The BAcC's fact sheet on depression is not that encouraging, mainly because the many trials which have been conducted in China are not always as methodologically rigorous as they could be, and fall short of accepted western standards. Most compare the use of acupuncture alongside conventional medical treatment, and there are some small but encouraging signs that acupuncture, used with conventional medication, may prove effective.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, however, people who label themselves as 'sufferers from depression' do not form a homogenous group. When a patient describes what depression means to each of them as individuals a much clearer picture emerges, one which the diagnostic processes of Chinese medicine can sometimes make sense of within its own paradigm. The word 'appropriate' finds its way into a great many Chinese texts, the sense of being neither one extreme or the other, and many depression sufferers describe feelings which are constant and extreme. Just as, within its own paradigm, Chinese medicine aims to balance physical energies, so it also addresses mental and emotional energies, and has diagnostic language which both recognises and suggests treatment for 'stuck' patterns which affect the quality of someone's life.

This may all sound rather vague, but since each case of depression will manifest differently, the only clear guidance we can give is to suggest that you contact a BAcC member local to you for an assessment of whether they believe they could help your individual case.

Just as a small rider, the BAcC is not a service provider itself - it is a member organisation whose members work independently, mainly in a self-employed capacity.