OCT. 28, 1998
Page B4
Stye ^ n rtla n ò (©bserürr
B ody, (J iin d & SpÎTÎt
The N a tu ro p a th ic T re a tm e n t of A d d ictio n s
by
J ennifer M eans , ND, L.A c
Treatment o f addiction is as com
plex as the disease. Many factors can
play a part: Genetics, metabolic dis
turbances, horm onal imbalances,
nutritional deficiencies and emotions.
In naturopathic medicine, we look
at the whole person and treat all the
aspects o f his or her health. One of
our fundamental principles is to look
for the underlying cause o f illness.
Naturopaths have tools that help
people detox. Nutritious, non-addic-
tive herbs ease cravings and soothe
withdrawal symptoms. Nutrition as
sists the organs to function and nur
tures the body toward health. Mas
sage and hydrotherapies encourage
relaxation and help the body shed
toxins. Therapies such as guided
imagery and hypnotherapy can help
address the psychological and spiri
tual aspects o f addiction. Homeopa
thy can be used to alter the energetics
o f the whole person.
Recovery from addiction usually
occurs in three overlapping phases -
withdrawal, initial recovery, and re
establishment o f health.
During withdrawal, treatment is
aimed at alleviating symptoms in a
safe, non-toxic way while supporting
the body and helping it to shed some
o f the accumulated toxins.
During initial recovery phase, the
intense symptoms o f acute with
drawal are mostly gone and it be
comes important to nurture the body,
to heal the damage caused by the
addiction. Treatment must also fo
cus on psycho spiritual issues, as the
person’s life has taken a dramatic
shift. No longer centered around ad
diction, the person must change rela
tionships, unhealthy social circuits
must be replaced. Support groups
such as AA, Alanon, NA, and OA are
vital to the recovery stage.
During the final stage o f recovery,
the treatment again shifts to main
taining and supporting optimal health,
according to the needs o f the indi
vidual.
Diet is an important aspect o f a
successful recovery program. Diet
should focus on complex carbohy
drates (such as whole grains, and
legumes) and good sources o f pro
tein. This helps minimize hypogly
cemic reactions, when the blood sugar
drops too low, which can increase a
person’s cravings for alcohol and
certain drugs. It is best to limit or
abstain from simple sugars and pro
cessed foods.
Herbs such as Avena sativae (wild
oats), Scutellaria (Skullcap), Matri
caria (chamomille) can soothe the
nervous system, help a person sleep
and make acute withdrawal more
Jack Trimpey: Founder of Rational
Recovery
I n t e r v ie w
by
J
oy
R amos
R a tio n a l R e c o v e ry w as
fo u n d e d in 1986 b y J a c k an d
L o is T rim p e y in r e s p o n s e to
th e la c k o f c h o ic e in th e fie ld
o f a d d ic tio n s . A t th e tim e ,
th e re w as no c h o ic e o th e r th an
th e 1 2 -s te p , s p ir itu a l h e a lin g
p ro g ra m
of
A lc o h o lic s
A n o n y m o u s . L a c k o f c h o ic e
in r e c o v e r y s ty le s is s till a
s e r io u s n a tio n a l p r o b le m , b u t
RR ( R a tio n a l R e c o v e r y ) h as
b e c o m e w e ll- k n o w n as a v i
a b le a n d w id e ly a v a ila b le a l
te r n a tiv e .
Q : H ow is R a tio n a l R e c o v
e ry d if f e r e n t from o th e r fo rm s
o f A d d ic tio n s T h e ra p y ?
J a c k T r i m p e y : R a tio n a l
R e c o v e r y is p la n n e d , p e r m a
n e n t a b s tin e n c e th a t is c o n
s e r v a tiv e a n d c o s t- e f f e c tiv e .
