Of the estimated 23 million Americans with addiction, fewer than 25 percent ever receive treatment. This is due to many factors, but one could be the way that rehab is presented.
Many find the idea of detox and a traditional 12-step program off-putting and avoid it. But what if there was an alternative that combined the usual treatment methods with holistic options?
Holistic rehab is a physical, mental, and spiritual approach to overcoming addiction. By adding the spiritual aspect, the goal becomes treating the individual, rather than just the addiction.
Holistic drug rehab is an option for those who haven’t been successful with other types of rehab. Keep reading to find out what you need to know.
What Is Holistic Rehab?
Holistic approaches to treatment are defined as those that take the person into account. That’s in addition to the symptoms of the illness.
The goal of a holistic rehab center is to help treat the addiction but does so in a tailored way, customized for each patient. It takes into account your physical, mental, and spiritual self as treatment is designed.
If you’ve never experienced this kind of treatment before, it won’t feel the same as what you are used to. Alternative approaches are combined with traditional detox methods.
Because there’s an additional focus placed on the person, it’s often a successful way to change behaviors and thought patterns that go with addiction.
Research indicates that a holistic approach is effective for increasing the awareness of emotions. It’s also helpful for building a set of coping mechanisms that allow individuals to live an addiction-free lifestyle.
How Does Holistic Rehab Work?
In addition to the traditional aspects of rehab, including both inpatient and outpatient rehab, a holistic treatment plan incorporates alternative medicine techniques. The purpose is to get you engaged with your body and mind.
When that happens, you may notice that you’re better able to handle stress and the emotions that go with addiction recovery. With these extra skills, you could have a higher chance of staying sober.
Your holistic treatment plan may include yoga, acupuncture, meditation, art therapy, massage, nutrition, and equine therapy. Music therapy, biofeedback, and tai chi are other elements of holistic recovery.
Like other approaches, you have a few options. Perhaps you want to attend outpatient drug rehab, which allows you to go home each day. Or maybe you feel that you’ll be more successful in an inpatient setting.
Either way, treatment involves discovering the cause of your addiction. You’ll start with detox, just as you would in any inpatient or outpatient alcohol rehab or drug rehab program.
From there, you will work with the staff to create a customized holistic approach. It will address you as an individual and your specific situation.
That might include therapy sessions, in addition to the options listed above for helping you tune into the spiritual side of addiction recovery. No two programs look the same and you’ll have a hand in creating yours.
Benefits of the Holistic Approach
There’s quite a bit of evidence that supports holistic treatment for a variety of reasons, addiction being one of them. The primary benefit is that you have access to both traditional and alternative methods of treatment.
Not only will that increase your chances of success, but it could be a more tolerable way to learn how to live with your addiction, particularly if you haven’t been successful in the past.
In terms of the alternative methods used in a holistic approach, many have additional benefits that make them something worth trying. For example, yoga helps control stress, which is very powerful for those with an addiction.
When stress is under control, you’re less likely to reach for drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Further, methods like art therapy and meditation improve mood and increase levels of feel-good chemicals in the brain. This can help with both physical and mental symptoms of withdrawal.
Another major benefit of holistic treatment is that it’s customized. That means you’re getting the components that offer the highest chance of success and skipping the ones that might not be helpful for you.
Holistic medicine tends to be more compassionate. When an emphasis is placed on feelings, rather than symptoms, patients often feel they have a bigger role in their recovery.
Is It Right for You?
If you have tried other methods of addiction recovery and haven’t been successful, the holistic approach may be right for you. It’s great for people who want to learn to tune into their bodies.
It’s also an outstanding option for those who want to combine addiction recovery with other healthy lifestyle choices. That includes learning to eat in a healthy way and to stay physically active, both of which support recovery.
When you use holistic treatment methods, you learn to connect your mind, body, and spirit. This allows you to address your addiction but also improves your behaviors and mood.
When that happens, you have a better understanding of why you reach for drugs or alcohol. That gives you the ideal starting point for creating new coping mechanisms and habits that support a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Getting Started
If holistic rehab sounds alluring to you, you aren’t alone. It’s a terrific option for many people who want to kick their addiction once and for all.
It’s a beneficial way to help you learn to read your body’s cues and find new and healthy ways of taking care of your body and resisting the temptation to use drugs or alcohol.
We’re here to help you with our luxury holistic therapy. Our treatment aims for mindfulness and we’ll help you overcome your addiction through a blend of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and ecopsychology.
Contact us today and get started living the happy and healthy life we know you are capable of.
