Acupuncture as a Holistic Addiction Treatment
Since the early 1970s, addiction specialists have offered acupuncture to patients recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. As part of a holistic approach to treatment, acupuncture can aid in detoxifying the body of chemicals, reducing withdrawal symptoms, curbing cravings, and resolving imbalances in the body. In addition, research suggests acupuncture treatments release the "feel good" chemical, endorphins, into the nervous system, promoting an overall sense of comfort and well-being.
Acupuncture Proven Effective for Cocaine Addiction and Alcoholism
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that dates back 5,000 years. The focus of acupuncture treatment is balancing the "qi" (pronounced "chee") or the life energy of the body along the twelve major channels of the body known as meridians. When qi is blocked or imbalanced, illness and pain result. By placing extremely fine acupuncture needles into points along the corresponding meridian, acupuncturists are able to restore the qi to balance and allow it to flow freely again, thereby alleviating the symptoms of pain and promoting relaxation.
According to Chinese tradition, auricular acupuncture (placing five tiny needles near the outer rim of each ear) affects the liver, lungs, kidneys, and nervous system, and is the most effective method for the treatment of addiction.
In one controlled study by Yale researchers, acupuncture was proven to effectively treat cocaine addiction. Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the results showed that participants who received auricular acupuncture were more likely to have cocaine-negative urine screens over the course of the study compared to those in control groups. In addition to testing free of cocaine, those who completed acupuncture treatment also had longer periods of sustained abstinence compared to participants in the control groups.
"Our study supports the use of acupuncture for cocaine addiction and shows that alternative therapies can be combined with the arsenal of Western treatments for fighting addiction," said principal investigator and research scientist in psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, Arthur Margolin.
A study published in the British journal The Lancet demonstrated that acupuncture can also be highly effective in treating alcoholism. When treated with correct-point acupuncture or acupuncture at non-specific points on the ear, the 80 severely alcoholic participants relapsed 50 percent less in the six months following the experiment than members of the control group, and were admitted to detoxification centers half as often.
An Ancient Art in a Modern Setting
Because acupuncture has proven to be an effective adjunct to traditional therapies, more and more drug rehab centers and addiction treatment programs are offering acupuncture sessions and related healing arts and body-centered therapies.
When treating a disease as complex and pervasive as drug or alcohol addiction, it's wise to utilize every effective form of treatment possible. Acupuncture, which has no known adverse side effects, has proven to be beneficial in alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation when combined with traditional therapy. Though more research is needed, acupuncture is a promising ally in the battle against addiction.
"It's one of most hopeful things that's come along in my experience,'" Dr. Bernard Bihari, former commisioner of New York City's drug abuse services and head of Kings County Hospital's addiction unit, told The New York Times.