Drug or alcohol abuse are both serious addictions that can affect your life negatively. After being addicted to a substance for so long, detoxification can be a challenge. On top of that, you may fear becoming addicted to a new drug or treatment in your recovery program.

Holistic therapies can work in combination with modern medicine to help you overcome addiction more easily without the use of traditional medications in some cases. Detoxification can be a difficult process both mentally and physically. But, with the right combination of treatments, you can work through withdrawal without the severe symptoms you may fear.

Professionals can also pair holistic therapies with traditional treatments, which is why they are sometimes called complementary therapies. This combination of treatments can benefit each other, helping you work through minor withdrawal symptoms or medicate for severe symptoms as needed.

What is Holistic Treatment?

Holistic treatment is a method of care in which people aim to recover their minds, bodies, and souls. In contrast, traditional treatment options tend to focus its efforts toward’s one aspect of an individual’s health. The bottom line is that holistic treatment takes a person as a whole rather than just treating the physical aspect of their health.

At Coastal, our aim is to understand our patients through every aspect of their being. This enables us to offer our clients treatment in a way that optimizes success. Holistic treatment allows us to do this.

Holistic Therapies: Combating Depression and Anxiety

Those who suffer from both depression and anxiety can receive treatment from psychotherapists at our facility. Our ultimate desire is for individuals to know that we care for and understand them. We believe this will help them accept themselves for who they are, both internally and externally. This will give them a better understanding of themselves, encouraging self-awareness. This, in turn, allows individuals to be mindful of their overall wellbeing.

Being Mindful of Your Overall Wellbeing

In order to be mindful, one must become more reflective of their emotions, thoughts, and actions. Mindfulness is of the utmost significance when it comes to treating substance use disorder with holistic care. This is such an important part of the substance abuse treatment journey. Once an individual is more mindful of themselves, they are capable of being more honest with themselves. This allows them to practice acceptance.

Accepting Where You Are

When it comes to recovering from substance use disorder, acceptance is one of the most important stages of the treatment journey. More times than not, individuals fear what the truth will expose concerning their integrity or even their past in general. But when someone accepts the truth for what it is, they can accept their circumstances for what they are.

Acceptance encourages individuals to grow. As they grow, they’ll become more vulnerable, which can be scary but will allow them to excel towards a stable life. When someone suffers from addiction, guilt often piles up in no time flat. There are so many decisions patients wish they could take back, but they just can’t.

However, what they can do is learn from their mistakes and make the right decisions going forward. Holistic treatment encourages individuals to do this by utilizing relaxation, self-reflection, physical activity, and other activities that help patients do well on their road to recovery.

The Principles of Holistic Care

When it comes to helping those who suffer from addiction, holistic care is quite successful. Those who participate are able to connect with every ounce of their being. In order for it to be successful, it’s imperative to believe in the process. For some, this means they must understand how holistic care works. There are some principles surrounding holistic treatment that we uphold at Coastal. These principles include the following:

  • Quality care
  • Preventative measures are highly valued
  • Opportunities to improve are highly valued
  • Fixating on the cause instead of the symptoms
  • Seeking to empathize and understand patients
  • Love and understanding are imperative to progress
  • Addiction is a disease and should be treated as such
  • Healthy and meaningful spirituality encourages self-care
  • The needs of the patient are more important than anything else
  • Good, well-founded relationships between patients and health care professionals

The Danger of Substance Use Disorder

As it relates to substance abuse, there are many dangers that individuals should be aware of, including the following:

  • Risk of overdose
  • Poor time management
  • Neglecting family and loved ones
  • Not following through with professional responsibilities

A lack of control is dangerous, especially when it comes to drug use. When someone begins using and abusing a substance, the chemicals in their brain trigger the pleasure center, conjuring an intense feeling of euphoria. This happens regardless of whether or not it’s a person’s first time or hundredth time using a particular substance.

The pleasure center is the region of the brain that tells your body that it’s enjoying something. For example, when food tastes good or when we become emotional because of a movie, this particular part of the brain is responsible.

Once someone uses drugs, there is an intense rush of dopamine that stimulates the pleasure center like nothing ever has before. Everything else that people enjoy in their lives become overshadowed. What’s worse about this is that no high will ever be stronger than the first. This is the reason that most individuals develop an addiction; they’re chasing after a high that they’ll never feel again.

The Main Benefits of Holistic Therapies and Treatment

There are a few major benefits of holistic treatments. These include things like:

  • The quick relief of pain
  • Improvement of health in general
  • Assistance with a well-balanced lifestyle
  • The use of natural herbs and medicines
  • Awareness of environmental safety and health
  • The application of natural methods of treatment including nutrition, exercise, and non-invasive treatments

For instance, those who receive these treatments may benefit from a reduction of stress or anxiety. This is due to human touch during a massage or the increased circulation in the body following an acupuncture session. The quick relief of pain can sometimes be attributed to increased circulation and the release of tension with massage.

Natural herbal treatments, like the use of aromatherapy, can help lower stress and stimulate the body. For example, peppermint or spearmint can help open the airways and increase circulation to the skin. Exercises like yoga or stretching can help reduce tension and anxiety as well, benefitting patients who may not want to take medications or who want to learn to work through side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

holistic drug detoxHow Do Holistic Therapies Help During Drug Rehabilitation?

Holistic treatments help patients focus on proper nutrition, good physical health, and strong mental and spiritual health. Spiritual counseling can help a person feel more connected to himself and others, while exercises help reduce physical stress.

Proper nutrition can help give patients the energy needed to overcome some symptoms of detoxification while making sure they get the nutrients they need. Complementary therapies can provide many benefits, including:

  • Improving circulation
  • Providing time to relax
  • Boosting your immune system
  • Reducing pain or relieving pain
  • Improving your emotions or moods
  • Providing relief from stress, anxiety, or stress
  • Improving the speed at which the body removes toxins

What Are Some Holistic Therapies Available?

Some commonly used holistic therapies include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Aromatherapy
  • Holistic Massage
  • Manual lymphatic drainage

The holistic massage focuses on the needs of the patient. The patient may want a light touch or firm pressure. Certain parts of the body may be massaged, like the shoulders or neck, to release tension in that specific area. The purpose of holistic therapy is to both reduce pressure and tension and put the body at ease with human touch and compassion.

Aromatherapy uses scents to address stress, tension, and anxiety. Essential oils come from many natural plants, seeds, bark, roots, and so on. The oils can be blended into a scent that the individual likes and they can also be mixed into massage creams. Therapists can fragrance the room with the essential oils or dilute the oils for rubbing on the skin.

Manual lymphatic drainage is a gentle method of massage that helps improve the flow of the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes contain white blood cells, so massaging the nodes can help drain the nodes of the toxins that may be present. During the massage, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, helping promote recovery and growth. The muscles relax, the immune system strengthens, and lymphatic flow improves.

Acupuncture, another kind of holistic therapy, is used to stimulate the skin, muscles, and body’s circulation. Small needles are inserted around the body to stimulate the nerves and release tension and anxiety.

How Can I Begin a Drug or Alcohol Treatment Program That Involves Holistic Therapies?

You can begin with a holistic drug or alcohol addiction treatment program easily! Whether you’re ready to move away for treatment or want to look at outpatient programs near you, our helpful specialists can help you locate a program that will benefit you.

Contact us today to speak with someone now, or visit us online. We can help you find the kind of holistic program you want, whether you want to focus on a program without traditional medications or one with combination therapies.