One of the biggest health issues besetting the United States today is substance addiction. Interestingly, addiction to prescription drugs is a worse problem in this country than street drug addictions. Substance addiction can mean addiction to drugs, food and alcohol. Behavioral addiction may include addiction to gambling, internet browsing, and pornography, among others. Known treatments for addiction include counseling, twelve step programs and group therapy. One specific therapy that has been proven to work particularly for drug addiction and alcohol is Chinese medicine and acupuncture.
Based on statistics supplied by the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, the most addictive substance in the United States is alcohol. There are 18 million Americans who have issues with alcohol. With regards to drug abuse, about 20 million people in this country take drugs within the past 30 days. These statistics show that addiction is a huge problem in our society.
An addiction to something is a complex abnormality that impacts the brain. People who are addicted to drug or alcohol always seek out these substances even if they know they will adversely affect their health. Addictions can result in longstanding modifications to the chemistry of the brain causing the person to experience different mood disorders, anxiety, and problem in thinking clearly. In a lot of instances, if you do not get your fix, you will experience withdrawal symptoms.
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The aforementioned treatments for addiction (group therapy, twelve step program, and counseling) are available for people wanting to permanently kick their addiction. These conventional treatment programs have proven quite effective treatments. The problem with these therapies though is the risk of relapses and the continuation and even increase of the cravings. This is where Chinese medicine and acupuncture come in. These two Eastern forms of treatment modalities can help boost the effectiveness of the patient’s current treatment.
Chinese medicine and acupuncture are medical systems that have originated in East Asia to diagnose and resolve health conditions. They have been practiced in that region for at least 3,000 years. Throughout the years, acupuncture has consistently shown to help treat addictions. It was only in the early 1970s that acupuncture became a household name in the US. The best acupuncture treatment procedure for drug and alcohol addictions is auriculotherapy or ear acupuncture. Acupuncturists get consistent results from this type of acupuncture. These days, drug rehab centers and drug courts in the US have implemented acupuncture as an adjunct therapy for addiction treatment.
Any type of addiction can be effectively addressed with acupuncture but most especially drug and alcohol addictions. Acupuncture has the capacity to alter the physiology of a person’s body to enable the body to heal itself. Acupuncture can help resolve addiction symptoms such as:
-Insomnia
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Muscle cramping
-Sweats
-Nausea
-Body aches
-Cravings
-Withdrawal symptoms
Availing of a treatment program that is holistic in nature is important if you want to address the underlying root of your condition. This does not mean that you should abandon your ongoing conventional treatments. The best thing to do in order to get outstanding results is to integrate Chinese medicine and acupuncture into your current treatment. Your body’s ability to overcome the addiction will be significantly boosted.
Nutrition and exercise are also very important components to addiction therapy. Qi Gong, Tai Chi and other types of gentle exercise can help relieve anxiety and stress giving you greater balance in your life.
Based on the tenets of Chinese nutrition, it is important to have a balance in your diet. You need to consume several varieties of food group and colors. Vegetables and fruits are essential especially when you are trying to detoxify your body.
All in all, you need to remember that Chinese medicine and acupuncture along with conventional therapies for drug and alcohol abuse work in the treatment of drug and alcohol addictions.
Emily Farish is a licensed acupuncturist in Spokane, WA and the founder of Emily Farish Acupuncture.