I want to share my story about why I decided to become an acupuncturist and herbalist. During my undergraduate studies I began to think about a career choice in the business world and how I could contribute to society. This experience was very exciting but also caused a lot of anxiety. I was thinking about working as part of a pharmaceutical marketing team. It seemed like a great career choice at the time because it was a job in my field of study that would be very stable. Of course, there were positive aspects of this opportunity but also some negative. I noticed that so many people are prescribed pharmaceutical drugs such as opioids and depressants. I found it so commonly placed, even amongst young people at the time. When seeking help for my own panic disorder and anxiety, I was prescribed an antidepressant and Xanax, a very commonly used drug. I did not want to take daily medications to change my symptoms. I knew there had to be a better way and began to do my own research.

I discovered more natural ways that could help my problem and started holistic treatments such as acupuncture. When I started to feel better, I knew there were so many more people facing similar issues. I was inspired to become an acupuncturist and herbalist because I wanted to help people feel better using a natural medicine. The National Institutes of Health estimates 2 million Americans are suffering from substance use disorders related to opioid pain relievers. The CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued the first national standard from prescription painkillers. The guidelines clearly recommend non-drug approaches such as acupuncture along with others to be a preferred method of treatment.