Addictive
behavior takes many shapes. One
person escapes with a drink to
slow down the thought/worry process;
another consumes themselves with
eating so that food becomes the
focus, and someone else drags
off a cigarette filling their
lungs, occupying their hands and
mouth, speeding the brain and
metabolism so they can zip
through any discomfort.
These
are all coping mechanisms that
we learn in periods of our
lives. We use them because they work.
For a while. They take us away
from our discomfort and into a
more pleasurable state. After
a while our bodies react, causing
liver disease, spots on a lung,
obesity, or worse, like loss of
brain tissue and function. This
more quickly becomes apparent
in someone using methamphetamine
or heroin.
Once
we decide that our behavior is
no longer achieving the desired
effects, and our body can no longer
stave off the serious ill consequences,
and our relationships are suffering;
we can stand to look for alternatives
to the unhealthy cycle we bought
into. Once we decide to forgo
that next hit, refuse that drink,
put down that pipe ~ stop
when we are full ~ ...we
must enlist help. Whatever that
is for us : support group,
detox centre, family involvement,
sober living environment, someone
to check in with and keep us
'honest' ; these are all our choices.
Acupuncture
has been proven to reduce the
stress level the body experiences
and to therefore ease the struggle
of our transition to a healthy
lifestyle. It works directly on
the Central Nervous System to
calm us and get us through those
rough times when a cigarette, a
cup of coffee, or a drink
or hit is all we can think of.
Another level acupuncture works
on is the organ level - stimulating
such organs as the lung, liver
and kidneys to rid themselves
of the toxicity they've been exposed
to and preparing them for
their new clean role.
Treatment
of Addictions Los Angeles
