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. New patients are able to observe the treatment process so that they do not fear the pain of needle insertion. Addicted persons are attracted by the opportunity to reduce their inner turmoil. Acupuncture detoxification is a non-judgemental, nurturing process. It blends well with most crisis counselling and long-term rehabilitation programmes.