"My son and I started to receive treatment at Milwaukee Community Acupuncture in early December 2009. Being someone that had never tried alternative medicine before I was extremely skeptical of positive results but due to the difficult year both my son and myself had gone through I was willing to try anything to help us minimize our stress, achieve a complete night sleep and just be all around happier.
My son was diagnosed with severe depression/anxiety and suicidal thoughts in the summer of 2009. He had been hospitalized twice within 5 months due to his suicidal thoughts and put on a tremendous amount of medication. Although I believe the medication was necessary at the time I question the quantity and amount given to him. He gained 44 pounds within a 6 week period due to the medication and weight gain his self esteem was vanishing more and more every day. A dear friend of mine recommended acupuncture for both my son and I to help relieve some of the stress we were going through as well as just have a more positive outlook on life. I agreed and our first appointment was early December.
My son had his first treatment and I sat next to him and saw how very relaxed he was. I could literally see his breathing go from rapid and shallow to deep and calming. He slept for over an hour. It was probably one of the most relaxing hours of sleep he had had in an 8 month period. I told him on the way home that we would make another appointment the following week and I would do it with him. Again, I was apprehensive but would do anything at that time to help my son.
In the past 8-10 months my nightly sleep would be interrupted 6 out of 7 nights by waking up and not being able to get back to sleep. My mind would race and I would think about everything and anything and not be able to get back to sleep until about an hour before I would need to get up for work. Needless to say by the end of the week I was exhausted. After going to MCA for a few weeks my sleeping gradually got better and now maybe once per week if that I will wake up and not be able to get back to sleep right away. The time it takes to get back to sleep has decreased tremendously and I am able to sleep 6-7 hour most nights.
My son has gone from taking 5 different medications to 2 and we are gradually tapering off the last two one at a time. His spirits are better and he is much more relaxed. His anxiety is still there but he is able to control it on his own through breathing and his own positive energy.
Going to MCA is a semi monthly appointment for us and sometimes weekly. It is one of many appointments my son has and this is one that he has stated he doesn’t want to give up. It’s a time for us to do something for ourselves and in the end help communication between the two of us because of the positive effect it has on both of us.
Thank you Olive and Amy!"
- Anonymous Mother & Son
