By AMANDA GARDNER DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, March 20th 2001, 2:20AM
Thanks to a South Bronx doctor, the same techniques that help drug addicts in New York are aiding relief workers in Gujarat, the earthquake-ravaged region of western India.
Years ago, Dr. Michael Smith, head of the recovery center at Lincoln Hospital and a pioneer in using acupuncture to treat addiction in the U.S., helped set up an acupuncture program for the Caring Foundation...
Recently, Smith was back in New Delhi training more substance abuse workers when Suneel Vatsyayan, director of the foundation, asked him to meet with relief workers in Ahmedabad, the state capital of Gujarat, where thousands were killed Jan. 26.
The devastation has been too much even for seasoned caregivers to handle.
One 18-year-old girl insists that her last name is Bhukamp, which means "earthquake" in the local language. No one knows who she is or where she's from.
One man suffers recurring headaches and chest pains, probably a symptom of his survivor's guilt.
Some parents will not let their children go to school because so many students were killed when school buildings collapsed during the quake. Some principals will not let orphans come to school for fear they will break down in class and upset the other students.
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/ny_local/2001/03/20/2001-03-20_acupuncture_doc_aids_quake_s.html
In Ahmedabad, Smith met with about seven of the relief workers. All reported the same problem: They had come to help but didn't know what to do.
"One social worker said she had just gone out to this area and she just didn't know what to say, she was so stunned and overwhelmed by what had happened," said Smith.
None of the volunteers had experienced acupuncture, yet all but one agreed to try.
While the volunteers crouched on the floor, needles were placed at various points in their ears, the same technique used with addicts.
Smith saw them relax immediately.
"You could see the reaction right when the needle went in," he said.
"With the earthquake victim, I don't need a diagnosis. I need a way of communicating so that there's some path of relating," said Smith. "When I go to a place like Gujarat . . . there is resentment based on class and luck and habit and God knows what. Your first duty is to get beyond that."
The acupuncture treatment helped. Not half an hour after the acupuncture was over, Smith saw one of the social workers approach a family outside and start talking.
"I couldn't hear what they were saying - I was just an observer," said Smith. "But she looked quite able.