Restoring Emotional Balance: Acupuncture for Post-Loss Depression

Patient Profile

  • Name: Nolan
  • Gender: Female
  • Age: 57
  • Condition: Depression following bereavement
  • Symptoms: Persistent sadness, fatigue, generalized body pain, and insomnia
  • Medical History: No abnormalities found in conventional medical tests

 

Treatment principles:

  • Tonify the spleen and stomach
  • Promote qi and blood circulation
  • Soothe liver qi and calm the spirit

Acupuncture points selected:

  • GV20 (Baihui) – to lift yang and calm the mind
  • CV4 (Guanyuan), CV6 (Qihai), CV12 (Zhongwan) – to strengthen the spleen and nourish qi
  • CV17 (Shanzhong) – to regulate qi and open the chest
  • LR3 (Taichong) – to soothe liver qi
  • ST36 (Zusanli), SP6 (Sanyinjiao) – to tonify qi and blood
  • HT7 (Shenmen) – to calm the spirit and improve sleep

Treatment schedule:

  • Three acupuncture sessions on June 13, 20, and 29, 2023
  • Each session included acupuncture and moxibustion therapy

 

Treatment Outcome

Following the third session, Nolan reported:

  • Noticeable improvement in mood and emotional stability
  • Increased energy and reduced fatigue
  • Better sleep quality with fewer awakenings
  • Decreased body pain and tension

She expressed heartfelt gratitude by sending flowers to the clinic and shared that she felt “hopeful about life again” for the first time in years.

 

Clinical Insight

This case illustrates the profound impact of acupuncture and moxibustion in addressing emotional disorders rooted in energetic imbalances. By harmonizing the internal organs and calming the mind, TCM offers a gentle yet powerful approach to healing grief-related depression—especially when conventional medicine offers limited solutions.

TCM treatment of depression