Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can support recovery from addiction in a range of ways. It can help to:
- Prevent relapse
- Support with withdrawal symptoms
- Prevent cravings
- Support with the ‘root cause’ of the addiction
How does it do this?
- Acupuncture is effective for treating pain: both chronic and acute. This is useful for treating:
- Certain withdrawal symptoms such as muscle aches and pains
- Chronic pain, which can be an underlying cause or contributing factor to the addiction itself. 50 – 60% of people with substance use disorders suffer with chronic pain.
- Acupuncture is very effective for calming the mind and for treating emotional imbalances. It is effective for supporting anxiety, stress, and insomnia. This can help to keep one from needing to rely on a vice, because the mind is more centred and settled.
- Science Direct also says that “Acupuncture normalizes dysfunctions of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway; and regulates neurotransmitters involved in drug craving.” http://tinyurl.com/mrycshz9
Finally, it is interesting that over 250 hospitals in the UK and USA use acupuncture to treat substance abuse… > http://tinyurl.com/f8w928ey
Some more research here: http://tinyurl.com/9hu33aed
These are just a few of the ways that acupuncture can support people recovering from addictions.
Tamsin Ana 