THE FOLLOWING ARE SYMPTOMS AND
CONDITIONS COMMONLY TREATED BY
THE WASHINGTON ACUPUNCTURE CENTER.
EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY (Affective Disorders)
People with moods of excitement and hyperactivity alternating with moods of depression
are emotionally unstable and may be considered to have an affective disorder. Such
mood alterations may be mild and related to the circumstances or events of a person's
life or they may be severe and not obviously related to anything outside the patient's
body. This latter type of mood disturbance is considered abnormal and usually requires
treatment.
In some cases periods of depression or hyperactivity last for weeks a time and seriously
interfere with a person's job and personal relationships. People with this type of
affective disorder are said to have manic-depressive illness or psychosis. They may
drink excessive amounts of alcohol in an attempt to make themselves feel better.
Affective disorders do not respond well to electric shock or
convulsive therapy. Sedatives may be required to control extreme hyperactive episodes
to prevent the patient from injuring himself or others. The so-called anti-depressants,
however, are not usually very effective and may have serious side effects, especially
when given in combination with tranquilizers. Lithium carbonate has been the most
effective drug used for affective disorders, but it requires carefully regulated
daily doses and laboratory tests every few weeks to check for toxic effects on the
kidneys and other organs.
Acupuncture is highly successful for stabilizing emotional reactions and relieving
affective disorders. Most patients notice significant improvement in mood and behavior
control by the time they have had six treatments. Some patients, especially those
diagnosed as having manic-depressive psychosis, may require many more treatments
for maxim benefit or a series of treatments every few months for maintenance of emotional
stability.
Nutritional therapy can be given along with acupuncture. A diet high in protein and
low in carbohydrate is recommended to prevent hypoglycemia which may be a cause of
emotional instability. Large doses of Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium
and Zinc are helpful.
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