Treatment for Addictions

Since the mid-1970s, acupuncture has been used to treat many common drug addictions as an alternative to methadone. A simple five-point auricular technique became known as the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) Protocol, a method of healing now being used at healthcare facilities and addiction treatment centers across North America.

A study recently published in the Journal of Urban Health provides convincing evidence that the NADA Protocol is not only effective in the treatment of substance abuse, it is also safe, easy to perform, and far less expensive to administer than other, traditional methods of detoxification.

According to Dr. Patricia Janssen, an epidemiologist at the University of British Columbia, “Acupuncture is not ‘alternative’ in many parts of the world. It’s mainstream. . . . It helped people reduce the side-effects of substance withdrawal, so it’s one more tool that we have to help people withdraw from drugs.”

Awesome Alternative Health is proud to offer the NADA Protocol for detoxification and to treat drug addicition.

The five ear points are only part of the entire NADA Protocol. In addition, an open, client-centered spirit is an essential part of the process. It takes the client wherever he or she is, and helps that person get clean.

The NADA Protocol works in concert with Western medicine protocols, and can be integrated into other psychosocial interventions such as counseling, education, family involvement, mutual support group involvement, and supportive health care of a general nature.

Patients in all types of treatment settings including inpatient, outpatient, incarcerated, shelters, harm-reduction, and street outreach can benefit from this treatment.

Patients report that:

• It is calming. Sleep is improved.
• It clears the mind. It centers one’s attention and allows the patient to complete tasks and become more receptive to learning.
• It helps reduce cravings, and diminishes symptoms of withdrawal. It also helps retain people in the treatment process and supports recovery.
• Patients change and become more comfortable with themselves.

The NADA Protocol is simple yet quite effective—not only for treating drug addiction, but also for reducing stress.

Dozens of studies have documented the effectiveness of the NADA protocol. Among the benefits reported by patients and health care providers are: improved retention in drug treatment programs; more optimistic attitudes about detoxification and recovery; reductions in cravings and anxiety; fewer episodes of sleep disturbance; and reduced need for pharmaceuticals.

While the NADA protocol is an important component of any detoxification program, it is by no means the only component. A patient’s behavior and attitude, along with the perceptions of the clinician delivering care, are also integral to successful treatment. The NADA protocol is often used with other treatment modalities, such as counseling, support groups and self-help programs, to increase the overall effectiveness of care.

In the mid-1970s, Michael Smith, a medical doctor at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx area of New York, modified an existing system of auricular acupuncture into a simple technique for the treatment of many common drug addictions as an alternative to methadone. This selection of ear points proved to be extremely effective in the treatment of addictions, and became what is now referred to as the “NADA protocol.”

NADA was founded in 1985 by Dr. Smith and others who were interested in promoting the integration of the protocol in the treatment of addiction.

Addicts treated with the NADA protocol often report an improved sense of well-being. Clients often state that they feel “energized,” “lighter” and “more relaxed” after undergoing a session. Some practitioners assert that the insertion of the needles also provides a non-verbal tool, which allows patients to sit in a safe, supportive environment, and helps them prepare for the next step in the detoxification process.