Holistic therapies focus primarily on an individual’s overall health and well-being. They’re increasingly being used to heal people of their addictions
Holistic drug rehabilitation therapies are non-medicinal rehabilitation and recovery methods that aim at complementing traditional treatment practices. They also have the objective of aligning the mind, spirit, and body when treating addiction and its related mental health problems.
The term holistic drug rehab is predominantly used to refer to treatment programs that offer distinctive treatment approaches that are unique from those offered at the other traditional rehab centres.
The specialized services provided at a holistic rehab stem from integrative or holistic medicine and are associated with achieving optimal wellness by prioritizing the concept of a unified mind-body-spirit development.
Holistic rehab approaches seek to treat a person “as a unified whole,” instead of just the particular symptoms of alcoholism, addiction, or any other mental or physical health problem they suffer from.
Since these therapies are effective at treating addictions and mental health issues, they’ve been wholly incorporated into the recovery programs offered at almost all the reputed addiction treatment facilities, like the Delphi Health Group, helping people overcome their addictions not only physically but emotionally and mentally as well.
The recovery programs also use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) that are frequently incorporated or superimposed into the more orthodox framework of substance abuse treatment approaches.
These practices include:
- Meditation
- Nutritional interventions
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Acupuncture
- Breathwork
- Routine exercise
- Guided medication
- Tai chi
- Counselling
- Spiritual therapy
- Massage therapy
- Art therapy
Holistic rehab is an attractive option for many because it provides alternatives to a more conventional rehab atmosphere. For some, it offers much more than just therapy sessions and remaining abstinent.
As mentioned before, several alcohol treatment programs and holistic drug rehab therapies operate on holistically-ameliorated treatment frameworks and approaches. Some of such standard traditional services include the following:
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
- Motivational interviewing (MI)
- Aftercare planning
- Experiential therapy
- Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)
- Family services
- Relapse prevention strategy education
- Support group participation / 12-step groups
- Art and recreational therapies.
Holistic practitioners believe that our bodies possess an innate healing ability, and the techniques mentioned above play a vital role in unleashing that healing potential. This healing philosophy is closely associated with addictions and substance abuse issues as well.
A holistic program prompts patients to regain control of their lives and own up to the responsibility of recovery and health. Thus, patients in a holistic treatment program are most likely to be exposed to some or all of the treatment procedures mentioned earlier during their recovery process.
Holistic Vs. Traditional Rehabilitation
Several traditional approaches to rehabilitation focus on evidence-based clinical interventions. In contrast, holistic approaches to rehabilitation provide a potentially more comprehensive recovery environment, even to go so far as to emphasize self-discovery and self-healing.
Under proper supervision, a holistically-focused rehabilitation can offer quick and effective recovery in less time, and under lesser strain, than the recoveries attempted on your own, or those you’ve gone under with the orthodox, long-term prescription methods.
Objectives of Holistic Therapy for Addiction Treatment
Holistic therapy programs constitute personalized addiction recovery methods that target mental and psychical addiction symptoms along with the nutritional and emotional imbalances.
Such gentle and flexible therapy plans aim to deal with potential obstacles, such as poor diet, emotional stress, and lack of sleep that can be tied to the addiction. Some common objectives of holistic therapy include the following:
- Elevating resistance to cravings and strong urges
- Rooting out the underlying causes of addiction
- Promoting several means of physical fitness
- Augmenting self-confidence
- Reducing the appeal of alcohol use and drugs
Types Of Holistic Addiction Therapies
Holistic drug therapies encompass several different aspects of healthy living, ranging from medication to exercise. Some common types of holistic addiction therapies include the following:
- Acupuncture – It is one of the ancient practices of traditional Chinese medicine that entails the penetration of the skin with solid, thin, metallic needles, which are activated either through electrical stimulation or the specific and gentle movements of a practitioner’s hands. It helps restore an individual’s body balance after extensive drug use.
- Ayurveda – Commonly used by a majority of the Indian population, Ayurvedic medicine uses yoga, meditation, and specific dietary guidelines to nourish a singular mind-body-spirit.
- Chiropractic Care – Chiropractic is the use of hands-on spinal manipulation and alternative treatments to properly align the body’s musculoskeletal structure to enable natural healing without medication or surgery.
- Herbal Therapy – Herbal supplements aim to promote healthy nutrition and strategically use elements to reduce unhealthy cravings and detoxify.
- Homoeopathy – Several homoeopathic remedies supplement the orthodox pharmacotherapeutic management of undesirable and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
- Massage Therapy – Massage therapy is highly effective at supplementing treatment to relieve stress and soothe aches and pains that erupt as the body adjusts to a drug-free state.
- Naturopathic Medicine – This is a system that embraces several therapies such as massages, exercise, herbs, acupuncture, and nutritional counselling to use natural remedies to help the body heal itself.
- Nutritional Interventions – This process uses nutritional intervention to enhance or resolve nutritional problems and reach a diagnosis with the provision of education, advice, or delivery of food components tailored to a person’s specific needs.
- Reiki – It is a process that harnesses “universal life force energy” to initiate a process of physical healing to enhance relaxation. It is also helpful in dealing with some physical symptoms of withdrawal.
- Exercise and Recreational Therapy – Involves a daily exercise routine that helps relieve stress, build a constructive pattern, and strengthen the body. The activities may vary from place to place, such as horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, etc.
- Meditation - Guided meditation is a significant part of several holistic treatment programs as recovering addicts need to have a clear mind to overcome their addiction. Yoga and Tai Chi are standard meditative practices to allow patients to clear their minds and increase focus.
