Does Acupuncture Help You Quit or Cut Back on Alcohol?

Imagine finding a way to ease alcohol cravings, calm your mind, and restore balance — all without relying solely on willpower. For many, the ancient practice of acupuncture offers that possibility. Acupuncture is associated with pain relief and stress management, but it’s also being explored as a potential aid in reducing alcohol consumption. Can a few well-placed needles truly make a difference in the battle against alcohol dependence?

The practice of acupuncture is much more than that. The mental and physical benefits of acupuncture offer essential support and balance during challenging experiences in recovery. Let’s learn more about how acupuncture works to understand why this lesser-known practice can be transformative in our journey to improving our relationship with alcohol. 

Understanding Acupuncture Therapy

Acupuncture is a therapeutic practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, which stimulates our nerves, muscles, and connective tissues. According to traditional Chinese medicine, we have a network of channels that connect the body’s organs to the body’s surface, known as meridians. For example, the heart meridian is believed to start near the armpit and run down the lower edge of the inner arm until the tip of our pinky finger. Acupuncture targets these meridians, and can provide relief for gastrointestinal discomfort, low back pain, headaches, menstrual cramps, insomnia, and more.

The practice dates back over 2,000 years ago to ancient China, where they believed that acupuncture helped restore balance to the flow of energy, or “qi”, and promoted healing. This practice was used to treat different ailments and improve overall well-being. It was mainly used in Asia, where it evolved and integrated with local medical practices. 

In the 20th century, acupuncture gained international recognition and began to be studied and used in many Western countries, leading to a broader worldwide acceptance of its therapeutic benefits. Today, acupuncture is used as an alternative medical practice and commonly used alongside conventional treatments to address various health issues and improve overall well-being. It’s even used for recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Let’s learn why.

Acupuncture for Alcohol Reduction and Recovery

Acupuncture is often used as an adjunctive or supporting treatment for (AUD). This is because it addresses multiple aspects of recovery:

1. Quitting or Cutting Back on Alcohol

Acupuncture is commonly used for reducing pain and stress, but it can actually aid in reducing alcohol consumption. 

A study on acupuncture for AUD found that the treatment is effective in reducing alcohol intake. Researchers found lower levels of FosB protein in reward-related brain regions, which play a role in addiction. 

These findings are profound given the importance of quitting or cutting back in recovery.

2. Managing Alcohol Withdrawal

Most of the time recovery also involves alcohol withdrawal. This is because our body and brain get accustomed to alcohol exposure. When we quit or cut back on alcohol, our hormones and body processes take time to repair and rebalance. 

Withdrawal can be physically and emotionally challenging. It can hinder recovery, as the difficult experience can falsely make it seem like it’s better to keep drinking or make us scared to even attempt recovery. 

Since acupuncture is a holistic treatment that addresses physical and mental well-being, it tackles different symptoms of withdrawal. Research shows that acupuncture had a significant effect on reducing withdrawal symptoms, which was measured using the alcohol withdrawal scale. The scale measures the severity of symptoms including nausea, tremors, anxiety, headache, and more.

3. Overcoming Dependency

We can easily become dependent on alcohol due to the way it affects our brain’s reward system, which is critical to our learning and behavior. For example, usually our stomach growling signals to us that we’re hungry. We’ll eat, keeping our brain and body happy. But let’s say our stomach growls, and we repeatedly ignore that signal. Our body will learn not to waste energy on sending a signal that doesn’t lead to what it needs. 

Alcohol hijacks this system as it temporarily boosts our body’s “feel- good” hormones, which give us a sense of pleasure. So, we keep coming back for more, even though alcohol is harmful to us. Acupuncture can help us reduce our cravings for alcohol and get over the hump of detox and withdrawal. 

A study published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that acupuncture suppressed withdrawal symptoms and reduced alcohol dependency. This is because the practice diminishes the tendency of an anxiety-like state that is often associated with drinking.

As we can see, acupuncture does more than ease pain and stress, it aids different aspects of recovery, making it a great supportive tool. Let’s learn more about the specific benefits.

Using Acupuncture Benefits as a Learning Lesson

Acupuncture has many benefits, but we can expand its positive influence by integrating the principles of holistic well-being even outside of physical acupuncture treatments. Some core skills we can take away include: 

• Reducing stress and anxiety. Acupuncture reduces stress and anxiety, which benefits both our mental and physical well-being. Other practices we can try to mitigate stress and anxiety include meditation, mindfulness, and emotional freedom technique (EFT) tapping.
• Addressing withdrawal symptoms. The challenges that come with withdrawal can discourage us to initiate or continue recovery, but aside from acupuncture, we can also explore other methods to support us through alcohol withdrawal. Prioritize self-care, explore medications, and consider supported detox.
• Identifying triggers for cravings. Acupuncture promotes physical and mental healing, which increases our self-awareness. This is instrumental in helping us identify triggers for our drinking. We can also practice journaling, tracking our drinking, and other mindful drinking practices to help us identify our individual triggers. 
• Developing strategies to overcome cravings. Acupuncture reduces alcohol cravings, which helps us overcome dependency and reduce the risk of relapse. Other methods we can use to identify and overcome cravings include finding positive distractions, using healthier coping mechanisms, and opting for booze-free alternatives.

Acupuncture may not be easily accessible to all of us, but the practice offers transferable skills that anyone can use. Treatment is also highly individualized. Aside from acupuncture, we can explore other alternative treatments to support us on our recovery journey. 

Other Alternative Treatments for AUD

Traditional treatments for AUD include psychotherapy, behavioral therapies, peer support groups, and medication-assisted treatment. Alternative treatments help us individualize our treatment plan and support other approaches to recovery. 

• Cryotherapy. Cold therapy decreases inflammation and releases endorphins, improving our physical and mental well-being.
• Red light therapy (RLT). RLT uses low wavelengths of red light to stimulate the healing of our cells. It can aid in reducing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and detox.
• Aromatherapy. This therapeutic technique utilizes essential oils to help reduce stress and anxiety, and has positive mental and physical benefits on our recovery. 
• Art therapy. Art therapy not only facilitates the expression and resolution of our thoughts and emotions, but it also serves as a positive distraction in recovery.
• Mindfulness meditation. This practice combines mindfulness strategies and meditation to increase our awareness and shift our focus to developing healthier habits, including those related to alcohol consumption. 

These holistic treatments, along with acupuncture, can equip us with more tools to overcome AUD. 

Pinpointing Change

In our quest to quit or cut back on alcohol, acupuncture offers an all-around approach that complements traditional recovery methods. While acupuncture is regarded as an alternative medicine practice, many people find that acupuncture helps reduce alcohol cravings, manage stress, and restore balance, making recovery more manageable. As with any treatment, its effectiveness can vary, but for those open to exploring alternative approaches, acupuncture may provide valuable support in achieving change that will last!