Y o u le a r n w h a t is g o in g on
in s id e y o u r h e a d a n d ta k in g
in d e p e n d e n t a c tio n o n y o u r
s u b s ta n c e a d d ic tio n . T h e s k ill
t a u g h t is c a l l e d A d d i c t i v e
V o ic e R e c o g n itio n T e c h n iq u e
(A V R T ). A V R T is a b r ie f ,
e d u c a t i o n a l f o r m a t w h ic h
te a c h e s th e s k ill o f p la n n e d
a b s tin e n c e . It c o s ts le s s th a n
an y fo rm o f a d d ic tio n t r e a t
m e n t. C o m p le te r e c o v e r y is
s e c u re a b s tin e n c e , u s u a lly
a c h ie v e d in o n e m o n th . O v e r
7 0 % o f th o s e w ho a c tu a lly r e
c o v e r fro m s u b s ta n c e a d d ic
tio n s do so in d e p e n d e n tly -
w ith o u t m e e tin g s , c o u n s e lin g ,
o r e n r o llin g in tr e a tm e n t c e n
te r s .
Q: M an y s c h o o ls o f th o u g h t
r e f e r to a d d ic tio n as a d i s
e a s e . P le a s e e x p la in how R a
tio n a l R e c o v e ry u n d e r s ta n d s
it d if f e r e n tly .
J a c k T r i m p e y : W h e th e r o r
n o t a lc o h o l o r d ru g d e p e n
d e n c e is a d is e a s e (m o s t u n
lik e ly ! ) , a d d ic tio n m ay be u n
d e r s to o d as a n a tu r a l fu n c tio n
o f a h e a lth y h u m a n b r a in . In
e f f e c t, y o u h a v e tw o s e p a r a te
“ b r a in s ” w ith in y o u r h ead
w h ic h c o m p e t e w ith e a c h
o th e r . O n e is p r im itiv e , s im i
la r to th e b r a in o f a d o g o r a
h o rs e . T h is w e c a ll th e m id
b ra in . It is b a s ic a lly th e b ra in
o f a b e a s t, a n d its o n ly p u r
p o se is to s u r v iv e . T h e b e a s t
b r a in g e n e r a te s s u r v iv a l a p
p e tite s th a t d r iv e th e r e s t o f
th e b o d y to w a r d w h a t it d e
m a n d s , su c h as o x y g e n , fo o d ,
se x an d f lu id s . T h e B e a s t o f
B o o z e , o r th e B e a s t o f B u z z ,
is r u th le s s in g e ttin g w h a t it
w a n ts.
B u t th e r e is a n o th e r b r a in
th a t s its on to p o f th e b e a s t
b r a i n , th e c e r e b r a l c o r te x .
T h is “ n ew b r a i n ” , o r n e o c o r
te x , a llo w s h u m a n b e in g s be
c o n s c io u s , to th in k , to h a v e
la n g u a g e , a n d to s o lv e p r o b
l e m s . Y o u r n e o c o r t e x is
“ y o u ” , a n d y o u c a n o v e r r id e
a n y a p p e tite , e v e n fo r o x y g e n
o r fo o d . In R a tio n a l R e c o v
e r y , w e u se th e n e o c o r te x , o u r
h u m a n b r a in s , o u r s e lv e s , to
o v e r r id e th e a p p e tite fo r a l
c o h o l a n d o th e r d ru g s .
Q : H ow do y o u e n c o u r a g e
to ta l a b s tin e n c e ?
J a c k T r i m p e y : I n s te a d o f
s tr u g g lin g o n e - d a y - a t- a - tim e ,
y o u m a y m a k e a B ig P la n to
q u it fo r g o o d . A B ig P la n h a s
o n ly fiv e w o r d s , “ I w ill n e v e r
d r in k /u s e a g a i n ” S a y in g
“ n e v e r ” is m u c h d i f f e r e n t
f r o m s a y i n g “ n o ” . T o th e
B e a s t, “ n o ” m e a n s “ l a t e r ” .
