Acupuncture for "Americanitis" or "High Performer Syndrome"

“Americanitis” is a nickname given to neurasthenia, originated from an opinion that Americans are particularly prone to it. The term neurasthenia was first used by G. M. Beard in 1869 to denote a syndrome appearing from continuous emotional exhaustion and absence of proper rest.

Though it is no longer included as a diagnosis in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it is listed in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases.

Some of the symptoms of neurasthenia are poor sleep, headaches, dizziness, poor memory, panic, fatigue, apathy, tiredness, irritability and depression from exhaustion.

From our personal and clinical experience, a rare person in NYC does not have any of the mentioned above symptoms. Most of us in this city are wired for constant improvement, development, and professional and spiritual growth. However, with high performance comes even a higher responsibility to recharge.
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Acupuncture is used very often for resolving painful symptoms of neurasthenia. According to Chinese medicine this syndrome reflects emptiness of the heart, the lungs, the liver and the kidney meridians, caused by internal damaging factors and depletion of protective ability of the body. As a general treatment approach we usually tonify the meridians of the heart, lung, liver and kidney, though recipes are individualized. Acupuncture treatment is best performed in conjunction with quality rest.

In case of acute headaches and severe sleep disturbance acupuncture is advised at least once a week. Very often there is substantial relief right during the first session: the headaches go away, the clients fall asleep right during the treatment and they feel fresh emotionally.

In case when the symptoms are not lasting, it is still beneficial to get acupuncture at least once in 4-6 weeks. Most people find it more manageable in terms of their busy lives.