“It’s the best relaxation, an anti-anxiety drug I’ve ever had,” says Hank.
“It’s better than a Valium or Lorazepam or anything from the past.”
In fact, it’s not a drug at all.
Hank (not his real name) is talking about ear (“auricular”) acupuncture, a cornerstone of recovery for clients at the Substance Abuse Treatment Unit (SATU).
SATU, Connecticut Mental Health Center’s premier clinic for individuals with substance abuse disorders, offers a simple five-point ear acupuncture protocol to all of its clients. Some, like Hank, have been receiving the treatment for years.
EAR ACUPUNCTURE: A TOOL FOR RECOVERY
“This is a calling for me,” says Katurah Bryant, RN, LMFT, Associate Director of SATU and the founder and supervisor of the clinic’s acupuncture program. “It’s not a cure for addiction, but it is one tool in the tool belt for recovery that we’re trying to get clients to establish for themselves.”
One of the oldest healing arts in the world, acupuncture has been practised in Asia for thousands of years. Scientists don’t fully understand why or how it works. At SATU, says Bryant, “We don’t dwell on the ‘whys.’ We just know that clients seem to benefit from the intervention. It gives them some relief from symptoms of their addiction.”
For more information about acupuncture, visit the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
ACUPUNCTURE AT SATU
In 1991, Bryant was trained in the auricular acupuncture protocol at the Lincoln Recovery Center in New York City. Dr. Michael O. Smith developed the protocol there in 1970 and used it to treat people with addictions. He has since worked tirelessly to train new providers and promote the efficacy of ear acupuncture around the world.
After her training, Bryant was one of a small team of clinicians who worked with the State of Connecticut to establish the Acupuncture Detox Specialist Law. This law allows people who are not nurses or physicians to become certified in auricular acupuncture for the treatment of addictions. The Connecticut law follows National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol.
“The NADA 5-point protocol supports continued engagement in treatment,” says Bryant. “Ultimately, that’s the most important thing.”
At some point in their daily lives, clients will experience the “stimulus” that might lead them to reach for a drug.
“Acupuncture seems to widen their response time,” Bryant observes, “allowing them to think first and realize they don’t have to react to the stimulus. Instead they can use positive coping skills acquired in treatment.”
SATU, Connecticut Mental Health Center’s premier clinic for individuals with substance abuse disorders, offers a simple five-point ear acupuncture protocol to all of its clients. Some, like Hank, have been receiving the treatment for years.
“It’s very relaxing,” says another SATU client. “It’s a good excuse to sit for an hour and not think about anything.”
BRINGING EAR ACUPUNCTURE TO CONNETICUT
