ACUPUNCTURE & ADDICTIONS

Taking Your life back

As an adjunct therapy for fighting addiction, 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.

There are several components of acupuncture that aid in the quieting of compulsive behaviors. Acupuncture can help to detoxify the body of the chemicals that are causing the addictive component to be triggered in the patient, help to curb cravings, and can clam thoughtless actions, like reaching for a cigarette or a drink without thinking about it. Furthermore, acupuncture treatments release endorphins into the nervous system. Considered by many to be the natural “feel good” chemical of the human body, endorphins promote feelings of health, positive thought processes, upbeat attitudes, and promote the sense of general well being.

Many acupuncture patients report experiencing a feeling of calmness or even a faintly “buzzed” feeling after acupuncture. More than one patient has used the phrase “acupuncture glow” to describe the sensation they experience after their treatments, which can mirror the feeling many addicts experience when engaging in the behavior of their addiction, but without the compelling nature or harmful consequences of the addiction. Furthermore, endorphins are natural painkillers.

Additional Resources...

A Brief History of Acupuncture for Detoxification in the United States

Information, resources and weblinks pertaining to the treatment of various types of addiction through acupuncture

ACUPUNCTURE HOMEPAGE | DETOX