Not every type of treatment helps every kind of patient all of the time. As a result, a reliable addiction treatment center must ensure that their addiction treatment program is multifaceted. Some therapies have been used for so long because they’re known to be effective. Other kinds of treatment are newer in the treatment field, and so they may be used as complements to evidence-based clinical practices. Thus, it’s becoming more common to find holistic therapy program options in drug and alcohol rehab facilities. Continue reading to learn more about what holistic therapy is and the unique benefits it offers to people coping with addiction.
What Is Holistic Therapy?
Holistic therapy is a non-medical treatment designed to align a person’s total health. Some of the holistic practices that we offer patients at Promises Behavioral Health are:
Yoga
Tai chi
Meditation
Acupuncture
Energy work
Music and art therapy
Massage
Mindfulness and stress management
Nutrition and fitness counseling
Holistic treatment can complement evidence-based approaches, such as individual and group therapy, as well as more strictly medical interventions, like detoxification, that are offered in a recovery center. Holistic treatment also has the benefit of encouraging mindful practices that can last well beyond your rehabilitation and provide you with physical and mental habits that will serve you well for the rest of your life.
A Holistic Therapy Program As a Complement to Effective Treatment
Effective treatment programs share some aspects across the board. According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, some of the principles of effective care include:
Counseling and behavioral therapies
The importance of modifying treatment to meet changing needs
The need for individualized treatment
In all of these cases, a holistic approach is a recommended supplemental treatment. Getting the substances out of the body is an essential first step, but learning to manage craving in healthy, mindful ways is critical to many patients’ long-term recovery. Holistic therapies can also serve as a crucial addendum to a variety of therapies in that they are excellent ways of managing stress and keeping perspective on one’s recovery. Finally, holistic treatment is an ideal complement to a changing regimen of behavioral and medical treatment options because it is designed to tie what may seem like disparate approaches together.
Holistic Therapy Program in Addiction Treatment
A comprehensive recovery center takes an integrated approach to addiction treatment. Specialists understand the importance of treating the whole person, not only the addiction. Therefore, they include the “mental, emotional, functional, spiritual, social, and community aspects” of a person’s health, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Because addiction negatively impacts all areas of a person’s health and life, this is key.
A holistic therapy program can remind you of the more fun and relaxing parts of rehab. While addiction treatment involves a lot of work, many rehab centers provide enjoyable activities like hiking, animal therapy, or taking a dip in the ocean. Because addiction often robs people of the chance to experience fun, in rehab, you can rediscover it in a healthy, positive way.
Why Use Holistic Therapy for Addiction
One of the most significant benefits of a holistic therapy program is the focus on the present moment. Mindfulness meditation for addiction recovery is often part of this type of treatment. Many people with addiction issues may not even realize how often they’re out of the present moment. Instead, they’re either reliving some past pain or feeling anxious about the future.
As a person grows stronger in their recovery, holistic therapy for addiction reinforces that focus on total-body health, including the emotional aspect. It helps them recognize any bad feelings that crop up. Instead of letting those feelings mushroom out of control, they can examine them and cope with them in more productive ways.
Benefits of Holistic Treatment for Addiction
A holistic approach to treating addiction brings with it several specific advantages that are worth detailing, some of which we have touched on above. Among these are:
Holistic treatment helps with stress management. Stress is an exceedingly common aspect of substance abuse, as it serves as a trigger in many people. Almost all of the holistic treatments you will find at a treatment facility like Promises will help you to reduce and manage your stress, whether or not that is the primary goal of the treatment.
Holistic treatment is a low-cost supplement to care. Depending upon the level of treatment your condition requires, you may start with comprehensive inpatient care, partial hospitalization, or inpatient care. But wherever you begin, you can extend your treatment and wellness with holistic treatments like yoga, exercise, and a healthy diet. These are treatments you can take with you once you have completed your rehabilitation.
Holistic treatment reduces the risk of relapse, and brings with it several other life-long health benefits. The holistic treatments we have been discussing here have been demonstrated to help with many of the physical and mental problems that often accompany addiction. Among these are improved diet and eating habits, improved sleep, stress reduction, and reduced craving for drugs and alcohol.
Overall, holistic treatment provides an approach to treatment that involves the whole person. As such, it is an essential complement to any physical and psychological treatment program.
Making a Sober Promise to Yourself
Promises Behavioral Health is headquartered in Long Beach, California, but we have treatment centers throughout the country. Therefore, no matter where you are, you can get the quality care you deserve to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. We treat a broad range of addictions, as well as mood disorders, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders.
Our programs include:
Medical drug and alcohol detox