Are There Any Natural Remedies for Alcohol Abuse?

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With the proliferating number of modern drug therapies that are being developed and that are currently available for alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, many people are legitimately asking the following question: are there any natural remedies for alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency? Certainly, our "drug-oriented" medical community has made some significant advancements in treating alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

We must, however, be aware that other parts of the world operate with much different thereputic mentality that looks more at the whole person in the treatment process rather than simply focusing on drug therapy.

Complementary Therapy for Addiction: Drumming Out Drugs

Recent publications citing the experiences of clients and therapists suggest that substance abuse rehab programs employing "drumming" and related community and shamanic activities can play a key role in treating drug and alcohol dependence.

image: teenager suffering from hangover Known as "Drumming out Drugs," these programs are used in various prisons, community centers, addiction workshops and training programs, and in well-known rehabilitation programs.

Even though reliability and validity studies of the "Drumming out Drug" programs are lacking, evidence suggests that drumming augments substance abuse recovery.

These observations are corroborated by studies on the therapeutic psychophysiological effects of drumming, mediation, shamanism, and other shamanic practices.

Research has shown that U.S. teens who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teens who never consume alcohol.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

All forms of Oriental medicine have their roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is the oldest professional, continually practiced, literate medicine in the world. TCM is a body of health care that includes acupressure, moxa, nutrition/food therapy, cupping, herbal medicine, acupuncture, tui-na massage, and medical exercises such as qi-gong and tai-chi.

image: young woman in anguish over alcoholic behavior of boyfriend Complementary medicine means that TCM is frequently used in addition to conventional Western medicine. Modern Western conventional medicine and TCM are the two major medical systems in the world today.

It should be noted that TCM is one of the earliest forms of holistic medicine, which addresses the mind, spirit, and the body.

In TCM, unlike most conventional medicines, treatment and diagnosis in TCM are centered on the patient as a whole person, and less on the symptoms. Unlike most conventional medicines, TCM also used natural methods in treatment and diagnosis.

People who have a preference for a more holistic and natural method of treatment are candidates for TCM. A good illustration of this natural and holistic approach concerns the treatment of people with drug, alcohol, and eating addictions.

These dependencies have physical and psychological aspects or manifestations. TCM is relevant under such circumstances due to the fact that it simultaneously addresses the mind, body, and spirit in the diagnosis and treatment of the patients' dysfunctions.

Typical treatment options for alcoholism include taking prescription medications (to help prevent a relapse once the alcohol use has stopped), detoxification (to eliminate the toxins in the body), and some sort of psychotherapy or counseling (to help the person understand their dependency "triggers" and to learn different responses that are unrelated
to alcohol).

Other problems such as chronic pain, sexual dysfunction, depression, incontinence, insomnia, tension headaches, obesity, and anxiety, are examples of medical dysfunctions that TCM can diagnosis and treat due to their underlying physical and psychological aspects.

Problem drinkers are mostly found in young adults between the ages of 18 and 29. Conversely, the age group with the fewest alcohol problems is adults who are 65 years old or older.

In addition to the importance of the spirit, TCM views healing the mind as a vital aspect of healing the body. Similar to biofeedback techniques, TCM practitioners can teach patients how to control ordinarily involuntary body functions, such body temperature, muscle tension, and heart rate. Unlike traditional biofeedback, however, TCM features a type of mind-body treatment biofeedback that does not require hooking up a person to a machine.

Rates of drinking differ among racial and ethnic minority groups. Among students in grades 9 to 12, binge drinking was reported by 34 percent non-Hispanic white students, 11 percent of African American students, and 30 percent of Hispanic students.

Vitamins and Supplement Therapy

image: young man reflecting on his heavy drinking Various vitamin and supplement therapies have been proposed as "natural" ways to treat alcohol abuse. For instance, a nutritional product entitled "Neu-Recover" claims to effectively treat alcohol abuse by replenishing the neurotransmitters that were exhausted by repeated alcohol abuse over time.

According to the proponents of Neu-Recover, the following neurotransmitters are interrelated alcohol abuse and alcoholism: serotonin, dopamine, enkephalin, and GABA. When alcoholics use Neu-Recover and eat healthy food, they will experience increased calm as their craving for alcohol subsides.

In Canada, an estimated 4% of the population over the age of 15 is dependent on alcohol and there are twice as many male alcoholics as female alcoholics. The highest rate of alcoholism in Canadians occurs between the ages of 20 and 24. In Canadian surveys, about 20% of the current and former drinkers stated that their alcoholic drinking negatively affected them, usually affecting their finances or their jobs.

Some practitioners who advocate a "natural" approach to alcohol abuse point to nutritional supplements and herbs that can be used to counteract alcohol withdrawal after a person stops drinking.

Many natural approach practitioners, however emphasize that natural withdrawal methods should not be employed as substitutes for detox centers or for Alcoholics Anonymous and similar forms of alcohol treatment programs. Such a complementary focus has much in common with the holistic and natural TCM approach discussed above.

About 10 to 20 % of the people who drink heavily eventually develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver). Alcoholic cirrhosis can be fatal if the individual continues to drink. Even though cirrhosis is irreversible, if the affected person stops drinking, his or her chances of survival can improve significantly. Even though some people may eventually need a liver transplant as a last resort, many people with cirrhosis who stop drinking alcoholic beverages can receive treatment and may never require
liver transplantation.

Are There Any Natural Remedies for Alcohol Abuse: Conclusion

image: woman angry about alcoholic behavior of husband Many individuals do not perceive the current drug-oriented medical profession as the final authority in proper health care. As a consequence, some people are asking the following: are there any natural remedies for alcohol abuse and alcoholism?

Although not as well researched or as common as the different types of drug therapy, natural remedies such as vitamins and supplement therapies, traditional Chinese medicine, and "drumming out drugs" provide reassurance to those who would rather use natural methods to treat their illnesses and health conditions, including alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

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In the early stage of alcoholism, drinking is no longer social but becomes a means of psychological escape from inhibitions, problems, and stress. Stated differently, early in the disease a person starts to depend on the mood altering
capabilities of alcohol.

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