Holistic medicine is an approach where a person heals by restoring optimal functionality of the body and mind. In other words, we rely on our incredible regenerative properties and shy away from volatile drugs. Often, we are too dependent on medication, making ourselves even weaker in the long run.
The holistic treatment focuses on the whole body, mind, emotions, and soul. According to practitioners, all our parts are interconnected, and whenever we experience a medical problem in one area, it affects everything else. In this article, we will talk about the long road to addiction recovery after addiction treatment and why you should consider holistic practices.
What are the basics of holistic medicine?
Teachers of holistic medicine claim that love and support are the best ways of healing ourselves. As sensitive people, we need to focus on our spirit and emotions. The approach is especially important for those who want to eliminate addiction as it allows them to go back to their natural state.
According to practitioners, all of us have strong healing powers. Often, addicts are viewed as sick individuals, but instead, we need to observe them as the whole person who is out of balance. Unlike western medicine, which often focuses on treating the surface symptoms, holistic medicine wishes to eliminate the cause of the disease or addiction.
How can you use holistic treatment for addictions?
Every holistic treatment is personalized and tailor-made for a specific individual. This is especially important during drug recovery as these people might have underlying problems that turned them to vice. When helping an addict, a practitioner will see to their physical and mental needs but also address the nutritional imbalance and emotional fragility.
Besides the problem itself, holistic treatment can provide various secondary benefits. This includes better sleep, less stress, improved diet, etc. So, the therapy will have a wholesome impact on individuals, completely turning their lives around and not just focusing on the problem.
Here is how the process should look like:
- First, the holistic practitioner will determine the cause of addiction
- Then, they will strengthen the addict’s overall resistance
- Overall improvement of physical condition
- Improving self-confidence
- Reducing cravings for drugs, alcohol, and other substances.
The most common addiction treatments for addicts
Although a person can benefit from almost any holistic therapy, here are some that have over time provided the best results:
· Nutritional treatment
Perhaps the best way to start an addiction recovery is with nutritional treatment. As you well know, we react much better to any therapy when we’re in good shape. During nutritional treatment, an addict will introduce better groceries as a daily routine. By doing so, a person is improving the overall functionality of the body and flushing bad chemicals.
· Regular exercising
Most practitioners will recommend yoga to improve the overall state of the body, muscle tonus, and flexibility. The truth is, you can do well by introducing almost any kind of physical activity. Besides the fact that it will increase your strength, exercising can improve your discipline, which will be crucial going forward. Things such as horse riding, hiking, canoeing have shown great results in reducing stress and restoring the natural balance of a person.
· Massage and other relaxing treatments
Again, the purpose of this therapy is to relax the body and detox. Massage is great for stress, but it can also have a healing impact. Besides eliminating any spasms and physical issues, it can help us overcome medical problems we might be struggling with. Besides massage, you can also try acupuncture and a few other therapies.
· Meditation
Focus is one of the most important things that would help you overcome any addiction. Meditation clears the mind and improves discipline. What’s even better, it works great with other approaches.
How effective is a holistic treatment for addictions?
Regardless of empiric evidence, there isn’t much clinical data that would corroborate the efficiency of holistic treatment. Even when there is data, it is usually inconclusive.
These types of treatments are especially alluring to people who don’t like taking heavy doses of drugs or simply want to avoid traditional western medicine. Keep in mind that holistic medicine is not just a therapy but a way of living. It can turn around addicts and change their approach to life. In fact, it has a better chance of preventing relapse than some other treatments.
People who undergo holistic treatment will also find it easier to cope with daily challenges and will increase productivity. This is why this method is so popular despite limited data.
