Anxiety disorder is a psychiatric disorder that is commonly encountered accompanying depression in primary medical institutions.
In particular, Koreans must adapt to various values, and rapid changes because a high prevalence of anxiety disorder is observed in their population.
This is because they are directly or indirectly exposed to rapid and chronic stress.
Research suggests that between 1-30 percent of the global population suffers from some form of anxiety.
There are 13 different sub-classifications of anxiety disorders listed in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (used by medical professionals to diagnose and treat psychological conditions), with symptoms and physical manifestations varying considerably.
These range from shortness of breath and variations in the heart rate, to full-blown and debilitating panic attacks, headaches, pain and insomnia.
Patients with anxiety disorders have higher psychological attributes than those with other conditions.
Acupuncture is now commonly used in clinical practice and is advantageous because it is less dependent and thereby safer, than standard psychoactive drugs.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS), which comprises the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), regulates the internal conditions necessary for existence (homeostasis).
Information is received from the body and external environment and a response is delivered by either the SNS, which releases excitatory signals, or the PNS, which releases signals for relaxation.
These signals direct the body to react in very different ways, such as increasing the heart rate and contraction force, or by reducing blood pressure and slowing the heart rate. It is exciting to know that studies show acupuncture affects both the SNS and the PNS.
One of the most sensitive measures of the body’s ability to cope with stress is something called Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Rather than beating consistently at the same rate as a metronome, the heart changes its rate based on its fine-tuned response to the environment.
A higher HRV has been associated with better health in all domains, including mental health and low levels of anxiety. Acupuncture has shown to improve the body’s ability to cope with stress by improving HRV.
When the body is under stress, an area of the brain called the hypothalamus releases neurochemicals but research shows that acupuncture can calm this response.
Acupuncture has also been shown to increase the release of endorphins, the body’s own feel-good chemicals, which play an important role in the regulation of physical and emotional stress responses such as pain, heart rate, blood pressure and digestive function.
All of these acupuncture mechanisms have a direct effect on reducing anxiety. Hair thin needles are inserted on specific acupuncture points to treat anxiety.
Dr John McDonald and Dr Stephen Janz’s systematic review on the effect of acupuncture in treating anxiety in 2016 with over 400 randomised patients concluded that the effects of acupuncture are significant as compared to conventional treatments.
(The author is Head of the Department of Acupuncture, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi)