated with anger, but there is an element of the Gall Bladder, the yang aspect of Wood, that resonates with Frustration, while the Liver corresponds more with Anger. There are various shades and often a complex blend of one or two emotions. For instance, fear can transform into anger or trigger it, and prolonged frustration can lead to anger.

There's also something to be said for our constitutional emotions. For example, my constitution is Water, so I may be predisposed to a tendency towards fear. Sometimes we might not always appreciate this, but our constitution can influence who we are and how we present ourselves. For example, I find that I always want to make a good first impression. This could be a response to the fear of not being liked, rather than from a more egotistical perspective.

The organs and their emotions

  • The Spleen (Overthinking or Worry)

    The Spleen's primary emotion in Chinese Medicine is related to worry, overthinking, and/or contentment. An emotional imbalance within the Earth, of which the Spleen is a part, is said to disrupt the flow of Qi, often resulting in a sense of repeatedly going over the same thoughts without being able to make a decision.

    The Spleen plays a crucial role in digestion and nutrient absorption, including the body's ability to build and maintain blood. Therefore, it is closely connected to the muscles (alongside the liver) and the mouth/lips.

    Due to its association with overthinking, the Spleen is often implicated when people are studying for exams. This can lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, poor digestion, and loose stools, among others.

    When the Spleen's function is impaired for an extended period, it can lead to an accumulation of fluids and dampness. This may result in a feeling of being physically and mentally weighed down, reducing the ability to think clearly or focus.

    While there are many effective points to support the Spleen, one of the best approaches is meditation. This practice provides the mind with the space to relax and reduce excessive worrying. Additionally, there are specific acupuncture points, such as Spleen 4 and Spleen 6, that can help strengthen the Earth element, resolve dampness, and calm the mind.

  • The Lungs (Grief)

    According to Chinese Medical theory, grief is primarily related to the lungs and the metal element. The lungs serve as our first line of defence against external pathogens, and their function is primarily to disperse and descend qi throughout the rest of the body. Any sudden or prolonged experience of grief reduces the lungs' ability to move qi, which can lead to tiredness, lassitude, and shortness of breath. Long-term lung deficiencies can result in constant colds or flus (weakening the immune system), allergies, asthma, and more.

    The nature of metal, and thus the lungs, is contraction. This contraction helps us by supporting our ability to recognize the sources of sadness that we have been holding onto and providing us with the strength to resolve these issues.

    There are some wonderful acupuncture points for grief, including Lung 3 (Heavenly Palace), which is an excellent point for processing grief and supporting the lungs. This point has a calming and uplifting effect on our spirits. It is located on the upper arm, on the inside of the biceps muscle, approximately 6 inches above the elbow crease.

  • The Liver (Anger)

    The Liver in Chinese Medicine is one-half of the Wood element and is all about the free flow of Qi and Blood throughout the body. When it is out of balance, it can cause the Qi to ascend, resulting in anger. This is because wood has much to do with growth and an expansion of movement. Any repressed anger can thus have a further detrimental impact, leading to symptoms such as headaches on the sides of the head, neck and shoulder tension, waking up between 1-3 AM (the time of the Liver on the Chinese Clock), and more.

    The liver is strongly associated with the eyes in Chinese Medicine as well. This is why if Liver Qi rises too much, it can cause issues such as dizziness, blurry vision, conjunctivitis, and much more. Finally, the Liver is also strongly associated with the Blood, as it is said to move the blood. You might suffer from things such as painful periods if you have an impairment with your liver.

    There are many amazing Liver points, including Liver 2, Moving Between, which is a great point if you are feeling hot-headed. It's a Ying Spring point, so it helps extinguish any excess fire (which can lead to the heat rising). Depending on the symptoms, there are other incredible points like Liver 13, which can help with digestive or painful menstruation-type symptoms.

  • The Heart (Joy)

    The heart is an interesting concept in Chinese Medicine. It's considered the emperor, and traditionally, acupuncturists wouldn't actually needle the heart channel, as it was believed to rule without needing direct treatment. The heart's proper functioning is attributed to the harmonious interaction of all the other elements.

    In Chinese Medicine, much like in the Western perspective, the heart is closely connected to the blood. However, it's also intricately linked to joy, which doesn't sound terrible at all. Joy itself is not a negative emotion, but an imbalance in joy, whether it's excessive (resulting in restlessness) or deficient (leading to depression), can be problematic. As with anything in life, an excess of anything, like my night-time chocolate addiction, can have negative consequences!

    When the heart is affected, you may experience symptoms like insomnia, palpitations, excessive dreaming, poor concentration, and psychological disorders, among others. However, we can overcome these issues by embracing joy, as it is considered an emotion that nourishes the heart. As a train conductor aptly put it the other day, "a smile is free therapy." There is profound wisdom in this concise statement.

