Someone suffering from addiction is afflicted by a significant condition indicated by a powerful craving for specific substances or drugs despite the negative impacts caused by progressive use. Substance addiction influences the affected individual’s social, mental, and physical health because it affects all areas of their life. Addiction to opioids typically stems from recreational use but is frequently jumpstarted by prescriptions from one’s physician for injury or surgery pain. Thus, it is easy for one to start abusing opioids and become addicted to them.
Treatment For Opioid Addiction
Addiction treatment aims to reverse the impact that this disease has on the affected individual’s life. The best way to help a person struggling with addiction improve their symptoms and recover completely is to use treatments that have been successful with other patients. Unfortunately, addiction is a complex and long standing condition, and relapse is common in individuals undergoing treatment. Different treatments work for different people, and even if one is using the best treatment, it is not a guarantee that they might recover entirely from their drug-seeking actions.
To treat substance abuse disorders, medical professionals will use multiple therapy methods, and depending on the person’s commitment, these have shown to be successful. Holistic therapy is one of the methods used in addiction treatment as an alternative therapy option. It has become quite popular in the development of long-term recovery and sobriety.
Holistic Therapy
The term “Holistic” refers to any health care approach that addresses the person as a whole by focusing concurrently on both the body and the mind for overall healing. Other treatment interventions only concentrate on managing the symptoms, while holistic therapy looks at both the mind and body, enabling the treatment to take care of possible contributing factors. Most treatment centers view these holistic interventions as the best chance for a patient to take care of his or her physical and psychological requirements. Taking up holistic therapy methods such as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, or massage therapy helps patients improve on certain aspects of their daily life and in their rehabilitation. Usually, holistic therapy involves different treatment options used together or separately. Holistic therapy methods are mostly noted for their balancing and calming characteristics, which help to reinforce addiction treatment in the following areas:
- Environmental toxicants
- Neurochemical imbalances
- Spiritual foundation
- Emotional imbalances
- Physical symptoms
Holistic therapy methods are also highly effective in helping patients feel more productive and relaxed during their treatments. Generally, they also become better equipped to handle the difficulties associated with rehabilitation and the detox process. Holistic therapy methods like meditation and yoga help reduce stress which is another beneficial way to reduce the risk of developing an addiction.
Holistic Therapy Methods
Patients in recovery for substance abuse have several options to choose from if they are undertaking addiction treatment. Generally, most rehab programs assimilate holistic therapy interventions to develop an all-encompassing treatment routine for substance abuse conditions. Aside from the 12-step program offered in most rehab and detox centers, some treatment programs may also include the following holistic therapy approaches:
- Massage Therapy: This holistic method involves a massage therapist applying pressure to one’s tense muscles to improve the patient’s mood and ease stress levels while improving well-being overall. This approach helps the patient deal with any past hidden emotions they may have tried to mask with substance abuse.
- Art Therapy: In specific treatment programs, artistic pursuits such as crafts, writing, painting, and music are used as healthy outlets for patients to express any hidden feelings surrounding their addiction.
- Yoga: This activity combines meditation and exercise to help both the patient’s body and mind. Mindfulness and yoga help cut the cycle of addictive behavior, stress and negative emotions by giving one a sense of self-realization, self-control, and self-awareness.
- Meditation: This holistic approach takes advantage of focus and mindfulness to give the patient emotional stability and a clear mind. This mindfulness helps to reduce cravings by making one more aware of cravings.
- Nutritional therapy: Patients in recovery become healthier and stronger through healthy, balanced meals.
- Acupuncture: This practice involves the use of needles for stimulation of different body parts, and it is pretty beneficial for people suffering from opioid addiction
- Exercise: Physical activity can help to improve one’s well-being, relieve stress, and ease withdrawal symptoms. It allows the recovering individuals to become mentally and physically stronger.
Depending on the individual’s specific requirements, a therapist who uses one addiction therapy technique might also suggest using other techniques such as yoga or acupuncture. Holistic therapy also makes use of Western medicine as both methods will complement each other.
How Holistic Therapy Works
The objective of holistic therapy is to make sure all parts of the individual are at optimum function. These addiction treatment interventions offer several benefits to the patient, with one significant advantage: the wellness of one’s spirit, mind, and body. The person receiving treatment will be truly healthy and happy when all three areas work well and in one accord. An addiction can come up from one’s need to deal with a traumatic experience or the need for balance in their life. Even though other treatment methods only deal with the addiction, holistic therapy helps individuals in addiction therapy with recovery by allowing them to gain balance constructively. Some studies have indicated that holistic therapy in addiction treatment reduces the risk of relapses and helps individuals stay clean for longer, offering a complete recovery. Holistic therapy is also entirely customizable as the physician can tailor the treatment according to the patient’s needs.
Effectiveness of Holistic Therapy Methods for Rehabilitation
Someone looking to try holistic therapy in a treatment program might experience some difficulty finding research supporting the effectiveness of these methods. There is little research on holistic therapy to treat substance abuse, and any existing research is usually unsatisfactory. This lack of sufficient evidence is why the efficacy of holistic therapy techniques in supporting addiction recovery is debatable and mostly unknown. Holistic therapy approaches might be attractive to people looking to try unconventional treatments. These interventions might also make them more open to trying holistic therapy in the first place as these methods make the treatment process more favorable to the patients.