Can Acupuncture Help with Depression? What does the research say?

According to Reuters Health, a new study suggests that people suffering from depression can receive the same benefits from acupuncture that they would from counseling to help their depression. The study looked at 755 people with depression and found that one in three people who received acupuncture or counseling did not have depression after three months, whereas people who were not receiving either treatment had a lesser chance of eliminating their depression. Another study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that electroacupuncture was just as effective as the antidepressant Prozac in reducing depression symptoms. Acupuncture is a safe alternative to prescription medications such as antidepressants and just as effective, if not more.

Sources:

www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/24/us-acupuncture-depression-idUSBRE98N17420130924 www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-acupuncture-treat-depression/