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drinkanddrugsnews
| April 2014
Detox |
Homeopathy
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Studying homeopathy led
Tracy Woodward Gagetta
to explore an
innovative titration system for drug detoxification, as she explains
A
fter training and working in the fields of mental health and
addictions, I developed a dilution titration system to reduce the
withdrawal symptoms of and cravings for heroin, while studying for a
degree in homeopathy. This was originally a research proposal for my
graduating year, but soon developed into a titration for different drug
detoxes, called the Tauto-Mod titration system.
The first pilot project was funded by the Homeopathy Action Trust and was a
one-day-a-week project in a rehabilitation centre in Luton and a homeless day
programme in Slough. After results proved positive for the programme, the detox
was then taken on by South Westminster Drug and Alcohol Service (SWDAS) to be
used in conjunction with a range of other interventions at the service. Detoxification
from opioids and alcohol in this service is carried out under medical supervision, and
employs a range of NICE approved drug (allopathic) therapies, with adjuvant
evidence based psychosocial interventions. The homeopathic treatment outlined in
this article was additional to this.
Since the pilot started at SWDAS in April 2013, 45 clients have taken part in the
detox and study. Out of these clients, 60 per cent had self-referred after attending a
guest speaker group and hearing about the detox from other clients. Seventy per cent
were male and 30 per cent female, with a dropout rate (attending less than three
appointments) of six clients in total. Alcohol clients had the highest overall
attendance, at 55 per cent. Among all the clients, there was an overall retention rate
of 80 per cent for weekly appointments and a successful completion rate of 61 per
cent (including those detoxing from the programme, remaining abstinent and/or no
longer using the primary drug.) Of those on the programme, nine clients were also on
a drug replacement therapy prescription, including detoxing frommethadone.
The drugs we detox, and which were included in the SWDAS study, are alcohol,
cocaine/crack, heroin, cannabis, methadone, benzodiazepines, amphetamines,
methamphetamine, GBL and ketamine.
The Tauto-Mod system adopts a tautopathic approach, which involves the drug
or substance that has caused the illness and/or toxicity in the client being
prescribed at a high dilution. This system is believed to work in accordance with
the ‘hormesis concept’.
Hormesis in toxicity involves providing a low-dose stimulation (the drug in high
dilution) to cells in order to trigger a restorative process – that is, the compensatory
response to damage. It is proposed that these low doses of toxins or other stressors
might activate the repair mechanisms of the body. In layman’s terms, the Tauto-Mod
system works primarily at the cellular level to flush toxins from the body, thus
reducing cravings, withdrawal symptoms and long-term toxicity.
The recording of results and the prescribing of the appropriate dilution occurs
weekly and is based on whether the symptoms for each drug present as nil, mild,
moderate or severe for each titration chart. For example, a client presenting with
mostly moderate to severe withdrawal and toxicity symptoms will be prescribed
the appropriate tautopathic medication at low dilution. The more amelioration of
symptoms recorded in subsequent weeks, the more the dilution of the tautopathic
medicine is increased. Clients are recommended in most cases to take a couple of
doses daily. This is to ensure they are receiving the full effects of the medication,
particularly as most are still using the drug on top of their tautopathic prescription
and maybe taking conventional medications alongside this system.
Tauto-Mod involves weekly titration charts that record symptom levels for each
drug misused per person. Depending on the level of severity of symptoms, the
client is then prescribed the drug at a specified dilution level. The higher the level
of symptoms and toxicity, the lower the dilution of the drug. The system titrates
upwards only, which differs from conventional methods of prescribing methadone.
The premise is that the higher the dilution, the more this method is believed to
work on the mental/emotional level once most of the physical symptoms have
been alleviated by the lower dilution preparations.
The expectation of the Tauto-Mod detox is that the patient attends weekly
appointments to observe and record shifts in symptoms and prescription. This also
allows the practitioner to liaise directly with the project workers and medical staff to
ensure the best treatment is provided and to flag any risks and concerns, as well as
Thewhole detox