Skip to main content

WHAT IS THE NADA ACU-DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOL?

NADA Acu-Detoxification is a modality that assists recovery in many ways.

BIOCHEMICAL
Helps assists endorphin production for the capacity to cope with stress/craving. Helps assist the body’s natural detoxification and chemical production to relieve
withdrawal, craving, and other post-acute withdrawal symptoms.

PSYCHOLOGICAL
Acts as a balancing component of an overall treatment program.

* Physical and mental issues addressed no longer just psychosocial strategies.
* Clients internal resources are strengthened for enhanced sense of vitality and well being.
* Helps the individual strengthen their acceptance of the potential to stay clean.
* Client can experience internal relief from craving without external factors.

SOCIAL

Lets the client engage in treatment in a non-threatening way with few verbal commands.

* Important in early treatment when client may not be receptive to interventions.
* Client participates meaningfully in a peer support group from the beginning.
* While acupuncture detoxification creates vitality and strength, peer support allows nurturing.
* Anxious/suspicious clients sit quietly, safely and benefits in a group setting.

SUPPORTS THE COUNSELLING PROCESS

* Staff cast in friendly vs. adversarial role
without compromising the program.
* Produces cheerful and co-operative
atmosphere reduces violence and conflict.
* Clients are calmer and more focused for
participation in the counselling process.
* Easy re-entry for relapses.

ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE FOR CLIENTS WHO:

* May not be receptive initially to verbal counselling due to usage, withdrawal or other
factors.
* Are in denial and need to become more accepting of the need to be drug/alcohol free.
* Are in emotional distress, anxiety, depression, acute or post-acute withdrawal.
* Need a simple non-threatening yet structured opportunity to begin coping with chemical
issues before engaging in a more formal treatment program.

SUPPORTS ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS

* Ordinary legal/security measures not needed for this
safe procedure.
* Rapid, inexpensive and does not require medical setting.
* Very cost effective.
* Fits well into existing treatment facilities, only needs a
convenient space.
* Barrier free, including language. No waiting lists and
possible client loss.
* Extensive history often not needed, saving time, paper
and effort.
* Confrontation or corroboration of information often not
needed to begin with.

Clinical Effects of Acupuncture in Addiction

Patients Report:

RELAXATION

* Client says, I felt relaxed yet alert, or I could relax without getting high.
* Prevents physical and psychological overwhelm
* Relaxation provides relief from physical and psycho-emotional suffering which undercuts
the primary motivation to take psychoactive substances.
* If the treatment process can provide a pleasant form of relaxation
this helps support the client’s ability to develop trust in the treatment process and the
therapist.
* The process is non-verbal and caring which undercuts strong verbal barriers to entering
and remaining in treatment.
* Clients experience directly that they have the capacity inside their bodies to feel good
without taking drugs or alcohol, and develop trust in their body’s capacity to feel good and
to heal.
* Transference improves and is healthy.

STRESS REDUCTION

Substance miss-uses often have chaotic and stressful lives and they have
considerable tension and defensiveness created by the problems they face in
their lives. This reduces their ability to take advantage of therapy. Their
stresses will often overwhelm them causing them to drop out of treatment.

REDUCED CRAVINGS

* This is not substance specific.
* This effect is not tied to the resolution of personal problems.
* Craving substantially reduces a client’s ability to take part in a program and will frequently
result in drop out and relapse.

REDUCTION OF WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

* Effect is not substance specific.
* Symptoms surveys show 90% relief of withdrawal symptoms.
* Clients with larger habits will usually require 48-72 hours to find complete relief, but this is
relatively unimportant as long as they come back for treatment.
* 90% of clients will return voluntarily without further incentives.

Clinical Effects of Acupuncture in Addiction

OPTIONAL. Three general types of symptoms

* Flu like symptoms, which are short term, these will usually be eliminated in 24/48 hours.
* Symptoms of general toxicity of the nervous system, which has been weakened by chronic
substance intake: irritability, restlessness, headaches, anxiety, impatience, easily
frustrated, impulsive thoughts, depression, non specific physical pains, insomnia.
* Symptoms of metabolic toxicity, acidosis, dehydration, increased respiratory rate,
decreased volume of urination, high blood pressure, bone and muscle pain, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhoea-due to kidney and lung toxicity, increased white blood cell count-due
to removal of cellular waste and lack of appetite.

These symptoms occur when drugs are stopped, because drugs suppress the awareness of
the body of metabolic toxicity and thus suppress the indication of the disease and because
drugs suppress the metabolism and removal of toxic compounds and cellular waste.
Acupuncture aids the body to regain homeostasis in the detox process, drugs can rarely do
this.

CLEAR MIND, INCREASED SENCE OF PURPOSE.

Better Sleep Pattern

* Acupuncture will provide relief from most cases of insomnia in short term withdrawal and
support deeper more refreshing sleep in later withdrawal.
* This is an important asset to individuals being asked to experience greater sensitivity and
return of their active psychic life.
* Acupuncture helps promote REM sleep, which is usually disrupted by chemical abuse.
* Clients report less drug and alcohol dreams.
* Relief is not 100% and can be supported by herbal medications. Addicted patients are
frequently depleted and exhausted, this is expresses as low energy, fatigue, poor
digestion, low appetite, and can include sexual dysfunction and joint ache. These
symptoms often compound guilt and poor self image problems which frequently
characterise addiction. T.C.M describes these symptoms as deficiency symptoms which
respond to the tonifying effects of acupuncture. Hard core substance abusers are very
surprised to discover that these symptoms will improve and will also improve their
motivation.

