Stress is a fact of life; it is our response to internal and external stressors. In my acupuncture Washington DC practice I see that many people are not equipped with effective coping strategies for dealing with stress. Billions of dollars are spent every year in the use of tranquilizers, and it has been estimated that the yearly cost of stress to our society may be as high as $300 billion.
Healthy stress is useful; it challenges and expands our potential. Over time unhealthy stress, on the other hand, is associated with negative thoughts and emotions, poor sleep and quality of life, and a variety of physical and emotional symptoms such as ulcers, headaches, anxiety, cardio-vascular disease, depression, substance abuse, etc. The body-mind connection and its role in stress, well-being, and health, has been well established in research. Body-mind practices enhance our self-regulatory mechanisms, and they can provide us with effective tools for stress relief, prevention, wellness, and even the management and treatment of many health problems.
In my acupuncture Bethesda, MD and Reston, VA practices, I help clients develop a program for stress relief and wellness. This includes the development of mindfulness and meditative practices, the transformation of negative thoughts and feelings, the creation of a more positive attitude towards ourselves, the development of a more effective lifestyle (eating, exercise, rest, social relations, work), the use of techniques for coping with pain, and learning to listen to our bodies and to the connection that exists between our physical symptoms, our feelings and our thoughts. Acupuncture can play a useful role as well. Even animal research has demonstrated that acupuncture therapy can reduce stress hormones levels.
Carlos Durana Ph.D., M.Ac. practices acupuncture in Reston, Virginia, Bethesda, Maryland and in Washington D.C.