Holistic Addiction Treatment Near Me

Everyone heals differently. While each human body is built similarly, the chemical nuances and reactions to everything around them vary. One person may have genetics that make them more likely to have cancer later in life, while someone else’s body forms antibodies against its own tissues. One person may adjust their behaviors and treatment based on medical advice, while another may be more in tune with nature and their bodies, preferring to practice more natural methods of treatment. Holistic addiction treatment is beneficial as a part of a comprehensive program. Holism in medicine is focusing on the person as a whole instead of each system or part separately. For example, when the lungs are not working properly, it can affect everything about the cardiovascular system, from blood pressure to heart rate and everything in between. Treating one thing helps to treat everything else.

Treating the main issue of addiction can be done with holistic approaches that help patients express their thoughts and feelings in a healthy manner. Recovery from any substance abuse disorder is one of the hardest experiences that anyone can go through and leads to an extremely vulnerable state of mind. It requires opening up to peers who are in similar situations who were once strangers and to medical professionals that truly have your best interests at heart. People who try to eat clean and allow their spiritual growth to guide them in many parts of life but found they lost their way with chemical substances may find all that they need in holistic addiction treatment to regain control of their substance abuse disorder (SUD).

Why should you consider holistic addiction treatment? 

Alternative therapies can be added to traditional substance abuse treatment regimens, like group and individual behavioral counseling, to induce an effect that is comprehensive to mind, body, and spirit. 12-step programs have been the preferred treatment for decades and has helped millions of people through some of the most difficult times of their lives. Tapping into someone’s core interests can help them develop a clear sense of identity, as well as the self-esteem and self-confidence that their drug of choice stole from them.

What kinds of holistic treatments exist?

When someone thinks of addiction treatment centers such as drug addiction treatment centers, alcohol treatment centers or marijuana addiction treatment facilities, they picture what the media has trained them to envision. What used to be considered eccentric therapies have proven themselves to be effective at offering therapeutic benefits to those with SUD. They include, but are not limited to:

• Equine therapy
  • Horses sense human emotions and tend to mirror them, so it can help people connect with the emotions that they suppressed for the years of their drug or alcohol abuse.
• Art therapy
  • Offers multiple benefits to those in the early stages of recovery, which include:
    • Reducing opposition to treatment and the stage of denial
    • Decreasing shame due to the stigma of being an addict
    • Enabling group discussions and relationships
    • The motivation to seek positive behavioral change
    • Showing that there is a healthy outlet for negative feelings and emotions
• Yoga
  • Pairs breathing with a variety of stretches. It helps to decrease stress, pain, anxiety, and depression. It is perfect to face the main issues that may have led to the addiction in the first place. Scientifically, yoga helps balance cortisol and adrenaline (the stress hormones). It can also increase GABA (the “feel good” neurotransmitter), causing a change in brain chemistry and improving mood.
• Tai Chi
  • Tai Chi is a combination of meditation, smooth movements, and breathing techniques. It can help reverse brain damage due to drug use. Alcoholism causes brain shrinkage. Cocaine and amphetamines cause the brain to overcompensate for the high levels of neurotransmitters released. Heroin and marijuana cause changes in the pathways of the chemicals in the brain, getting in the way of normal functioning. Tai chi can help reverse what the drugs have harmed.
• Massage therapy
  • The power of touch has been recognized as therapeutic throughout the centuries and has become an effective supplementary treatment for substance abuse. It can help especially in the withdrawal and detox process because of the aches and anxiety associated with it. How does it help?
    • Boosts mood by increasing serotonin and dopamine levels
    • Reduces stress and cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone
    • Induces relaxation
    • Decreases pain
    • Stabilizes sleep patterns
• Acupuncture
  • Acupuncture has been shown to:
    • Ease withdrawal symptoms
    • Prevent cravings
    • Increase the number of patients who remain in treatment
• Meditation
  • Mindfulness found through meditation helps someone tune into the present moment and navigate their own thoughts and feelings as a spectator. This is meant to allow them to let emotions come and go without acting on them. It has been shown to improve impulse control, which helps reduce the number of relapses they may experience in their recovery. Consistent meditation has also been proven to mend regions in the brain associated with memory, sense of self, stress, and empathy.
• Dance or movement therapy
  • Any age or physical capacity can use movement to heal. It helps improve endurance, muscle tone, balance, and coordination while boosting mood, improving body image, and lowering stress and anxiety by imparting a fun practice. 
• Vocational services
  • Employment has been intricately linked to helping recovering addicts stay in treatment. Holding a job that establishes a legitimate source of income leads to improved self-esteem and structured use of time. 

Stress can impact the lives of anyone. There can be a constant low hum of everyday anxiety that can throw someone over the edge when something big happens, like a car breaking down. It is especially true for those who are trying to recover from substance abuse. Adding a holistic component to a traditional inpatient or outpatient treatment program can help treat the body as a whole, focusing on how it reacts to the mental and spiritual roles. It offers a comprehensive treatment that is centered around the beliefs of the patient, as well as their needs to recover. Holistic treatments can help someone find the center of their being and the ability to face what life has to offer, from stress to happiness. They will also discover more enjoyment when they recover and take control of their addiction.