L if e tim e a b s tin e n c e is a d i f
f i c u l t c o m m itm e n t b e c a u s e
y o u r B e a s t is t e r r if ie d o f its
o w n d e a th . It is m o st a f r a id o f
y o u , fo r it k n o w s y o u a re c a
p a b le o f “ k i l l i n g ” it. It v ie w s
a lc o h o l o r d ru g s as n e c e s s a r y
to s u r v iv a l.
Q: D o e s R a tio n a l R e c o v e ry
go a g a in s t a n y s p ir itu a l b e-
C a ll h im Jim m y . H e ’s in his
e a rly tw e n tie s , h o m e le s s ,
b r o k e , a s u r v iv o r o f a b u se .
H e ’s c h e m ic a lly d e p e n d e n t, has
m e n ta l h e a lth p ro b le m s an d
c h ro n ic p h y s ic a l a ilm e n ts.
Jim m y is a fa irly ty p ic a l p a
tie n t a t th e P o rtla n d A d d ic tio n s
A c u p u n c tu re C lin ic (P A A C ),
a n u n c o m m o n f a c i l i t y in
to d a y ’s w o rld o f H M O ’s, h ig h
te c h m e d ic in e an d e x p e n siv e
h o s p ita l c a re . U n co m m o n b e
c a u se it a c c e p ts in d ig e n t p a
tie n ts lik e Jim m y , a n d u n c o m
m o n b e c a u s e it u se s a c u p u n c
tu re a n d o th e r a lte r n a tiv e
h e a lth c a re o p tio n s , a lo n g w ith
c o u n s e lin g and s e lf-h e lp
g ro u p s , to tr e a t p e o p le w ith
a d d ic tio n s - be it to a lc o h o l,
h e ro in , c o c a in e o r o th e r s u b
sta n c e s.
“ W e d o n ’t tre a t th e d ru g , we
tr e a t th e p e r s o n , “ e x p la in s
D av id E ise n , d ire c to r o f PA A C .
I t ’s a b u sy p la c e . T h e C lin ic
se e s 125 p a tie n ts a d a y . S om e
w alk in o f f th e s tr e e t. M any are
re f e r r e d b y h o s p ita ls , d o c to rs
an d s o c ia l s e rv ic e a g e n c ie s .
“ R e se a rc h sh o w s th a t w hen
y o u do a c u p u n c tu re w ith a d
d ic tio n tr e a tm e n t, th e re is a
tw o -fo ld in c re a s e in th e lik e li
h o o d a p e rso n w ill sta y c le a n
an d s o b e r o v e r a n in e -m o n th
p e rio d o f tim e ,” he sta te s .
A t P A A C , a c u p u n c tu r e is
u se d o n c e o r tw ic e d a ily to a l
le v ia te w ith d ra w a l sy m p to m s,
re d u c e stre ss an d m a n ag e b lo o d
C h in e s e h e r b s , n a tu r o p a th ic
m e d ic in e , m a ssa g e , c h ir o p r a c
tic c a re a n d n u tr itio n a l c o u n
s e lin g a re u se d as w ell.
“ W h ile a c u p u n c tu re is n ev er
a sta n d a lo n e tre a tm e n t fo r a d
d ic tio n , it is v e ry e ffe c tiv e in
re d u c in g c ra v in g s , p ro m o tin g
re la x a tio n a n d h e lp in g p a tie n ts
a c h ie v e m e n ta l c la r ity , so they
can be m ore r e s p o n s iv e to the
o th e r e le m e n ts in th e re c o v e ry
/ R a tio n a l R e co o e R ty ^
S y s te m s , Inc. ' '
B o x 8 0 0 , L o t a s C A 95(551
National Office - 916.621.2667, 8 A M - 4 PM, PST
Recover online at http://www.rational.org'recovery
we believe in yeoyle - not yroflrams.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
The recovery group is CANCELLED, effective
December 31,1998, due to health risks to participants.