PSYCHO-SOCIAL CHARCTERISTICS OF NADA PROTOCOL

A. It is a non-verbal process

1. The treatment will be just as helpful if the client is not truthful about usage.
2. The treatment will be just as helpful if the client is ashamed to speak about certain
issues.
3. The client will be able to learn about themselves and process troublesome issues more
gradually and comfortably.

B. The client can be engaged in helpful treatment even before they are able
to tolerate intense or personalised one to one comfortably

1. The process of transference can be delayed.
2. Needy, fearful clients can be engaged in treatment even before they can tolerate a
bonding relationship with staff.
3. Paranoid, antagonistic clients are able to accept help in spite of their lack of trust.
4. Clients with low self-esteem and a lack of hope can begin their treatment participation at
a realistic level.
5. Clients who are also trauma victims will be able to participate in treatment even though
they are fearful of interpersonal relations. Hence a much wider selection of clients can be
introduced to substance abuse treatment.

C. Acupuncture provides a solution to some of the paradoxical problems in
addiction treatment

1. Clients can be treated before assessment and diagnosis are completed so that clients can
be calm and co-operative enough for a useful diagnosis to be made.
2. Confrontation about drug use is not necessary because a client can be helped even while
they are in denial about the need for treatment
3. Developing trust between the therapist and client is much easier.
4. The client can relax without losing control. Indeed the whole program can relax

D. Acupuncture helps develop a meditation-like state

1. Clients become comfortable with their own thoughts.
2. Clients become comfortable with their own physical processes.
3. Clients learn to ‘let go’ of tension and pre-occupation’s.
4. Clients develop their own spatial comfort zone.
5. Clients learn that their private, internal process can be a source of strength and renewal.
6. Clients are able to remain comfortable while focused on present time activities.
7. The calm stability in the acupuncture setting creates a relatively timeless process. There
is much less pressure to improve according to guilt related standards.
8. Acupuncture treatment in a group setting creates an environment which is reassuring
and validating. As therapist’s we are welcome to join in this setting. We are able to be
supportive witnesses for the client’s development.
9. Hence clients listen, learn and remember without being overwhelmed by distractions
10. In summary, acupuncture helps the client participate in individual and group treatment
sessions more effectively.

E. There are two components to acupuncture treatment

1. A balancing process occurs almost immediately so that the client is more receptive to the
message of treatment.
2. Very anxious clients usually fall asleep during acupuncture treatment.
3. Tired, apathetic clients report an increased sense of vitality during and immediately after
treatment.
4. Most clients experience a relaxing and centring feeling.
5. As the number of treatment sessions increases, the client will feel relatively harmonious
most of the time.
6. Hence, experienced, successful clients will no longer fall asleep during sessions. The
client will also not need to have acupuncture as frequently to gain the same effect.
7. An outside observer might believe that acupuncture is less effective when the client no
longer falls asleep in the session. It is important to understand that just the opposite is
the case. Acupuncture treatments become more effective as time passes. The
phenomenon of tolerance which is so typical in pharmaceutical medicine is not present
with acupuncture.
8. The actual ‘message’ component of an acupuncture treatment often has a delayed onset
of several hours.
9. As the client becomes more balanced and receptive, this message become more effective
over a longer period of time.

F. Defending the mechanism of acupuncture as ‘stress relief’ is a
serious misunderstanding

1. ‘Stress’ is usually someone else’s fault, so that treating the victim of stress can only be
temporary at best, like giving a child an ice cream after a visit to the dentist.
2. All of our clients know that alcohol, heroin, cocaine is an excellent treatment for stress.
3. Acupuncture is valuable because it helps the client prepare for the future, not merely
cope with the past.
4. We should judge the value of an acupuncture session, not by the level of sedation during
or after the session, but rather by how well prepared the clients are for counselling,
group work and other challenges.

ACUPUNCTURE DETOXIFICATION OBSERVATIONS

BY THE CLIENT:

Greatly reduced cravings, greatly reduced stress
Much greater ability to solve problems in daily living
Creation of mental and physical stability
A drastic reduction of re-offending, criminal behaviour and violating supervision
Decrease in anxiety in and out of group settings
An internal experience leading to a responsible self-image
Relaxation either first time or the first time in recent memory
An ability to sit still and experience feelings
A sense of confidence that allows self-disclosure
A spiritual connection with others begins to resolve denial
Stability and continued abstinence after discharge
A strong desire to access and participate in 12-step peer support
Frequent voluntary requests for acupuncture protocol

BY THE STAFF:

Calmer, more co-operative
Better attention to material
Better retention of material
Less hostility
Reduction or elimination of medication
Less passive-aggressive behaviour
Less denial
Positive social interaction
Drastic reduction in re-offending or violating treatment rules