By AFEA member Mandy Laing
Over 15 years ago I worked for Bank America where I had a very busy and challenging job. I’m not sure why but I think I just accepted that being stressed in that job was normal and I had been ignoring all my symptoms – adrenal rush, palpitations, disturbed sleep, feeling on edge. It wasn’t until one day where my body just gave in and I was off sick for 6 months, that I realised I had to take better care of my body both physically and mentally. It really took me by surprise and it was a really tough time, it took me about 2 years to fully recover.
A UK-wide stress survey found that almost three quarters of adults (74%) have at some point over the past year felt so stressed they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. (Mentalhealth.org, 2018).
Are you someone that suffers with constant stress or moments of heightened stress? Do you try and ignore these feelings and just carry on like I used to? Or have you managed to recognise your warning signs telling you to ‘listen up’ and have a little routine for those times?
Stress is such a difficult emotion to understand and manage because it can be a totally different feeling from one time to another. On some occasions, you can feel totally trapped and unable to do normal tasks, but on other days you may not even realise that you’re suffering from stress. Do you think you are functioning at your best every day or are you living more days in a constant state of stress?
One of the big benefits of acupuncture is its ability to support people suffering with stress. Acupuncture doesn’t just focus on the symptoms you are feeling but takes into account your whole body to find the root cause of the problem. By addressing the root cause, it helps to heal and rebalance the mind, body and spirit. Every single person experiences stress in a different way, which means each acupuncture treatment is different for all my patients.
I help a lot of men and women who have very demanding jobs (like I had 15 years ago) so I totally understand the day-to-day challenges they are dealing with. This sort of work means you are constantly on high alert and rarely have time to calm your mind and re-focus your whole body to rebalance and re-energise.
I feel so fortunate that I am able to support so many other men and women who are constantly negotiating the same emotions that I used to. My patients love my treatments, not only from the immediate sense of relaxation but the long-term benefits of feeling stronger in themselves, thinking more clearly, having more energy and just feeling happier overall!
Did you know that acupuncture is actually a preventative medicine, which basically means if you have regular sessions it helps keep those feelings of stress at bay! Which is pretty fab, wouldn’t you say?
It’s such a shame I didn’t know this was an option all those years ago! Oh well, so happy to be able to share it with others now!
“Mandy immediately put me at ease with her caring and professional manner. even after only the first treatment, I felt a huge positive effect both mentally and physically which is difficult to describe but the sense of calmness, relaxation and almost an inner reassurance after each treatment was immense. I can honestly say that as well as truly feeling better in mind and body that the treatments with Mandy have given me, the opportunity to re-evaluate my life making some positive changes on my wellbeing.”
If you found this interesting and would like to find out a little more about using acupuncture to manage your stress levels, get in touch! My clinic spaces are located in Cheshire and North Wales.