<http://rational.org/recovery/recovery.groups.
cancelled. html>
If you want to help America, have your elected
representative visit
http://rational, org/recovery/
Public.agencies.ofificials.html
cellent aids to detoxification. Other
helpful hydrotherapies include Ep
som salt baths, cold water packs,
and alternating hot and cold tow
els over the abdom en or back.
There are m any other naturo
pathic therapies that can help in
the treatm ent o f addictions.
N aturopathic m edicine looks
to the healing po w er o f nature
for a cure. T his req u ires the p a
tien t take re sp o n sib ility for his
o r her own w ell-b ein g and w ork
tow ard it. T his task is not an easy
one. It is not q u ic k -fix m edicine.
But the rew ard is trem endous and
e m p o w e r in g . T h e r e w a rd is
health.
OCOM Acupuncture
------- & -------
Herbal Clinic
Stressed out?
Want to Quit Smoking?
Affordable group treatm ents
with acupuncture now available.
For inform ation & schedule,
call 254-3566
10541 SE C herry Blossom Dr., Portland
(by Mall 205)
Jack Trimpey
A Service o f th e O regon College o f O rie n ta l M edicine
lie f s ?
J a c k T rim p e y : O ur m ethod,
A V RT, dovetails w ith any re li
gion except A lcoholics A nony
m ous and does not alter o n e ’s
religious or spiritual beliefs. The
structural m odel o f A V RT can be
supported by Old and New T esta
m ent scriptures, as w ell as other
holy books. We deplore sugges
tions that any o f the w o rld ’s great
religions are insufficient to ad
dress the com m on hum an prob
lem o f habitual self-intoxication.
Acupuncture: An Effective Approach to
Addictions Treatment
p re ssu re fo r the th re e to ten
d a y s it ta k e s to go th ro u g h
d e to x . I t ’s u se d d a ily fo r the
n e x t tw o to th re e w e e k s o f the
e a rly re c o v e ry sta g e .
A c u p u n c tu re tre a tm e n t c o n
tin u es tw o or three tim es a w eek
fo r the fin a l six m o n th s o r so in
th e tre a tm e n t p ro c e ss. E ise n
e m p h a s iz e s th a t o th e r tr e a t
m ent m o d a litie s in c lu d in g p s y
c h o th e ra p y , se lf-h e lp g ro u p s,
manageable. They are also impor
tant in the later stages o f withdrawal
when a person feels that they need
something to support them through
difficult times.
N utrients, such as a high quality
m ultivitam in and m ineral supple
ments, give the body resources to
heal itself. A ddictions are often
associated with poor eating habits
and m alnourishm ent, and w ith
draw al from a substance requires a
great deal o f energy from the body.
H ydrotherapy, the application
o f various tem peratures o f water,
enhances circulation, prom otes the
elimination o f toxins, and increases
relaxation. Steam baths can be ex-
(pMZ &C4t-
A ffo rd ab le n a tu ra l health care
M o n d a y s a n d F ridays, 1 - 5 p.m . at
Mt. Olivet
Baptist Church
p r o c e s s ,” she e x p la in s . “ T he
stre n g th o f th e PA A C p ro g ra m
is th a t it o ffe rs th o se o th e r e l
e m e n ts, in c lu d in g c o u n s e lin g ,
th e ra p y , m e d ic a l c a re , e d u c a
tio n and g ro u p s u p p o r t.”
T he re a l te st o f the p ro g ra m ,
h o w e v e r, is w h a t the p a tie n ts
th in k . O v e r an d o v e r y o u h e a r
p a tie n ts like Jim m y say , “ H ere,
I am tre a te d w ith re s p e c t and
c a re .
8725 N. C h a u ta u q u a , P o rtland
NCNM
Natural Health Centers
teaching clinic o f the
National College o f Naturopathic Medicine
255-7355
tjf/
imss
u rn m s w
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YOU SHOULD BE TO O ”
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(503) 232-6263
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