Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 141
The study was conducted to assess the effects of acupressure treatments on the levels of depression and anxiety of psychotic patients.
Six patients with severe manifestations of anxiety and depression, received acupressure treatments on a weekly basis over 12 sessions, the period comprised the winter break. Their medication was not altered during that period. The same sequence of points, devised by Master Zhang Hao (Chi Chinese Healing College, Sydney, Australia) was applied to each person. The ASI (Anxiety Status Inventory) and the HAM-D (Hamilton rating scale for depression) scales were performed prior and subsequent to the whole procedure.
The results show a statistically significant reduction of anxiety symptoms (P < 0.015) and an improvement on the levels of the depressive manifestations. After each session, the patients expressed a sense of well-being and ‘lightness’. At the end of the series, five subjects said they would like to continue, and had improved their psychosocial profile. After the 2-week winter break all of the patients showed a remarkable low emotional state, moxa sticks were then used on points to stimulate kidney and spleen meridian systems; their sense of well-being and joy was heightened when using moxa sticks.
Acupressure treatments were a useful means to significantly reduce anxiety symptoms and moderately reduce depressive symptoms in psychotic patients in this small sample; further studies are necessary to extend these conclusions. Nevertheless, this is an example of the possibility of complementing therapies with efficiency, low costs and no side-effects.
