We see this concept in the mainstream understanding as well. For instance, Time magazine’s Canadian edition for July 16, 2007, carried a lead story entitled “How We Get Addicted.” 4 The article goes on to explain the neurotransmitter dysfunction that takes place in the brain. in the addicted population. Many chi-ropractors have asked, “What if I don’t want to see addicts or make that a special interest of mine in practice?” My answer is, invariably, that you are already seeing them. Many of us have the idea that an addict is only someone we see on the Addiction can be described as not having the choice to quit, in spite of the desire to do so. IN THE DC’S OFFICE Having the world outside of chiropractic practice recognize the benefits of what we have to offer speaks volumes, but there is much important work that can be also done by the individual chiroprac-tor, in his or her office, without the help of any outside organizations. Over the past several years, I have been training chiropractors in Torque Release Technique. Although TRT is a subluxation-based model suitable for all patients, its benefits were highlighted street asking for money who is strung out and homeless. This just isn’t the case; addicts can be anyone, from the profes-sional to the homeless. Chiropractors are seeing these patients already – we just don’t know it. WHAT CAN WE DO? In any clinical setting, a complete histo-ry and interview is necessary and man-datory. Yet, many of us do not ask, in our intake form or during our consulta-tion, if the patient sitting in front of us is The ICPA is Coming to Toronto, ON! The ICPA is bringing its outstanding pediatric classes to your area. Increase your family practice expertise. Join us and acquire the skills to care for more families in your community. using substance or suffering with any usage problems. Some cues to look for in the assessment would be the patient reporting depression or anxiety; they are likely to let you know about these things more readily. If so, the follow-up questions should lead down the path of what they are doing to cope with that depression or anxiety. These two factors are the precursors for patients to enter the world of substance abuse, and ac-cording to a study published in Molecu-lar Psychiatry, 5 were markedly improved for those patients receiving Torque Re-lease Technique adjustments. Our goal as chiropractors is to help people express their full health potential; not exploring their mental well-being may leave them with less helpful results than they could otherwise achieve. For many years, the world largely ac-cepted that addiction was a choice that a person made. Now it is not taken so lightly. Addiction can be described as ac-tually not having the choice to quit, in spite of a desire to do so. The concept of chiropractic helping patients in this arena is nothing new, and in fact dates back to the time of D.D. and B.J. Palmer. B.J.’s work at the Clearview Sanitarium is well known. As B.J. and D.D. Palmer both exclaimed, “Chiro-practic will empty the prisons.” Perhaps we are a little closer to understanding that, now that we understand virtually all crime is addiction-related. Interested chiropractors can become informed and educated in this field by attending the ACACD certification or diplomate program, open to all health-care providers. • icpa4kids.com/seminarsca Please view the ICPA website for a full seminar schedule: REFERENCES 1. Canadian Chiropractor, February 2008, Volume 13, No.1. 2. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, November 2000, Volume 32. 3. Dynamic Chiropractic, July 29, 2010, Volume 28, Issue 16. 4. Time Magazine Canadian Edition, July 16, 2007, Volume 170, No. 3. 5. Molecular Psychiatry, February 2001, Volume 6, Nature Publishing Group. For more information on Torque Release Technique, please visit http://torquerelease.ca/. 20 • Canadian ChiropraCtor | oCtoBEr 2011 www.canadianchiropractor.ca
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