Dear Patient,
A patient asked me, “It seems like when I’m really stressed, the needles hurt more. Is that real?”
It is very real, my dear.
When you are in a state of high stress, you involuntarily perceive everything as a threat. Disaster could strike at any moment so your nervous system tries to thwart any possible attack. It doesn’t have time to distinguish between a sharp, friendly acupuncture needle and a sharp, unfriendly knife, ax, broadsword, or spear. It’s easier, and potentially life-saving, to bypass your thinking brain and just have one standard-issue response to everything.
It’s the same with people. When we’re stressed, or triggered, or in a state where we can’t hold it together, it seems everyone is out to get us. Even the people closest to us. Especially the people closest to us. A well-intended gentle suggestion from a loved one becomes an existential threat.
Your nervous system is simply trying to keep you alive, dear patient. It helps if we can step away from inputs, even for a few minutes. Hide under the covers, lock yourself in the bathroom, put down your phone. The threat will pass. The needles won’t hurt every time.
Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist
Love this.