A Natural Treatment For Anxiety, Insomnia, and Stress

Mental Health in Modern Life

Are you looking for a natural treatment for anxiety, insomnia, stress, or another mental/emotional health concern? My name is Dr. Mackenzie Agnew, and I’m a Doctor of Acupuncture in Alberta, Canada.

I specialize in treating hormones, but there’s one thing 90% of my patients have in common that’s actually NOT hormonal imbalances. Can you guess? That’s right—some sort of emotional issue! Stress, anxiety, OCD, postpartum depression, etc. Do you relate?

This world we live in is HEAVY some days. To understand why so many patients struggle with their mental health, I have been doing some serious research on the effects of chronic, moderate-level stress in modern society. I get so tired of hearing people say that we have “first world problems” or that “you should be grateful you aren’t trying to survive like our grandparents”. YES, it’s true that 100 years ago, the stressors were survival-based and high stakes. But once those basic needs were met (food, water, shelter, security) the body could come out of its sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system state, and back into the parasympathetic (rest and digest) state.

Now, the majority of our society lives in their sympathetic nervous system FOR 60-80 YEARS with no breaks. I fully believe this is where all disease stems from, and certainly mental health struggles like anxiety, insomnia, and depression.

A Natural Treatment for Anxiety, Insomnia and Stress

I personally have experienced my own struggles with mental and emotional health. In this article, I’ll share my story, along with some clinical stories, that paint an optimistic picture about how to recover, cope, and even thrive, despite the difficult realities we all face daily. There IS a natural treatment for anxiety, insomnia, stress, and other mental struggles that’s safe, effective, affordable and drug-free. I can’t wait to tell you more.

Ready to learn how YOU can be free of your struggles with mental health, learn to cope when issues arise, and THRIVE?

My Own Mental Health Journey

My mental health journey started in early childhood. My VERY first memories from childhood are intrusive, OCD thoughts. When I was 5, my little sister was born, and I distinctly remember having intrusive thoughts like “what if I pushed her head and she died,” or “what if I pushed her onto the floor.” For anyone, but especially a 5-year-old, these thoughts were extremely disturbing and upsetting! I used to cry when these images came into my head. I didn’t know how to escape them or turn them off. I spent the next 20 years of my life battling similar thoughts.

These intrusive thoughts would range from thoughts about accidentally harming someone, to fears of germs, to existential questioning that left me in debilitating panic attacks multiple times a day for YEARS. They took control of my life and left me fearing myself.

Living with OCD

In my teenage years, I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which explained one thing very well: not only did I have these horrible thoughts, but I would have the urge to complete a “ritual” in order to make the thoughts go away.

This is very common with OCD; the brain tells you that in order for the thoughts to not become reality, you must touch things in a certain order, or clean things in a certain way, etc. About 60% of my day, every day, was filled with performing these rituals to prevent my obsessive thoughts from becoming reality. To give an example, I genuinely believed that I had to touch a door handle a certain way or else my mom would die that day.

With OCD, these thoughts feel SO real. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an extremely misunderstood condition. People think it’s just that we are clean and tidy and particular, but it is absolutely not that. We deal with intrusive, disturbing obsessive thoughts and beliefs that feel impossible to escape. It’s exhausting, crippling, and time-consuming. Through my teens and early 20’s, I felt totally alienated by my mental health. I felt like no one understood why I did certain things. I was embarrassed to have sleepovers or be around people for long periods of time because I didn’t want them to witness my rituals.

A Natural Treatment for Anxiety (Including OCD)

20+ years of living with this condition was horrendous, but I got through it, and I found the most unbelievable and unexpected solution that has truly changed my life.

In 2020, I got my hands on a CES Ultra device from Miridia Technology for the first time. My eyes well with tears as I think about how grateful I am for this technology. Before I tell you more about what the CES Ultra is, and what it does, let me tell you what it’s done for me.

Without changing anything else, my OCD has decreased by 80%. I would estimate that I now live with only 20% OCD, which seems to present itself only during the week before my period.

This is what my healing journey looked like:

• Month 1: Within the first 30 days of using the CES ULTRA 2x\day for 30. mins each time, I felt like my OCD INTENSITY has decreased. I felt like I still had intrusive thoughts, but they didn’t seem as urgent.
• Month 2: During the second month, I noticed that I was able to challenge my OCD thoughts. I was able to question the rituals, and NOT do them. This was HUGE!
• Month 4: The 4^th month is where I noticed SIGNIFICANT reductions. My OCD thoughts, which once were SEVERE, URGENT, DISTURBING and SO REAL, were now very distant. I felt like I was able to observe my thoughts versus feeling panicked to do the ritual. I began going DAYS without intrusive thoughts and without having to complete rituals. For the first time since I could remember, I began to create space and distance from my OCD.

So What is CES?

The CES Ultra is a Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) device that uses gentle and noninvasive electrical current to balance neurotransmitters in the brain. It is extremely safe, painless, easy to use, and INCREDIBLY convenient!

