Using Spikes to Relax- Major Contradiction?

Acupuncture goes against everything us as humans have evolved to learn.
The basic evolutionary message: don't try and strike up a conversation with a being wielding spikes.
Our hormonal, fight or flight response is hard-wired within the core of our being to avoid them at all costs. I feel no desire to rush towards a porcupine with open arms yelling "stick me" nor direct the same phrase to a lion or puffer fish. I tried to pet a hedgehog once and just ended up with a bloody puncture wound on my finger.

So it seems, lying down in a submissive supine position in nothing but your skivvies covered by a gown and having a lady (in my case, but could be a gent) stick you full of needles while telling you to relax contradicts everything we have evolutionarily learned.

My mind tells me:
Porcupine- Not Friend, DO NOT RELAX!

Not Even This One (he's up to something...)

All I see here is DANGER DANGER:

This thing is MENACING!

I also have no strong urge to go hang out with a cactus. 

Other images that strengthen the contradiction of acupuncture being relaxing:

More unrelaxing things:

And yet this is perceived as warm and welcoming:

At least this one is cute

She's lovin' it!

Moral of the story- it seems very contradictory that having needles stuck in you is supposed to heal and relax whereas a prick from a lion fish would cause instant poisoning. I guess an evil acupuncturist with a vendetta against the world could poison his needles and take out a few patients too. How well DO you know your acupuncturist, anyway!?