Effect of Acupuncture at Different Acupoints for Heroin Withdrawal Anxiety and Depression

Objective To explore the effect of acupuncture at different groups of acupoints on withdrawal anxiety and depression in heroin addicts.Method Ninety male heroin addicts were randomized into acupuncture group Ⅰ [T5Jiaji points(EX-B2)] of 30 cases,acupuncture group Ⅱ [Neiguan(PC 6)] of 30 cases,and acupuncture group Ⅱ[T5Jiaji points(EX-B2) and Neiguan(PC6)] of 30 cases to receive a 4-week acupuncture treatment,3 times a week,12 sessions in total.Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety(HAMA) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HAMD) were adopted to observe the changes of symptoms before treatment and after 1～4 weeks of treatment.Result After treatment,three groups all showed significant improvements in heroin withdrawal anxiety and depression symptoms(P0.05);after 2-week treatment,acupuncture group Ⅱ was superior to acupuncture groupⅡ(P0.05);after 3-week treatment,acupuncture group Ⅰ was better than acupuncture group Ⅱ in improving anxiety symptoms(P0.05);after 4-week treatment,acupuncture group Ⅱ was superior to acupuncture group Ⅰ in improving depression symptoms(P0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture has therapeutic effect for withdrawal anxiety and depression in heroin addicts;compared to puncturing Neiguan,puncturing T5 Jiaji points has its advantage in treating withdrawal anxiety symptoms in heroin addicts;T5 Jiaji points plus Neiguan can produce a synergistic effect in improving withdrawal anxiety and depression emotions in heroin addicts.