CES is backed by decades of research and has a robust safety record. It’s non-habit forming, free of harmful and long-lasting side effects, and works as well as or better than medication in many studies. It’s a NATURAL treatment for anxiety and insomnia!

Researchers have proven that CES therapy really does balance brain chemistry, even when they’ve directly tampered with it using drugs and chemicals. It increases serotonin, B-endorphins and melatonin, and decreases cortisol, the “fight or flight” hormone that keeps us stuck in anxious thought processes and patterns. It’s also FDA-cleared; a natural treatment for anxiety and insomnia!

Remember how we talked about the moderate-level stress so many of us experience every day? CES tackles that by addressing high levels of cortisol, increasing calming neurotransmitters, and helping re-map the brain to establish new, healthier ways to cope with future stressors. It’s like a giant “RESET” button for your nervous system! This is something EVERY one of my patients needs! (And YOU probably need it, too!)

You can use a CES device from the comfort of your own home, as often as you need it, simply by clipping on some ear clips and turning a dial. It feels way too simple, but I’m telling you, CES has changed my life. It could change yours, too.

The best part is, CES is exceptionally affordable, coming in at less than the average cost of 2 talk therapy sessions. You can also use it in conjunction with other therapies, lifestyle changes, and medicines.

Try CES Ultra risk free for 60 days>>

My Life Since CES

It has now been a little over 2 years since I started using CES Ultra, and I feel like I have a whole new brain. My mind feels so much calmer, my thoughts are typically pleasant, and I don’t spend my days completing rituals. For the past 6 months, I’ve used CES Ultra for 30 minutes about 5x\week. I truly believe that the CES Ultra has healed my brain, and created new pathways and connections in my mind. I am beyond grateful for my healing journey with my mental health. 

Even though I’m typically very open with my journey with all aspects of my health, letting others into my OCD thoughts still feels so vulnerable for me. But I want others to know that mental health conditions aren’t death sentences. There are ways to heal. There are ways to feel safe. There are ways to overcome, cope, and even thrive.

CES & My Patients

So, now, let me tell you a little bit about what I have seen in my practice since offering CES therapy to patients DURING acupuncture treatments! 

I began using CES during my treatments a little over a year ago. So many patients are seeking a natural treatment for anxiety, so CES has been the coolest addition to my practice. I simply offer CES Ultra while my patients rest with needles in place. I clip on the ear clips and let them relax while the CES works its magic. Common conditions I have treated with CES Ultra include:

• Postpartum
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• High levels of stress
• Kids with parents who are going through a divorce 
• Grief 
• University students going through exams
• Athletes before big sporting events 
• OCD 
• Anxious thoughts around food (anorexia recovery) 

Although CES Ultra is only FDA-cleared for anxiety and insomnia, I love to use it in my practice to see what other patients can benefit from the relaxing, stress-relieving, nervous system resetting properties of the device. 

Clinical Success Story with CES

I’d like to share the success story of a patient that’s near and dear to my heart. The patient was a 61-year-old man, retired for 3 years, and had experienced insomnia for the last 15 years. He would often sleep from 10pm-12am, then be up from 12-3, sleep from 3-5am, then get up for the day. Living on 5 hours of sleep for 15 years really takes its toll.

This patient was a high-level accountant who had a very hefty workload in his career years. Since retirement 3 years prior to coming to my clinic, he had been focusing on his health. He came to me asking for support with his insomnia.

After completing a typical acupuncture treatment, I asked him to take my CES device home with him and use it 2x\day for the next 2 months. After the first 6 days of using the CES Ultra device, I got an email from him saying…

“Mackenzie, I hope this doesn’t jinx it, but I think I slept through the night for the first time last night….”

After that first night, he spent about 2 weeks with improved (but still not fantastic) sleeping patterns. We kept at it. Longstanding patterns take time to fully heal! Finally, after 4 weeks of weekly acupuncture treatments and daily CES Ultra, ****drumroll**** he experienced 7 days in a ROW of solid sleep! After 2 months, this patient no longer considered himself an insomniac. He continues to sleep well to this day.

This Could Be You

You’ve heard about my own success story, and now you’ve heard about my patient’s. What if this could be you, too?

Do you struggle with any form of anxiety (including OCD, panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, etc)? Are you seeking a natural treatment for anxiety? Do you struggle with your sleep, or have insomnia? Do you suffer from chronic stress and feel like your nervous system needs a big RESET?

CES Ultra may be the simplest, most effective, most underrated thing you can do for your mental health from the comfort of your own home. You can work it into your routine. Use it daily, or use it once a month. CES is there for you when YOU need it. And it really, truly works.

Remember that you do NOT have to spend life suffering. Our bodies are designed to feel good! 

Over and out!

– Dr. Mackenzie, Dr Ac. 

*This article is written for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. Always work with a qualified healthcare provider when making decisions about your health and wellness.