Mental Health and Covid-19

What is Mental Health

Mental health is a person’s psychological, emotional and social well-being. It determines how a person can handle situations, relate to other people, and make choices, it also effects how a person thinks, acts and feels. Many factors can contribute to difficulties with a person’s mental health, these include;

• Family History of mental health issues

• Life experiences (e.g. abuse and trauma)

• Economic and social circumstances (unemployment, living in low-poverty)

Mental health illnesses account for nearly a quarter of the total ill health in the UK!

Mental Health and Covid-19 pandemic

Analysis has found that mental health has deteriorated by 8.1% on average as a result of the pandemic. The drivers of this worsening have been identified as;

A persons’ experience of mental health will be personal to them. Some common mental health conditions that were affected during the pandemic include:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Eating problems

• OCS

• Personality disorders

• Bipolar disorder

• PTSD

• Psychosis

• Self-harm and suicidal feelings

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Due to Covid-19 people with fragile mental health can develop psychiatric disorders, and past mental health issues can be triggered by contracting Covid-19, witnessing others that have contracted the virus and even just imagining and fearing that they or others will contract it.

In TCM a person’s physical health and emotions are closely connected, and emotional imbalances are both symptoms and causes for physical issues. Emotions in TCM are associated with a specific organ system in the body, as follows;

* Liver – Anger

* Kidney – Fear

* Heart – Joy

* Lung – Sadness and grief

* Spleen - Worry

In TCM, Covid-19 has been shown to impair the Lung, Spleen and penetrate further to the Heart, Liver and Kidney systems, thus affecting the emotions listed above. So, by treating the relevant organ systems it will help with both the physical and emotional symptoms associated with Covid-19.

Acupuncturists diagnose the mind and body imbalances based on the presenting signs and symptoms of the individual and develop a treatment plan accordingly. Making it a completely individualised treatment for each person.

If you have any questions or want to book in for a consultation, please get in touch!