LESS STRESS, BETTER SLEEP
www. puye. co. uk
With acupressure, small seeds or beads are placed on ear points and worn for up to five days, providing continuous stimulation. This method requires no licensing and can be taught to service users, carers, families, and young people. With clear guidelines and diagrams, ear acupressure is safe and accessible.
killing action, and reduces sweating. The next three points are the kidney, liver, and lung points, targeting the organs of elimination which each play a role in regulating the body’ s systems and expelling toxins, making this a powerful tool in addiction recovery.
Over the last 40 years NADA has spread globally, and evidence shows that when consistently integrated into
LESS STRESS, BETTER SLEEP
programmes, acutherapy improves attendance, reduces relapse, and increases abstinence rates among stimulant users.
SUPPORTING RECOVERY Giving auricular acutherapy is an intimate intervention that helps people begin to build trust in others and learn that among all the stress and chaos in their life, they do have access to peace and calm within themselves. They are told that acutherapy is simply stimulating the body to heal itself, and many are amazed that there is nothing in the needle or seed and realise, as Michael Smith put it,‘ if there’ s nothing good in the needle, then there must be something good in me’.
Facilitating at least a weekly acutherapy session is a useful way to engage people in a non-verbal group
PUYE runs a weekly drop-in session at a central community hub in West Bromwich, giving free ear seeding treatments. Regulars find that they feel calmer, have less stress and sleep better:
‘ I definitely felt benefits from having seeds and will be having them regularly.’ Joanne
‘ I have been waking for the toilet less often, I felt calmer and really noticed the difference when I took the seeds off after five days.’ Kathy
‘ It feels like being stoned without the fog!’ Terry
PUYE’ s Introduction to Acutherapy course is on 16 January in Birmingham. For details and booking visit: https:// www. drinkanddrugsnews. com / event / an-introduction-to-acutherapy / situation, requiring no story retelling or even the removal of any clothing, and it can help individuals engage more fully in structured treatment programmes. Participants often report increased selfawareness, distraction from cravings, and a sense of calm. Importantly, auriculotherapy supports patients at every stage of recovery, from initial detox to long-term maintenance by reducing discomfort, calming the mind, and strengthening resilience.
LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS Although many patients experience immediate benefits, responses can vary. For some, the effects are subtle and may only become noticeable after several sessions, as factors such as high toxicity levels or severe anxiety can delay results. Auriculotherapy is cumulative – the more treatments a person receives, the greater the benefits, so simply trying it once will not be a fair measure of its effectiveness.
Auricular acupuncture is a straightforward skill that healthcare workers can learn quickly, requiring no prior therapy experience. However, environmental health byelaws – which date back to 1981 for full body acupuncture and impose restrictions such as an exclusive treatment room – are impractical for many organisations with limited space.
Licensing costs to register premises and practitioners also vary significantly by local authority, and when services operate across multiple sites these costs can quickly accumulate. These restrictions do not apply to NHS premises or staff, so partnerships with NHS organisations could provide a pathway to implementation.
ACUTHERAPY FOR ALL Ear acupressure offers an even simpler alternative to acupuncture. Instead of needles, small seeds or beads are placed on ear points and worn for up to five days, providing continuous stimulation. With ear seeding, a wider range of points are avail able, with simple protocols to follow for a wider range of conditions. Seeds are used to treat children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, night tremors, bed wetting, and aggression.
This method requires no licensing and can be taught to service users, carers, families, and young people. With clear guidelines and diagrams, ear acupressure is safe and accessible. The aim of PUYE is to make acutherapy open for anyone with a little training, offering continuous support, and progression opportunities for professionals.
As well as training and supervising staff in commissioned addiction services and NHS mental health teams across the West Midlands, PUYE has also developed ear seeding workshops for staff and the public, running them with groups of cancer survivors, a menopause group, and mental health support groups. PUYE is working with partners to develop and test new protocols to support people with neurodiversity, and protocols for use in gambling services.
Auriculotherapy has a rich history and a long track record in supporting recovery and wellbeing, and its benefits are well evidenced. With easily accessible methods like ear acupressure, auriculotherapy can still play a vital role in helping individuals on their journey to recovery.
Nick Shough is a NADA-GB registered trainer and the founder of Prick Up Your Ears CIC, www. puye. co. uk
WWW. DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS. COM DEC 25 – JAN 26 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 17