    There's a close relationship between the heart and other emotions, and something beneficial for everyone is creating space. A mental space where we can give our minds the rest they need. It's important to remember that in Chinese Medicine, the heart is seen as an empty vessel. For our more spiritual well-being, our shen (and our minds in general) require rest to thrive. This can include simple practices like getting enough sleep, meditating, avoiding excessive exposure to news, or visiting your favourite acupuncturist.

    There are many remarkable heart points in acupuncture therapy. One of them is Heart 7, which has a name that helps calm the mind and tonify the heart due to its function as a yuan source point.

  • The Kidneys (Fear)

    In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the kidneys play a crucial role in removing waste and excess fluids from the body to produce urine. Additionally, they are associated with the emotion of fear. When the balance of qi in the kidneys is disrupted, it can lead to chronic fear or anxiety. This emotional imbalance can manifest as feelings of insecurity, weakness of willpower, aloofness, and isolation.

    The kidneys are not only related to emotions but also have vital functions in sustaining life. They are responsible for reproduction, growth, development, and maturation. Imbalances in the kidneys can result in various symptoms, including frequent urination, urinary incontinence, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short-term memory, low back pain, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, premature grey hair, hair loss, and osteoporosis.

Psychological profiles based on the elements

We can also divide the emotions into 10, using the Five Elements, but applying a yin and yang aspect to each of them. Click here to learn more about how we can further nuance the emotions and how we might represent them.

  • Yin: This causes someone to be overly cautious or fearful, which can lead to overplanning, being hypervigilant, or lacking in trust. There may be an element of wanting safety or certainty by looking for a teacher, guru, or practitioner to look up to. There’s a tendency towards phobias or paranoia.

    Yang: This can show up in the opposite fashion with someone fearless, risk-seeking, or attempting to overcome their fear. They may strive to achieve, succeed, or win. An imbalance may result in bullying or grandiosity. There may be physical, long-term symptoms such as kidney stones, adrenal fatigue, infertility, tinnitus, or lower back pain.

  • Yin: More yin wood will lead to us internalising our problems. This results in low self-esteem, being quick to blame ourselves, low self-esteem, and even self-harming. Often, it shows as people having a strong inner critic and wanting to always define what is or isn’t acceptable behaviour. All of these lead to someone constantly feeling small, weighed down, and their confidence being crushed.

    Yang: An excess of yang wood can lead to externalising our frustrations. This can show up as being quick to blame others, shouting, violence, passive aggressiveness, and more. People tend to habitually shift responsibility or blame towards others.

  • Yin: The yin response of fire is seen through a real sense of dullness, coldness, joylessness, and a lack of spark. There is an underlying essence of vulnerability with not enough energy to be able to maintain contact with others. Romantically, this can lead to people falling in love very easily, and very often, with a tinge of being clingy too.

    Yang: An excess of fire, particularly the yang aspect, can result in everything quickening. This could be hyperactivity, a fast pulse, excessive thirst, and all forms of feverish activity. Think of the person who feels they always need to talk or communicate, sometimes lack boundaries in relationships, and are quite domineering generally. Often with the communication, there is a lot of incoherency and repetitiveness, which is almost like a nervous energy.

  • Yin: An excess of yin in the earth element tends to show itself as someone who compulsively puts others first. There is a tendency to always give everything to others, with a detrimental impact on themselves often, with an excessive focus on others and being overly sympathetic. With this, the other thing that these people struggle with is a difficulty in receiving which could be both physical and mental.

    Yang: The yang response to too much earth is co-dependency where happiness is derived from helping others and not from confidence within. There is an exhaustion that comes from the cost of being a constant giver, particularly when this springs from deep and often uncomfortable unmet needs of the giver. We often give to others what we crave for ourselves but cannot bring ourselves to ask for. There is a tendency to give when actually all they want is to receive which can affect their inability to receive sympathy.

  • Yin: The metal is a lot about being able to let go of things. An excess of yin can mean that people want to hold onto things, not knowing what is valuable and what is not, and a sense of isolation which can strike us when we experience intense grief. It can be hard for people with an excess of yin metal to form new relationships, as well as to hold onto those, which means that they have a tendency towards being dependent on others and submissive. Often, people will also have a low sense of self-worth and can end up often holding their breath.

    Yang: An excess of yang metal has some similarities to yin in the sense that they struggle to let go, particularly because they quickly form attachments but can’t let go of things that have no value or may even be harmful. There is a tendency towards accumulating material possessions and this becoming compulsive. Think of the person who wants just one more pay rise, one more car, a bigger house. They tend to look forward, wanting to accumulate more and not let go of anything, without ever being in the here and now. It’s a huge story around protection, almost fear-like, not wanting to feel any form of loss.

How Do we help mental wellbeing as acupuncturists?

There are multiple ways to do this. We've already explored some points in the previous section that might help, but acupuncture is so much more than just choosing a few random points. Acupuncture is about studying how someone is manifesting their symptoms, understanding what might be the cause, and being able to target the 'root' of the problem.

