The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association was founded in 1985. Its mission is simple: advance the evidence-based use of acupuncture for the treatment of addiction disorders. The organization was founded by Dr. Michael Smith of New York’s Lincoln Hospital, along with a cadre of other medical professionals. Its acronym, NADA, was chosen to reflect the organization’s outlook on the need for potentially dangerous levels of methadone use in the process of addiction recovery.
Dr. Smith, a pioneer in the use of acupuncture to assist with addiction recovery, had previously developed a five-point protocol of auricular acupuncture. This minimally invasive protocol incorporates five important points on the ear, each of which has long been used by traditional acupuncturists to promote calmness and relaxation. By the time of NADA’s incorporation, Smith was experiencing high success rates with his five-point protocol, and was able to avoid the use of methodone entirely for many of his patients.?
Michael Smith’s technique was built off of early experiments with mild electrical stimulation, which was applied to those same points of the ear. Initial results were promising: patients experienced reduced cravings, lower anxiety levels, and more restful sleep. Subsequent efforts showed that the application of manual acupuncture techniques produced the same effects, but more profoundly; additionally, the effects of acupuncture lasted much longer than those of electrical stimulation. These benefits are all derived from a safe and painless procedure, with none of the side effects often associated with modern medicine.
Sound Healing and Acoustic Therapy: The “Didge” in AccuDidge
Acupuncture aside, there are other holistic therapies which also involve non-invasive applications to the human ear. One which stands out is a type of acoustic therapy incorporating mostly low-frequency sounds, which causes therapeutic vibrations within the basilar membrane. The basilar membrane is a thin layer of membranous tissue within the cochlea, which is sandwiched between two fluid-filled tubes. It picks up low-frequency sounds, including those produced by vibrations in the skull.
This particular technique is sometimes referred to as “sound healing.” much like acupuncture, it has demonstrable effects in terms of the relief of anxiety, the reduction of cravings, and the improvement of an individual?s sleeping pattern. Coupled with the incorporation of other addiction recovery methods, such as dialectical behavioral therapy, this relief of symptoms can assist with an individual’s ability to focus on the development of healthy coping skills.
On its own, sound healing has been proven to reduce stress, itself a frequent contributing factor in the development of addiction; there is even evidence of its direct benefits for individuals suffering from a variety of painful physiological conditions. However, there is little cause for restricting a client?s healing treatment to acoustic therapy alone. West Coast Recovery Centers has pioneered an innovative form of addiction recovery therapy, one which combines the five-point protocol with the sounds produced by the didgeridoo. This traditional Aboriginal instrument, which has long held an important part in healing rituals and diplomatic ceremonies throughout the Pacific, produces the same range of low-frequency sounds long associated with a calmer and more relaxed state of mind.?
Studies Suggest AccuDidge Empowers Self-Improvement Skills
Barbara Seymour is a licensed associate counselor and a specialist in the treatment of addiction disorders. She has worked closely with West Coast Recovery Centers on the development and refinement of AccuDidge. Her complementary therapeutic treatment offers consistent, clinically demonstrable results: individuals who receive AccuDidge therapy experience reduced drug dependency, are able to control their cravings more efficiently, and are able to achieve healthier levels of sleep for longer than those who rely purely on methadone.?
Combined with other traditional holistic approaches to healing, behavioral therapies designed to treat addiction disorders, and other mindfulness-based treatment techniques, AccuDidge has reduced the already low rate of relapse with mindfulness-based therapy still further. It has been shown to speed up full addiction recovery, and to make the overall process much less uncomfortable for individuals who are facing the many challenges that a strongly-rooted addiction presents.?