[Ninareese]

I have been suffering from crippling depression, i get suicidal thoughts and a lot of self hate. I can't even be happy sometimes. Anyway, mom finally decided to take me to a accupuncturist in Kuwait. i want to know is, how soon will i be ok and what are benefits I can expect.

Thanks. please answer immediately, I don't want to waste money or time.

I have had acupuncture treatments for anxiety. Anxiety is fairly easy to treat (not too many needles and they don't have to stay in for very long.)

From what I remember, depression is not as simple to treat. Improvement will probably be gradual. The treatment might not help at all if the acupuncturist is not skilled enough. If he isn't, and he is honest, it's possible that he may tell you that he can't help you.

If you start having strongly uncomfortable or alarming thoughts or emotions while the needles are in, tell the acupuncturist right away. Sometimes the needles can trigger very strong emotions.

In the US, acupuncturists will often try to sell you Chinese medicine supplements. I never used any of those because I was already taking prescription antidepressants and had no idea what was in the supplements or how they were supposed to work.

With conditions like depression or anxiety, you often have to keep going back for more acupuncture treatments, so even if it helps, it will be normal for that to happen.

I hope that it's helpful for you. It helped me quite a lot for anxiety and fibromyalgia pain.

[shezbut]

Personally, I don't look at acupuncture as a "fix-all" so to speak. It can be very helpful to use, in certain circumstances. Acupuncture may also be a terrific add-on treatment for depression. But, I believe that a person should start out seeing a medical doctor (for prescription) and work with a Therapist regularly.

If you're struggling with suicidal thoughts and major self-hate, I just have a hard time seeing how acupuncture alone can help you work through those intense feelings. Please try to get in to see a Therapist. They really can help!

[avlady]

i agree with shezbut, a doc and t are more useful and accupuncture when it comes to long care treatment. you will be able to talk out your thoughts and emotions with a t which to me is more important than anything else along with some meds maybe. good luck

[eskielover]

Acupuncture to totally freaked me out that it did absolutely NO GOOD. They wanted me to do it for my migraines which started after major anxiety & depression set in at the age of 42. I managed to get through one treatment but was shaking so bad afterward & my migraine went from bad to even worse........some people just don't work with acupuncture....needles no matter what sort have always been a freakout in my life so that in itself didn't help

I just read your post again. I think I got confused when I read it earlier. I was thinking that you had said that treatment with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy was not available to you because of cost. Maybe I got your post confused with another in my mind.

Anyway, I agree with the posters who said that they don't feel like acupuncture is the first choice for treating depression and preferably should not be the only treatment that you receive for depression.

If you do go for acupuncture treatment, try to be sure that the acupuncturist is skilled in treating depression. I don't know how it is where you live, but in the US acupuncturists can vary greatly in skill levels and it's difficult to know which ones are good aside from asking people who have been treated by them.

If you live in a city where there is a school that trains acupuncturist, that can be a good place to go for treatment if the professors will be supervising your treatment.

[Lika Li]

I was going to an acupuncturist since january (15 sessions). I felt no relief in depression. Maybe a little in my anxiety.

I think acupuncture as monotherapy can be good to very mild depression, and to moderate or severe cases, just like a complementary therapy.

And acupuncture, for me, was not free from side effects... I got really depressive the day they put me on needles, and very angry many days later... So be careful.

But just remember that everyone has different experiences, I read a lot from people on net that said acupuncture works wonderful to them...