It has been observed that acupuncture facilitates other treatment programmes and has been adopted by methadone and drug-free programmes alike. The study of acupuncture treatment for alcoholics conducted during 1984 and 1985 by Hennepin County Hospital in Minnesota was particularly impressive with its clear-cut positive results. It used a placebo protocol. Positive results have been obtained using acupuncture detoxification of patients dependent on cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine or alcohol. Drug addicts are impressed by the fact that daily acupuncture can relieve withdrawal symptoms as reliably as the drugs they use.
Acupuncture detoxification is a very convenient treatment modality for a patient.
The actual process of acupuncture takes several minutes per patient. It has been learned that for each patient the same set of acupuncture points should be used at each visit, regardless of the type of drug that has been abused. The best acupuncture results are obtained when patients receive treatment in an open-group setting, in which they are able to relax easily. Some women hold their small babies in their laps during treatment. Children usually remain calm in this type of setting, and no one is distracted.