Active Acupuncture - New York - NYC

Experienced Acupuncturists and Healers Serving New York City

Specialists of Acupuncture for Infertility, IVF, Women's Health,
Immune Disorders, Depression, and Pain Relief.

Appointments / Inquiries: (212) 974-2880

Active Acupuncture

Acupuncture for Depression

NYC Depression AcupunctureMany clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is significantly effective in treating depression (see below for links to journal articles). Because the cause of many cases of depression is rooted in hormonal imbalance and dysfunction, acupuncture is particularly well-suited as a treatment method, as acupuncture has been scientifically proven to be able to regulate and alter the levels of many different hormones in the body.

We focus not only on treating the multitude of symptoms of depression, but we also aim to improve the overall health of the body and to treat its root cause. Such an approach means that we must examine each individual carefully and tailor every treatment to the patient. Our methods integrate the knowledge and techniques passed down through generations of practioners in China and have given us a powerful tool in helping our patients overcome depression through a safe modality without the drawbacks of toxic side-effects.

Testimonials

For as long as I can remember, I suffered from depression. Like most people with the condition, there were times when I felt basically well and other times when I coudl barely get out of bed. I saw psychiatrists on and off and self-medicated with too much alcohol and marijuana.

In 2002, my depression got so bad that I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where I stayed for a month. After leaving, I began to aggressively seek relief with the help of a psychiatrist. Between 2002 and 2009, I tried many combinations of medications. They did help somewhat, but I had to suffer with significant side effects, including insomnia and weight gain, as well as never really "getting better."

Earlier this year I was seeing Dr. Chen for a shoulder condition that began as a side effect to a psychiatric medication. After getting significant relief using acupuncture, I asked Dr. Chen if she could help with my depression.

With only a few visits, the condition improved markedly - farm more than I got from years of psychiatric medications. To my surprise, my psychiatrist had only good things to say about acupuncture. H has been working with me to reduce the amount of medication I take. Despite the lowered dose, I am feeling better than any time I can remember. My expcatation is to get off of all my medications within the next few months!

Beyond improving the obvious symptoms of depression, the treatments have markedly improved problems that I didnt' realize were related to my depression. In particular, I have long had to sleep more than a normal amount and still woke up tired and groggy. I am now sleeping no more than seven hours a night, wake up without an alarm, and feel great.

BWS
New York, NY

I hope that this week will be the last week I will have to visit Dr. Chen. I say that not because I was unhappy with her treatment (it was excellent), but because I have been battling depression for the past 15 years and I feel like I have finally defeated it once and for all. To give a little background, I was diagnosed with depression over 15 years ago and in that time span, I have taken SSRIs which worked very well at first. After being on them for several years, like many others, their effects on me started to wane. Even after upping the dosage of some very toxic antidepressants like Prozac to their maximum dosages and experiencing nasty side effects like insomnia and anorexia, I was drifting back into depression. My doctors tried some SNRIs with Lorazepam which helped me slightly. My brother in law, who tried acupuncture in Texas told me about acupuncture and I decided to give it a try. I found Dr. Chen through the internet and decided that I had nothing to lose to try. After just the first treatment, I slept better than I had slept in decades. I felt my energy come back and that just started a positive chain reaction in my life. I was told that I should start seeing lasting results in just several weeks, but I diligently went to treatments twice a week for three months. Now, I feel so much better. I have the energy to exercise and I eat much better. The acupuncture jump started a healthy lifestyle for me which I think will help me sustain my sanity. I am still taking the antidepressants but I am thinking about asking my doctor to possibly reduce the dosages. Thankfully, Carol

-Acupuncture for Depression in New York City: Testimonial (Source: Citysearch)

Scientific Literature

  • Acupuncture was found to be able to alter the levels of hormones and enzymes involved in depression. (more)
  • Acupuncture was found to alter the proliferation of cells in the hippocampus of the brain, a key element in many cases of depression. (more)
Quick Facts:
  • We have helped many of our patients with depression.
  • Clinical trials have shown that acupuncture is significantly effective in treating depression.
  • Acupuncture has been proven to be able to alter hippocampal function, regulate hormone and enzyme levels, and modulate blood flow and healing.