Addiction

Smoking, alcohol, drugs, behavior

Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs, Behavior, Food Addiction, Gambling Addiction, Online Addiction, etc.

An addiction is defined as an uncontrollable desire to repetitively consume a certain substance, or to repetitively perform a certain action, despite the fact that it may hurt the individual or others.
Conventional medicine has countless theories about the cause of addiction.

From the perspective of TCM, an addiction is the result of either an internal physical or psychological imbalance. In this respect, the addictive substance or activity is not necessarily the trigger, but usually only reinforces the dependence. We are all constantly working on ourselves to stay balanced. Be it for example with regard to rest and motion, heat and cold, holiday and work, or giving and taking. If a big imbalance comes into being, we are urged from within to balance it out. If we are not aware of the imbalance, it is difficult to re-establish balance. In such an event, addictions may develop. In the short-term, they may be perceived as a lucrative solution due their ability to ‘improve’ or help ‘distract’ us from reality.

Chinese medicine can on one hand support addicts to regain energetic, mental and physical balance, assisting them to break away from dependence on substances or activities. On the other hand, TCM provides addicts with mechanisms to motivate them to implement a long-term solution to fight their addiction.

Further indications