Pubdate: Sun, 16 Dec 2007
Source: Fort Collins Coloradoan (CO)
Copyright: 2007 The Fort Collins Coloradoan
Contact: http://www.coloradoan.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.coloradoan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1580
Author: KELLI LACKETT

ACUPUNCTURE-BASED PILOT PROGRAM HELPS FIGHT ADDICTIONS

Mike Allen had tried to stop drinking before.

And he'd succeeded for a few months at a time. But he always went 
back to the bottle.

That was until he was arrested on a drug charge, served a short time 
in jail as part of a probation sentence and then started receiving 
acupuncture this spring while on probation.

Allen said the acupuncture helped with the physical symptoms of 
withdrawal and supplemented the work he was doing through recovery 
groups and counseling.

"When I would go through withdrawal before, I was at risk for 
seizures. I'd have tremors for a good month. For the first three 
weeks, my hands would shake so much it was hard to sign my name," 
Allen, 47, said.

With acupuncture, he saw those withdrawal symptoms - as well as a 
"sour stomach," insomnia and anxiety - disappear much faster, putting 
him in a better place to focus on the other aspects of recovery.

"Your mind is fogged for months after you stop drinking. (The 
acupuncture) allowed me to get centered to get more out of recovery 
than I would have otherwise.

"I haven't had a drop in 11 months - no alcohol, no drugs, no 
prescription medicine," he said.

A joint effort

Allen was one of 30 clients of three agencies who received 
acupuncture as part of a voluntary pilot program started in March. 
Fort Collins licensed acupuncturist Abbye Silverstein treated the 
clients in the joint venture of Larimer County Community Corrections, 
the state 8th Judicial Probation Department and Larimer County 
Department of Human Services.

A high percentage of offenders who have been through the criminal 
justice system have substance abuse problems, said Les Rudner, 
probations supervisor for the state 8th Judicial Probation department.

"We were seeing offenders with substance abuse problems coming back 
through the system again and again. We were trying to look at what we 
could do that we weren't doing now to prevent present relapses. When 
I started doing the research, one thing that came up was 
acupuncture," Rudner said.

Research in other communities has shown that offenders who receive 
acupuncture as part of a recovery program were more likely to 
complete treatment for substance abuse. And there were lower 
re-arrest rates among those who received acupuncture in 
court-mandated programs.

"This is not something we are using because it feels good. The 
purpose is to help them stay clean and sober and be law-abiding 
citizens," Rudner said. "It's another tool we can use to help keep 
them from relapsing."

The pilot program was so successful that Silverstein has been asked 
to continue providing acupuncture. Scheduling has been difficult for 
probation and DHS clients, so since the pilot program Silverstein has 
primarily treated men from Community Corrections' 45-day Intensive 
Residential Treatment program for offenders with substance abuse 
problems and its aftercare program, which can last up to six months.

The acupuncture supplements existing recovery programs such as 
counseling, 12-step programs and other support programs.

Silverstein is also treating some women in the Community Corrections 
residential facility.

 From detox to recovery

On a recent Wednesday evening, a half dozen men and women gather in a 
room at the Community Corrections residential facility.

As she chats with each client, Silverstein starts sticking five small 
solid, disposable needles into each of their ears.

Silverstein employs a 30-year-old acupuncture protocol developed for 
by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association in 1979 for 
helping people to detox from drugs and alcohol. It has since been 
shown to be effective in relapse prevention.

The clients relax with the needles in their ears for about 45 minutes.

Each needle stimulates an internal body organ or function of the 
central nervous system that work together to creating a state of 
natural relaxation.

"We gave her a nickname - Pokey," said Ray Cole, who was accepted 
into the IRT program after spending 3 years in prison.

Cole said he has been addicted to cocaine and alcohol for years. He 
said acupuncture has made a world of difference compared to the last 
time he went through a recovery program at a halfway house.

"I just got out and was on probation and I went straight to the 
liquor store," he said. "Now when I go into the community and I can 
look at a liquor store and I don't feel anything."

Silverstein charges Community Corrections $7 per treatment, per 
person in the program. The IRT program, which is funded by the state, 
pays for acupuncture for clients in the 45-day IRT program. But 
aftercare clients and the women in Community Corrections must 
contribute $3 per treatment.

Overcoming fear

Several of the men in the room, who are in the IRT aftercare program, 
admit that they were skeptical, if not downright scared, of receiving 
the treatment at first.

"I used cocaine, meth and alcohol. I was an IV drug user for 30 
years," said 50-year-old Manuel Montez. "During the two years in 
prison, I craved it every day.

"I thought, 'Why would some needles in my ears help? How's that going 
to stop my cravings?' "

"Manuel was our scaredy cat," Silverstein jokes. "He always said he 
wanted to be last (to get the needles put in). Then I'd come back and 
he'd be snoring."

After five days of acupuncture treatment for six weeks, Montez said 
he was better able to handle stress.

"I'm calm. The high stress situations don't go away but I don't have 
as many cravings."

Acupuncture is the oldest continuously practiced medical system in 
the world. Originating in China more than 3,000 years ago, 
acupuncture treats the whole person - body, mind and spirit.

"True rehabilitation means treating the whole person," said Ruth 
Carrothers, victims services coordinator for Community Corrections.

Lisa Smerker has only been receiving acupuncture for two weeks, but 
she has already noticed a difference. Addicted to alcohol and 
methamphetamines for six years, she said staying clean for the past 
month and a half would have been even more difficult without the acupuncture.

"With meth, it's all you think about. It's a trigger drug. You hear a 
song and you think about it," Smerker said.

Now, "I don't think about drugs," Smerker said. "Even cigarettes 
don't taste nearly as good as they used to.

"I'm better able to focus on pretty much everything."
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