As a complementary therapy, along with a good 12 step program and counseling, acupuncture can be a powerful tool in fighting addictions to drugs and alcohol, including prescription drugs. Acupuncture can be very successful in helping to curb the chemical addiction and behavioral compulsions that feed a person's addiction to harmful substances or habits. Whether the nature of the addiction is chemical in nature, such as in the cases of substance abuse, alcohol dependency, food addiction and smoking, or behavioral like gambling, compulsive lying, or sex addiction, acupuncture can help to address the root problems and systemic imbalances in the body and provide a useful tool in cessation of the addiction.
HOLISTIC ALCOHOL TREATMENT
ACUPUNCTURE ADDICTION TREATMENT
Acupuncture truly does help people recover from drug and alcohol addictions and is used in clinics through the United States. Acupuncture can decrease cravings for your drug of choice, reduce withdrawal symptoms, lessen tension, and help you relax and quiet your mind. Acupuncture treatments clear the mind, boost energy, and give a person a sense of well being.
According to Chinese tradition, placing acupuncture needles in the ear affect specific organs such as the liver and kidneys. Western science has confirmed that acupuncture treatments change levels of chemicals in the body and act on the nervous system. Acupuncture itself is not a substitute for therapy but is used in addition to counseling and self-help programs.
How it all began - One day in the early 1970's, H.L. Wen, MD., then the only neurosurgeon in all of South China and Hong Kong, was preparing to use electro-acupuncture as surgical analgesia and the patient, who happened to be experiencing withdrawal symptoms from opium at the time, reported his symptoms had disappeared. Wen canceled the surgery and scouted the hospital for other patients in withdrawal. He gave his pre-op procedure to them and their symptoms also ceased. Acupuncture for substance abuse was born.
ALTERNATIVE ALCOHOL TREATMENT
EAR ACUPUNCTURE ADDICTION TREATMENT
Auricular Acupuncture is acupuncture in the ear and is derived from the Chinese medicine theory of recovery. There are five designated points that correspond to body organs, which are stimulated to lessen the cravings and withdrawal symptoms experienced by addicts during stages of recovery. These five points are:
- Lung
- Shenmen
- Kidney
- Liver
- Sympathetic
Auricular acupuncture is especially effective in reducing cravings, helping insomnia, anxiety, depression, ADD and helps to heal the organs of the body that have been damaged by drugs or alcohol. It has proven to increase the body's natural production of endorphins and aid in the alcohol addiction recovery process.
KEY POINTS
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE HELP
TREAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES?
- Acupuncture can help to detoxify the body of the substance that triggers the addictive component.
- By calming the mind and one's compulsiveness, acupuncture can also help to address the behavioral nature of addiction.
- Acupuncture has been shown to increase will power to help you stay clean.
- Acupuncture can help reduce cravings for your drug of choice.
- Acupuncture can help with unwanted side effects of detoxing such as nausea, vomiting, diarhea, extreme irritability, and insomnia.
- Acupuncture treatments release endorphins into the nervous system. Endorphins promote feelings of health, positive thought processes, upbeat attitudes, and promote the sense of general well being.
- Safe and natural, there are virtually no adverse effects of acupuncture treatments.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FOR MY FIRST
ACUPUNCTURE ADDICTION TREATMENT?
Your acupuncturist will go over your medical/health history with you, perform what we call a TCM diagnosis (tongue and pulse diagnosis), and then insert 5 sterile, painless, hairlike needles into specific areas on both ears. After that you sit (or lie down) and relax for 30 - 40 minutes with the needles retained in your ears. The experience is quiet and relaxing, contrary to what you might think, and most people report feeling calm, relaxed, and slightly euphoric after the treatment. It is a very powerful and sometimes cathartic experience that has a very strong potential to help you get and stay sober.
CALL US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
954-586-2273
Learn more about how acupuncture works at the Frequently Asked Questions About Acupuncture section, or call 954-586-CARE for a Free Consultation.
