One of the largest health problems that many people face at this time are addictions. There has been a particular problem with addictions to prescription medications around the United States. Addictions can include alcohol, drugs, food, pornography, and prescription medications. There are many different treatment methods for addictions such as group therapy, twelve step programs, and counseling. One particular treatment that has been shown to be effective especially for alcohol and drug addictions is acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
There is a rise of alcoholism and drug abuse all around the country. According to the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependance, alcoholism is the most common addictive substance. There are over 17.6 million people in the United States who have problems with alcohol. There have been also 20 million people in the United States who have use drugs within the past 30 days. This poses a large problem in our society.
An addiction is a complex disorder that affects the brain. It is characterized by always seeking for alcohol or drugs despite the harmful damages to the body. Addictions can cause long-term changes to your brain chemistry causing you to feel like you cannot think clearly, anxiety, and different mood disorders. Many times if you cannot get what you are seeking for you will feel different withdrawal symptoms as well.
So what are some of the treatments of addictions? There are several different treatments such as group therapy, individual counseling, and twelve step programs. All of those traditional treatments have been shown to be effective treatments. However, one such problem that we face is the possibility of relapses and continuing to have those cravings. That is where implementing acupuncture and Chinese medicine within your current treatments has been shown to be effective.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a complete medical system that diagnoses and treats disease. It has been utilized for over 3,000 years. Acupuncture during the years has been shown to be also effective for addictions. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that acupuncture was made more public here in the United States. During that time there was a clinic in Lincoln, New York that utilized auricular acupuncture for the treatment of alcohol and drug addictions. The clinic saw great results. Since then there have been programs such as drug courts and treatment centers around the United States that have implemented acupuncture as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of addictions.
Acupuncture is able to help with any type of addiction, but it is mostly used for alcohol and drug addictions. It is able to change the physiology of your body to enable your body’s self-healing capabilities. Acupuncture can help you with:
• Withdrawal symptoms
• Cravings
• Body aches
• Nausea
• Sweats
• Muscle cramps
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
It is important to have a holistic treatment for your treatment program. You should still do all of the traditional treatments, but also implement Chinese medicine as part of your program. Your capability to overcome the addiction will be greatly enhanced.
Exercise and nutrition is an important component of addiction therapy as well. Exercise such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong can help you reduce your stress and anxiety and feel more balanced in your life.
Good nutrition is equally as important. According to Chinese nutrition it is important to each in a balance way. You should eat many different colors and a variety of food groups. Fruits and vegetables are important especially during the detox period. Fruits and vegetables can help you to detoxify your body. So it is important to each plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Overall it is important to remember that acupuncture and Chinese medicine in conjunction with traditional therapies for alcohol and drug abuse has been effective for the treatment of alcohol and drug addictions.
