For those who have struggled with drug addiction, it often involves a long-term battle to restore order to their lives. This traditionally involves inpatient treatment at rehabilitation clinics and months away from family and friends.
While rehabilitation is an important part of the recovery process, many modern programs are looking at less conventional approaches to fighting drug addiction. The focus is not so much on traditional group or individual therapy as it is holistic therapy options.
Holistic rehab approaches for drug addicts:
Here are few of the numerous holistic rehab approaches for helping patients beat the addiction.
Meditation
The purpose of meditation is to quiet the mind and develop a sense of inner peace. It can be hard to get settled enough to meditate with so many thoughts and feelings clouding your mind. But it’s believed that as little as ten quiet minutes of meditation each day (to start with) can greatly improve your state of mind.
Acupuncture
Did you know that the use of acupuncture to treat drug addiction goes all the way back to the early 1970s? A surgeon in Hong Kong by the name of Dr. Wen is credited with the development of the process.
The ongoing theory is that the insertion of needles at specific locations can help greatly reduce withdrawal symptoms, in addition to activating the body’s energy flow and bringing internal balance. Numerous studies conducted on the use of acupuncture to treat addiction seem to agree that there are some positive effects of using this method at various stages of rehabilitation, but most especially when fighting withdrawal symptoms.
Yoga/Physical Fitness
Addiction takes a huge toll both on the mind and the body. While acupuncture and meditation are holistic methods recommended to help soothe and repair the mind and soul, it’s important to remember to rebuild physical strength. The way to do this is to seek out physical activities that you enjoy. Perhaps you can take up swimming or learn to box. Going for long walks can also be ideal.
One physical activity often linked with the holistic treatment process is hatha yoga. This type of yoga involves holding a specific position for a certain amount of time. It is meant to help relieve stress and promote relaxation. It is also believed to help remove toxins from the body, including those that built up in the body as a result of abusing drugs and/or alcohol.
Massage
Massage therapy, much like yoga or acupuncture, is said to be an ancient tool used to heal the body and promote wellness. Massage can be used to improve blood circulation and aid digestion. It can also calm the mind and help eliminate anxiety. This form of alternative medicine when used in conjunction with other treatments can help bring the mind and body to a place of improved function.
Nutritional Therapy
As drugs themselves demonstrate, what you put into your body can have an incredible impact on your ability to function. Though drugs themselves work to break down the body and inhibit proper functions, the right nutrients are believed to help improve the body. There are so many positive effects of having proper nutrition, including the ability to manage your weight, slow down the aging process (drug abuse can GREATLY age the body), and improve the body’s immune system.
Hypnosis
Hypnotism is a popular method for fighting all sorts of undesirable behaviors, such as smoking or frequent overeating. It’s also used to fight drug addiction. The willing individual who submitted to the process over a period of time is believed to benefit from being hypnotized. Some persons even found themselves “traumatized” at the thought of using a needle and were successful in staying away from injecting themselves with various drugs. It’s also been used to help those in holistic rehab deal with the negative effects associated with withdrawal symptoms.
Herbal Medicine
Certain herbs are considered a useful form of alternative medicine that can help individuals at various stages of recovery. For instance, a person suffering from alcoholism would be given milk thistle to treat liver problems and kudzu to combat cravings for alcohol.
Here is a list of herbs that are recommended for treating various ailments. Be sure to remember that it’s important to do research in order to prevent a negative reaction or overdose. While these methods may seem very unusual, even “superstitious” in some cases, there are those who believe that a combination of these methods in addition to behavioral and cognitive therapies have helped them successfully overcome their drug addictions.
Don’t be afraid of trying something unconventional. It could be just what you need to improve your quality of life.
