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Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotion that most people experience periodically as a response to stress. It becomes a disorder to be treated when it interferes with one’s daily activities, elicits other health responses like panic attacks or heart palpitations, is irrational or out of proportion with the cause, or becomes chronic, even without reasonable basis.

Anxiety has become a very common condition for many of my Scottsdale and Paradise Valley patients. It has become even more prevalent among young adults in their teens, 20s and 30’s. The annual mental health poll done by the American Psychiatric Association showed that “in 2024, 43% of U.S. adults say they feel more anxious than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.” It has become epidemic and is as harmful to health as any infection.

Causes for anxiety are many and often involve combinations of factors including outside circumstances as well as internal conditions. Outside circumstances can be difficult if not impossible to control. Internal conditions for anxiety, both physical and psychological, can be addressed and healed with acupuncture and herbal medicine. There are various patterns that lead to pathological anxiety.

" I want to let you know how much I appreciate your help in getting on the path to wellness. The anxiety and stress has lessened as well as the body’s physical responses. Your compassion and capability to sense problem areas and address them with acupuncture along with your input for diet and supplement changes has me feeling better every day. I’ve experienced acupuncture in the past and appreciate the mind and body balance concept. You are the most thorough practitioner, treating the whole person, not just the symptoms. I tell my doctors, friends and family how you have helped me. Thank you." – Carolyn S.

Heart Qi Deficiency

Prolonged, excessive sadness or grief can damage the qi in the Heart organ system. The body’s overall qi can be insufficient from poor digestion not producing adequate qi or excessive caffeine consumption over time. Heart qi can even be damaged from profuse sweating. When Heart qi is insufficient, it is unable to protect the mind (shen) from thoughts and feelings of anxiety. Tonifying the Heart qi and calming the mind becomes the objective of treatment.

Heart Blood Deficiency

Similar to Heart qi deficiency, Heart blood can become deficient from prolonged and intense emotions or insufficient production of Heart blood from the digestive system. Excessive bleeding during menses or from injury or surgery can also lead to Heart blood deficiency. Building up the Heart blood through dietary changes, herbs, supplements and acupuncture reduces anxiety and improves sleep.

Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency

The Heart and Kidney organ systems must maintain a delicate balance. The Kidney system keeps the agitated heart and overall heat in check, while the Heart catalyzes the Kidney system to motivate a person’s will and regulate bodily fluids. If one system is overbearing it will damage the other. The balance between the two can be impacted by major shock or trauma, excessive mental stress, overuse of recreational drugs or coffee or with pre-existing health conditions that damage yin.

Heart and Gall Bladder Deficiency

This combination of Heart and Gall Bladder organ system deficiency is usually the result of shock or trauma during the mother’s pregnancy or after the child’s birth in an abusive, traumatic or fearful environment. The influence of Gall Bladder deficiency on anxiety is the patient experiences lack of courage or timidity about life. They live fearfully about almost everything and are unsure of themselves.

Phlegm Heat

Phlegm Heat is a pattern that appears as part of many illnesses. It’s so common because it most often derives from the consumption of phlegm producing food, such as dairy, sugar and fried foods. Phlegm Heat means congealed fluids that clog up qi and blood flow, cloud the mind and often lead to stagnation which in turn leads to irritability, impatience, even irrational thoughts.

These primary patterns frequently overlap and combine with each other. Therefore, I treat multiple deficiencies, while calming and clearing the mind and generating courage and will.

I’ve treated many patients with anxiety, and they’ve experienced significant improvement, without medications. The outside stressors don’t go away, but the patient changes significantly. They perceive and manage stress in a balanced and calm manner. Their attention shifts away from obsessing over fears and problems, to being motivated to taking actions where they can. It is one of my most rewarding areas of treatment. If you’re struggling with anxiety, call for a free consultation.