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Report from our last meeting: Jamie Wolf reports on the "Addiction in America" meeting.
Addictions and acupuncture. Can Acupuncture help fight substance abuse? We asked Regina Walsh. In addition, a clinic in the Bronx is using acupuncture as its primary detoxcification method. Stress and your immune system Is stress responsible for that never-ending cold? Researchers think that stress probably reduces the functionality of the immune system.
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America: Addicted to Addictions Jamie Wolf reports from the February meeting
Mark Banschick began the session by discussing the epidemic of addictions facing America today. We then divided into two
smaller groups and discussed reasons for and possible treatment for addictions. The process began with a reading of a myth
from Ovid. Although thousands of years old, the myth still holds significant relevance by speaking of the insatiable hunger of
addiction.
My group discussed many forms of addiction, particularly the new opportunities available through the Internet, including
cybersex and the ability to create alternate personas through online sites. I truly enjoyed hearing the variety of perspectives
based on people's specialties. From more traditional psychotherapy to hypnotherapy to energy healing, the underlying themes
overlapped. Whether physical or emotional, addictions are fueled by a lack of "enoughness," leading us to strive for filling rather
than feeling. The integration of genetics and pathogens with emotion and other energetic forces epitomized the value of integrative
healing.
We ended the session by coming together and offering our addiction pamphlets to the middle of the circle as a symbol of hope.
Beginning with a silent meditation, [I can't remember her name!] initiated the addition of sound. As a group, we created sounds
of healing. I felt truly honored to stand in a room with such powerful souls; I felt the energy radiate and visualized its core at the
center of the circle.
In our own small way, we healed.
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Can acupuncture help people overcome addiction? Yes, according to Regina Walsh, M.Ac., L.Ac. who practices acupuncture in Bedford, NY and is a certified NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Associatio- www.acudetox.com ) addiction specialist. There are various acupuncture procedures that have been used to help, especially with detoxification. The main benefit of acupuncture is that it helps combat symptoms of withdrawal. Using acupuncture to treat addiction goes back hundreds of years and was used in China to treat opium addiction. According to Ms. Walsh, the procedure employed by NADA involves applying sterilized needles at five acupuncture points in each outer ear where they remain for up to an hour. The method used by NADA can be combined with other forms of addiction therapy, including the 12 Steps, counseling, behavioral-cognitive therapy and such. The Lincoln Recovery center in the South Bronx has been using acupuncture as its primary method of treating addictions since 1974. They have trained 3500 alcohol and substance abuse counselors in the NY metro area in using acupuncture when working with addicts. You can check them out at http://www.lc.capellauniversity.edu/~cc1362/. Reference: |
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