Acupuncture

The ancient Chinese medical art of acupuncture has gained widespread acceptance in the U.S. since the early 1970s for treatment of depression, and obsessive compulsive disorders such as compulsive skin picking, dermatillomania, or body dysmorphic disorder.

The theory behind Traditional Chinese Medicine is that the body is composed of horizontal “meridians” where blood, fluids and energy (chi) flow and can stagnate. The intersection of these meridians with vital organs are where the very thin needles are inserted — the acupuncture points.

Some believe that acupuncture is only successful in treating symptoms of illness — not curing. Evidence for treatment of OCD and depression with acupuncture backs this up. Patients have reported periods of relief — sometimes lasting days — from acute bouts of depression or anxiety, but a true cure must come from more holistic methods including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, antidepressants, etc.