I started going to an acupuncturist several years ago to get rid of lower back pain after a car accident. Then I went back a year later because I was getting headaches, then I went back again when I was experiencing sleeplessness, it went on and on. I would find myslf not wanting to take pills or live with pain, which sometimes happens if the levels are low enough that it is inonvenient as opposed to debilitating, so I would go and ask the acupuncturist if acupuncture could help the newest malady. Rarely did they say no but even when they couldn’t guarantee it would work I always tried it because realistically, after years of finding relief, I was willing to give acupuncture the benefit of the doubt.
After several years of living with slightly more than the normal low level stress of everyday life, I turned a corner and my stress went from relatively normal to completely over the top. I lost my house as part of the mortgage crisis, had to declare bankruptcy so the bank couldn’t come after my wages, and ended up living an a depressing apartment, all while trying to put a good face on things. I had to give away or sell most of my belongings because they wouldn’t fit in the apartment and was so upset by the process that I went from mild anxiety and minor PTSD symptos from a previous traumautic experience, to Stress with a capital S and PTSD symptoms that hit me in the face all day long non-stop. Unexpected sounds made me jump and the resulting adrenaline made me edgy, which made me anxious, which made the next unexpected thing cause more adrenaline to flood my system. It was a nightmare and it kept getting worse and worse until I was afraid I’d never get ‘better’. (*note-I am fully aware of the entire process necessary to recover from all of my issues but for the sake of brevity I am glossing over some aspects, please don’t mistake me leaving things out for my lack of awareness or lack of understanding of the fuller picture)
I can’t explain why I didn’t think to talk to the acupuncturist, I assume because it seemed like a purely mental problem for quite a while, but once I did talk to them I found there were multiple things I could do with acupuncture to ease some of the symptoms that were causing me so much trouble. The thing I have found most helpful are a series of needles in my ear that I can physically feel relax me within a minute. It’s remarkable really. They address all of the PTSD related issues so completely that there are times I will literally fall asleep I am so relaxed after the needles go in. For someone who doesn’t like needles and has a startle reflex so overactive that a leaf unexpectedly scudding across the road on a spring breeze makes me jump like a firecracker has just gone off under my seat, that is a remarkable level of relaxation.
I also augment this with acupressure. They use small metal spheres which they stick to my other ear before I leave so that the feeling of relaxation lasts longer. The combination lets me recharge while I’m there, but also helps me reset each week so I’m not constantly living with high adrenaline and the jitters and other things that come along with that.
If you’re interested in acupuncture I have looked around and tried a couple of places but the one I’ve felt truly supported by is Family Acupuncture and Wellness in Portsmouth. If you live in the New Hampshire Seacoast area I can’t recommend it highly enough. I don’t get anything from referring people, but I believe they are the best so I’m just sharing my experience.
Of all the things I’ve tried, this one was a no brainer. Acupuncture has helped me with so many things I should have known it would help me with these issues as well. It was a relief though to see such quick and consistent results.
My next experience was neither quick, nor was it a no brainer. I had to step out and try something that felt like I was involved in some quack faux cure. But I tried it because it had some promising reviews and annecdotal stories of success and I had promised myself not to let my judgement get in the way of my search for things that might help.
Duct Tape and Dreams 