You have an inner restlessness for no apparent reason and are not able to stop and relax?
You have episodes of palpitations, feeling hot, nocturnal anxiety or chest tightness?
You often feel tense, irritable, and have the impression that everything is just too much?
You are constantly brooding over the same thoughts, going around in circles mentally and not feeling like you're moving forward?
The impacts of stress or anxiety can be both physical and psychological. In fact, one cannot be affected without affecting the other. They are two sides of the same coin; yourself. The negative effects of stress or anxiety on our daily lives are definitely not to be overlooked. Here are the most common symptoms:
pain, stiffness, neck, shoulders, jaws, bruxism
headache, dizziness, numbness, tremors
appetite problems (too much or too little), heartburn, constipation or diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloating
pelvic pain, increased urinary frequency, cessation of menstruation, change in the menstrual cycle, loss of libido
palpitations, chest pain, breathing difficulty, shallow breathing, choking
fatigue, insomnia, dry mouth, lump in the throat or stomach, excessive sweating, hot flashes
anguish, panic, terror, impatience, frustration, anger, depression
apprehension, feeling overwhelmed and/or worried, seeing everything as a mountain, lack of enthusiasm, fears
stamping your feet, biting the inside of your mouth, biting your nails, skipping meals
whirlwind of ideas in the head, confused ideas, ruminating on the same thoughts, difficulty concentrating, memory problems
fear of meeting new people
You don't have control over the stressful events that happen to you, you don't have the time or the energy to take concrete actions to make changes?
You know that a joyful person resides inside you, but you are not able to embody it and live with lightness and confidence?
You are undergoing psychotherapy, are already taking medication, or do not want to take medication, and are looking for a complementary approach to develop your inner stress management tools?
You don't know where to start, you feel overwhelmed by anxiety and alone with this weight. You would like to be accompanied, supported and encouraged in your search for well-being?
suffer from occasional or frequent limitations of daily activities due to an emotional, psychological or mental health problem. (anxiety, depression, substance abuse, anorexia)
report excellent or very good mental health.
screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
This new emotional space gives way to a healthy detachment. Suddenly, what used to be a big burden has the potential to turn into a simple irritant that is easier to accept. Your ability to let go increases, adapting to change and seeing reality as it is without being overwhelmed by your imaginary negative anticipation.
Acupuncture finally allows the exhausted and emotionally overloaded person to abandon, at least temporarily, her or his survival mechanisms to refocus on her or himself. It is thus easier to perceive situations objectively and to make choices in line with oneself, with an enlightened and calm mind.
It is not mandatory to experience the physical aches and pains that result from stress on a daily basis. For example, the secretion of endorphins during a treatment decreases physical pain and relieves muscular tensions. The activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is triggered during the treatment, regulates digestion, favours sleep, decreases palpitations, and promotes a good intestinal transit.
Acupuncture can therefore alleviate or even make disappear some of the very troublesome symptoms of anxiety such as nausea, dizziness, hot flashes, insomnia, chest tightness and many others. Instead, your body will feel an undeniable and quick calming effect during the treatment, your breathing slows down and your body becomes heavier and more relaxed.
The very relief of physical ailments helps reduce some sources of anxiety. For example, it is common for sleep disorders to cause or aggravate anxiety.
A state of nervous tension, a natural and normal physical reaction of the brain and body to a situation considered dangerous or threatening
Stress manifests itself as a set of physiological reactions that normally help us escape from threatening situations. It offers us two solutions; either to flee or to prepare ourselves to face the danger. Stress is ESSENTIAL... that is when our life is in danger!
The problem arises when stress occurs in situations where our survival is not at stake. Everyday situations, such as being late for an appointment, being late for a job or speaking in front of a group of people, all cause us some stress. This stress, if sustained over time, can build up and become chronic. Fatigue, depression, difficulty sleeping or digesting are all consequences of chronic stress.
It is important to become aware of the harmful effects of stress so that you can learn to manage it better rather than suffer from it. Reduce the sources of stress where possible, and develop tools to deal with stressful events that are out of your control in a healthier way.
Anxiety is a feeling that can be vague or intense yet always unpleasant, and is an apprehension of an event that may occur in the future.
Negative anticipation and the often disproportionate and irrational assessment of a risk. This negative anticipation combines physical symptoms and unpleasant thoughts that become overwhelming and interfere with normal functioning.
If very excessive and difficult to manage, it can evolve into different anxiety disorders: panic attacks, phobias and generalized anxiety disorders, and have great negative impacts on daily life.
Rest assured, we are all subject to anxiety! Anxiety can be said to be normal or abnormal.
Normal if:
Abnormal if:
Acupuncture is appropriate for all forms of anxiety, whether normal or abnormal, acute or chronic.
Acupuncture has no harmful interaction with medications. It is an excellent complement to medication treatment!
Acupuncture complements and deepens the work done in psychotherapy, by psychologists or counselling therapists. When done together, the relief of symptoms has the potential to be faster and greater.
In addition to treatment, meetings are an important part of therapy. We discuss and review what is troubling you in a safe space, where you are free to open up, or not. It is a place of listening, understanding and non-judgment where you can decompress. It is a time that is 100% dedicated to you.
I complement my services with healthy living advices, Qigong exercises and meditation to support you in your search for a lasting balance. Since stress and anxiety are the results of uncontrolled external factors, it is important to put in place your own support system to help you get through the ordeal as smoothly as possible. Self-management in mental health is one of the keys to taking back the power over your mental health.
