Creating an Opportunity to Reflect : Ear Acupuncture in Anorexia Nervosa – Inpatients' Experiences
(2017) In Issues in Mental Health Nursing 38(7). p.549-556- Abstract
The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of receiving acupuncture as a complement in the treatment of anorexia nervosa at a specialist unit. Nine inpatients were interviewed, one to three times. The sixteen interviews were analysed with a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The main theme found was “Creating a pause, a framework for rest and reflection.” The participants described acupuncture to be an attractive part of the treatment, offering a pause in a very stressful situation. The relaxing effect was palpable. They described unusual calmness and a meditative state allowing them to think clearly and to reflect, and also positive physical sensations like getting warm. Anxiety decreased and gaining weight became easier to... (More)
The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of receiving acupuncture as a complement in the treatment of anorexia nervosa at a specialist unit. Nine inpatients were interviewed, one to three times. The sixteen interviews were analysed with a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The main theme found was “Creating a pause, a framework for rest and reflection.” The participants described acupuncture to be an attractive part of the treatment, offering a pause in a very stressful situation. The relaxing effect was palpable. They described unusual calmness and a meditative state allowing them to think clearly and to reflect, and also positive physical sensations like getting warm. Anxiety decreased and gaining weight became easier to endure. Participants appreciated acupuncture as an optional treatment that they could influence. The given frame for reflection allowed processing emotions, releasing control and seeing themselves as capable to relax. Where symptoms are intense and pharmacological treatments have modest effect, like in anorexia nervosa, adjunctive therapies that help manage symptoms deserve greater attention.
(Less)
- author
- Hedlund, Siiri
and Landgren, Kajsa
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2017-04-10
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Issues in Mental Health Nursing
- volume
- 38
- issue
- 7
- pages
- 549 - 556
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:28394647
- wos:000405806000004
- scopus:85017197962
- ISSN
- 0161-2840
- DOI
- 10.1080/01612840.2017.1303858
- project
- Psykiatrisk omvårdnad
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 009c5d5e-6bdf-4c9c-bb08-5932a01d5475
- date added to LUP
- 2017-04-26 13:48:24
- date last changed
- 2025-01-07 12:04:50
@article{009c5d5e-6bdf-4c9c-bb08-5932a01d5475, abstract = {{<p>The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of receiving acupuncture as a complement in the treatment of anorexia nervosa at a specialist unit. Nine inpatients were interviewed, one to three times. The sixteen interviews were analysed with a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The main theme found was “Creating a pause, a framework for rest and reflection.” The participants described acupuncture to be an attractive part of the treatment, offering a pause in a very stressful situation. The relaxing effect was palpable. They described unusual calmness and a meditative state allowing them to think clearly and to reflect, and also positive physical sensations like getting warm. Anxiety decreased and gaining weight became easier to endure. Participants appreciated acupuncture as an optional treatment that they could influence. The given frame for reflection allowed processing emotions, releasing control and seeing themselves as capable to relax. Where symptoms are intense and pharmacological treatments have modest effect, like in anorexia nervosa, adjunctive therapies that help manage symptoms deserve greater attention.</p>}}, author = {{Hedlund, Siiri and Landgren, Kajsa}}, issn = {{0161-2840}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{04}}, number = {{7}}, pages = {{549--556}}, publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}}, series = {{Issues in Mental Health Nursing}}, title = {{Creating an Opportunity to Reflect : Ear Acupuncture in Anorexia Nervosa – Inpatients' Experiences}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2017.1303858}}, doi = {{10.1080/01612840.2017.1303858}}, volume = {{38}}, year = {{2017}}, }