Qiological Community

Sa'am and Drug Addiction

Sa'am Clinical Questions
#1

I have a very significant career opportunity if I am able to improve the well-being of a long term pain med abuser. I have not yet seen the patient but have been told he has been abusing for about 20 years, which started after an injury where he was given oxycodone. He has a fractured ankle and deals with a lot of pain. He is said to have a very unique personality. When high he has been known to beat his wife and is not allowed to see his children unless supervised. The patient wants to come clean as he will face prison time if he does not. Has been in and out of care for years.

First thing that comes to mind is +SI to help deal with the pain but I do not have much experience treating drug addiction. Can anyone shed some insight into how to treat such a patient?

#2

If you are thinking of treating with Sa’am I would suggest staying within the framework we are taught. Perhaps after seeing him you can write up a case if you’d like further help.
With that said perhaps SI+ supplementation if it fits since it can help many pain cases, but he could be Kidney deficient as well with self-abuse all those years, so you want to be careful.
I have seen pain cases go away with many treatments besides SI+ supplementation.
For example where is the fracture and pain? - if for example on the GB channel with the additional GB excess signs he shows when high perhaps a PC+ supplementation will be a good first choice.
You need to take in the entire presentation - morphology, emotional presentation, wet/dry etc. etc.

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#3

I always get worried when see myself trying to “make something happen” for a patient because it is going to benefit me in terms of opportunity or notoriety. It seems to cloud my clinical vision.

And especially for a long time addict, I would urge caution.

This patient has the issues of long term pain, which is one thing. but the addiction part is likely much more entangled and difficult. I think people like this need other forms of support and help. We certainly can help, but having the support of a therapist and some kind of ongoing recovery group is also needed. If a patient is not willing to that kind of work, I’m not sure how much our “pain relief” using acupuncture will help them.

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#4

Just to add my 2 cents… My experience with addicts is to really be careful of my expectations, even then, I still get in trouble by being hopeful. This is such a hard lesson, having been there with both patients and family. The disease of addiction is so complicated, affecting the spirit, mind and body. You must remember primary symptoms of the disease include lying and manipulation. This is like walking into a tigers cage and hoping it won’t eat you because you are somehow special. You will be lied to and manipulated. This guy is a master and you don’t stand a chance. For me that is the trickiest part. I think as healers, our impulse is to “help”. But that is so complicated, this is not about his pain. Then we also have our own projections of what we hope/want for the person. It is mostly a complicated mess that is easy to get sucked into very quickly, especially with the sad tales of not seeing kids and prison time. Your impulse is to help but really all you can do stand at the needle and allow the Dao to work – if it will. That’s all
A couple of the sayings in 12 step programs are “keep it simple”, and “one day at a time”. So that would be my advice. Just treat what is there to treat on any given day.

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