Some other ways of thinking that we might consider include:

  • Substances: For example, phlegm is caused by the lack of movement of qi and blood, which can lead to the development of heat. This can give rise to anger. Alternatively, when there is a buildup of fluids, dampness can occur. This causes the body to feel heavy, as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and can make you feel like you are constantly sinking.

  • Symptoms: We've touched on this previously, but something like the Qi of the liver rising too much can cause extreme headaches or migraines. This is often observed through the TCM diagnosis of liver yang rising. In such cases, it is important to ground someone, work on their feet, and ensure that they are rooted.

  • Certain elements and organs have their own symptomology. One of my favourites is stomach heat, which suggests that someone will want to take off all their clothes, run to the top of a hill, and sing at the top of their lungs. Who hasn't felt like that before?

  • The interactions between the elements: There are two cycles within the five phases. One is the generating cycle, which is generally seen positively, but there is also the controlling cycle. This is where too much Water can dampen Fire (or too much fear will prevent joy). Working on this cycle can be an effective way of helping someone overcome their emotional well-being.

  • Point names or point functions: For example, Pericardium 6, Nei Guan, is said to be the command point for the chest and hence it opens the chest and heart. This makes it really effective for things like palpitations or panic attacks. There are other points such as Du 23, which is called "Blah blah blah," so it can be used to calm an anxious or overactive mind.

  • Supporting Trauma: There's also an additional layer of the channel system called the extraordinary vessels. Some of these channels are described in terms of how they affect us psycho-emotionally. For example, Chong Mai is said to be about generational trauma and how our family history can affect us as individuals. This is much like the nature versus nurture debate and can help us when it comes to what we are born with and addressing it.

Other Ways You can help yourself

The Importance of DIet

Diet can always play a role in our health. Diet and nutrition are so important and can have such a massive influence on our physical and mental wellbeing. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, the advice is primarily based on the flavours as these affect the movement of qi. These flavours include:

  • Water: Salty (The movement here is to purge, soften, and guide qi towards the Kidneys. Items such as miso and sea salt are particularly powerful here.)

  • Wood: Sour (This movement is all about moving upwards and outwards. Anything fermented, like sauerkraut, is good for you, as well as limes and lemons.)

  • Fire: Bitter (This movement is draining downwards. Some interesting foods here include kale, celery, and burdock root.)

  • Earth: Sweet (This movement tonifies, harmonises, and moistens the body. It is found in items like rice or millet rather than just sugar.)

  • Metal: Acrid (The movement here is one of dispersion and strongly moves accumulations. Items such as cinnamon, ginger, wasabi, and more fall into this category.)

These flavours can manifest as cravings. For example, if someone has an imbalance within the Earth element, they may tend to crave sugary foods. This is often observed in the clinic when someone complains that all they fancy is chocolate or sweets!

The importance of humour

Smiling is free therapy. There’s a Chinese proverb that says “a person should laugh three times a day to live longer” which I think sounds silly but there must be an element of truth in that. It’s the same with  “a good laugh makes you ten years younger, while worry turns the hair grey”. There is something about old wives tales which have reality in them. 

The Power of movement

Suppressed emotions often arise when it's challenging or inappropriate to express them in the moment. (Screaming loudly at the workplace or in a public setting is generally considered unacceptable behaviour, after all.) Consequently, we may endure prolonged periods of tension, frustration, or teeter on the verge of tears. These pent-up emotions can obstruct the flow of Qi, the vital energy within us. 

Engaging in physical activity can help this energy regain its motion, leading to a reduction in the intensity of these emotional sensations. It's important to recognize and acknowledge all emotions, including positive ones like joy and contentment. However, it's typically anger, grief, and sadness that we withhold, and these suppressed emotions can detrimentally affect our emotional well-being.

This movement or physical activity can come from anything from running, swimming, through to tai chi or qigong. There’s a phrase in Chinese called “when there is free flow, there is no pain” which is where something like a gentle movement comes in.

Learn From Difficulties

The Chinese word for crisis comprises two essential elements: one symbolizes 'danger,' and the other signifies 'opportunity.' Within the fabric of their culture and language lies the firm belief that opportunities emerge from adversity.

By adopting this belief, we can cultivate a positive outlook on our capability to navigate any circumstance. Challenge yourself with the question, "What can I glean from this experience?" Whenever you encounter difficulties, this approach not only allows you to view yourself in a more favourable light but also enables you to take pride in personal growth and learning from life's trials.

GET HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT

You may feel too unwell to deal with the state of your emotional health on your own, in this case choose to seek help, speak to your doctor, get help and support, see a counsellor or therapist or find other professional help, such as a friendly acupuncturist! (hint hint, cough cough, clearing my throat)  Someone who will take a holistic view and review of your life and advise on all many things from diet to exercise to meditation and how you can gain your overall health and restore the balance in your life.  The healthier we become, the better we can deal with any new difficulties, and if we are unhealthy we are often at the mercy of our emotions.