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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