Mental health is not just in your head.

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On October 10th, it is World Mental Health Day. A day that calls for global attention to our mental well-being.

Within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is no sharp distinction between physical and mental health. Body and mind constantly influence each other. That may sound abstract, but in daily life, we likely all recognize that interaction.

When tension manifests physically
A period of stress can manifest in various ways. Perhaps you sleep poorly, unknowingly tense your shoulders, or experience more frequent headaches. Conversely, prolonged pain and fatigue can significantly impact how you feel mentally.

An acupuncturist therefore does not view such signals in isolation. During an intake, they will ask not only where you feel pain but also about your sleep, energy, and emotional well-being. Not because every physical complaint has an emotional cause, but because all that information together tells something about how you are doing.

Emotions are part of it
Sadness, fear, anger, and joy are part of life. According to TCM, emotions that are present for a long time or are very intense can affect our physical balance. And that interaction goes both ways: physical exhaustion can also put pressure on our mental resilience.

The goal is not to avoid negative emotions. Sometimes sadness is just sadness, and anger is completely understandable. It’s about allowing emotions space and ultimately being able to recover and move on.

The Shen: how someone presents themselves
An important concept in TCM is Shen. It is often translated as ‘spirit,’ but encompasses more than that: our consciousness, our emotional presence, and the way we connect with the world around us.

An acupuncturist looks beyond the individual complaint. How does someone sleep? Is there a lot of unrest? How does someone recover after a busy period? Two people with the same complaints may have very different patterns from a TCM perspective and therefore may be treated differently.

Acupuncture as part of broader care
Acupuncture can be used for complaints where both physical and mental factors play a role. One distinction is important: acupuncture does not replace necessary psychological or psychiatric treatment.

Where professional mental health care is needed, that care should take precedence. Acupuncture can, when appropriate, be a complement. Good care also means knowing when collaboration or referral is necessary.

Care for the whole
World Mental Health Day is a great opportunity to reflect on how we feel. But perhaps also to look a little further. At sleep. At tension in the body. At energy and recovery. And at the signals that may already be present before we even say: I’m not doing so well.

Body and mind are not two separate stories. They belong to the same person.

Find an NVA acupuncturist
Curious about what acupuncture can do for you? An acupuncturist looks at your health as a whole, paying attention to both physical and mental aspects.

NVA acupuncturists meet high standards in terms of education and professional practice and maintain their expertise through regular continuing education.

Find an NVA acupuncturist near you and feel free to ask any questions.