Holistic Therapy for Substance Abuse: Effective Therapy and Help for Recovery
Holistic therapy for substance use is a type of mental health treatment that focuses on creating balance in physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. This type of therapeutic practice has been around for hundreds of years and utilizes techniques that originated in ancient China.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction and looking for a different approach to traditional treatment methods, holistic therapy might be a helpful option. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of holistic therapy for substance use disorder and how it can help those in need of addiction recovery.
What is holistic therapy?
Holistic therapy, also known as alternative, complementary, or integrative therapy, is a type of mental health treatment that focuses on treating the whole person, not just the symptoms of their illness. It takes into account the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of a person's well-being to create a personalized plan for treatment. This type of approach can be beneficial in the treatment of substance use behavior as it allows the therapist to comprehensively treat the downstream physical effects of addiction.
Standard addiction treatment
Addiction treatment typically involves counteracting the detrimental effects of substance use on the brain as well as behavior. Addiction treatment may depend on the particular drug addiction. For example, treatment centers for opioid addiction and alcohol dependence may use medication to address addiction and withdrawal in combination with behavioral counseling. Marijuana dependence may rely more on counseling or some form of treatment as a first line of treatment. However, the key to maintaining recovery is treating the whole person, not just the physical symptoms or manifestations of drug use.
There are different types of behavioral therapies that may be used. Behavioral therapies can include twelve-step facilitation (TSF) to prepare for engagement with 12-step support groups, which can offer emotional support from peers; family counseling, which may primarily be used for younger people, can be useful in addressing the family dynamics and patterns within a family; and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help one find a healthy way to deal with stressors and triggers while learning holistic methods to restore balance and promote self-esteem.
Examples of therapy techniques
How treatment can benefit those with addiction
Holistic treatment programs feature personalized, non-medical methods of treatment for substance use disorder and addiction. Each method is designed to help with certain areas in which one may struggle, such as emotional disturbances, obsessive thoughts, nutritional deficiencies, spiritual development, and physical decline due to over use of drugs or alcohol. Many of these methods are often utilized with medical services that treat the physical and emotional symptoms of addiction.
Lack of sleep, poor diet, and emotional stress can all be potential obstacles holistic treatment might help someone in early recovery overcome. Holistic therapy plans are flexible, gentle, and generally utilize these five elements in their provision of care:
- Physical: Fitness, nutrition, sleep, and healthy behaviors
- Emotional: Emotional balance, healthy coping ability, processing feelings safely
- Social: Reduce isolation, build safe relationships, create sober networks
- Spiritual: Find purpose/meaning, appreciation, connect with self
- Intellectual: Establish boundaries, plan development, skill-building
How a holistic treatment can help
A holistic approach can be a powerful tool in substance use disorder treatment because it addresses the root causes of addiction and provides a comprehensive approach to healing. It can help individuals develop coping mechanisms to manage stress, anxiety, and depression without relying on drugs, alcohol, or other substances. This, in turn, can help prevent relapse and lead to long-term recovery.
Holistic treatment approaches
Approaches to holistic treatment for addiction are intended to support holistic recovery. This involves promoting a healthy lifestyle that includes physical exercise and a nutritious diet. As well as promoting physical health, holistic addiction treatment seeks to integrate mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects through the use of alternative modalities. These may include reiki, biofeedback or neurofeedback, mindfulness meditation, massages, and acupressure and acupuncture to relieve aches and pains, and different types of yoga.
Is this treatment evidence-based?
Many studies have shown that holistic therapies can be effective in treating addiction. For example, Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a yogic breathing program, has been shown to significantly increase the quality of life of male opioid users over a 6-month period. Similarly, a study conducted on women who received a twice-weekly program of Vinyasa yoga for smoking cessation showed a higher rate of sustaining smoking-free behavior than their counterparts who did not practice Vinyasa yoga.
Some evidence shows that holistic practices, such as mindfulness meditation and motivational enhancement, can help decrease addiction relapse and substance-related injuries. For example, one study conducted on mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) showed that participants who attended mindfulness meditation sessions found it to be a powerful means to abstain from alcohol over long periods of time.
Online holistic treatment
In today's digital age, online holistic treatment has become an increasingly hard-to-attain option. Online therapy can provide individuals with a connection to holistic techniques, save travel time, and allow sessions to be completed from the comfort of their own homes.
How online counseling can support addiction recovery
Online therapy can also offer a range of holistic activities that may not be possible in an in-person setting, such as virtual yoga classes, guided meditation sessions, and other mindfulness-based therapies. This can provide individuals with a wider range of holistic therapy services, helping to promote overall well-being and healing. If this sounds like something that could be beneficial to you, consider connecting with a therapist through BetterHelp, an online counseling platform. Here, you can chat with a therapist who can come up with a personalized treatment plan for your specific needs.
Research supporting the efficacy of online counseling
Similar results were found when looking at patients who were seeking therapy for substance-use-related mental health symptoms.
When performing a review of several evidence-based studies, researchers found that online interventions and mental health therapy show clear impacts on improving participants' overall well-being, reducing substance use-related behaviors, and sustaining abstinence over time.
Takeaway
Holistic therapy can be a powerful tool in the treatment of substance use disorder. By addressing the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of a person's well-being, holistic therapy can provide a comprehensive approach to healing and prevent relapse. If you are interested in how online therapy can help you attain substance use disorder treatment, consider getting started with an online therapy platform such as BetterHelp. You can get connected with a licensed mental health professional who can help you begin holistic therapies designed to help you meet your goals and find balance within your daily life.
What is the holistic approach to substance abuse?
Holistic approaches to substance use disorder (formerly substance abuse) addresses the health and wellbeing of the entire person rather than focusing solely on their addiction. This can include their mental health, life circumstances, any physical conditions, and even cultural traditions.
What is the holistic approach to abuse?
The holistic approach to substance use (formerly substance abuse) treats the whole person, including their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. The idea is that individuals who are trained in maintaining balance in all aspects of their lives will be empowered to overcome substance misuse.
What is the holistic perspective of drug addiction?
The holistic perspective of drug addiction acknowledges that it is not only a physical dependency, but affects all other areas of a person’s life. Drug addiction causes mental distress, emotional issues, and even spiritual conflicts. Thus, substance abuse treatment must address the person as a whole in order for the recovery process to be successful.
What mental health therapy is good for substance abuse?
Many different types of mental health therapy may be suitable for treating substance use disorders, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, family therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.
What is a holistic approach to therapy?
A holistic approach to therapy often includes conventional treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavior therapy with licensed therapists alongside alternative or complementary therapies.
What are the techniques of holistic therapy? Is art therapy included?
There are a number of different holistic therapy techniques, including general therapy such as psychodynamic therapy as well as alternative practices like music therapy, art therapy, acupuncture, guided imagery, and more.
What are examples of holistic treatment?
Holistic addiction therapies may include:
- Biofeedback
- Mindfulness meditation
- Aromatherapy
- Nature therapy
- Massage therapy
- Tai chi
- Acupuncture
- Yoga
- Equine therapy
Such treatments can be more effective than standard therapies in some cases.
What is the best solution for substance abuse?
There are varying opinions on the best solution for substance use disorders. Most experts agree that medical detox is the first step, which can include managing withdrawal symptoms. Many people with a substance use disorder may benefit from a combination of medication and therapy, including conventional and/or alternative medicine and therapies.
What is the holistic approach to treating patients?
Holistic therapy focuses on every aspect of a person’s health and wellbeing. At holistic treatment centers, you may find a variety of medical and mental health professionals such as medical doctors, licensed therapists, nutritionists, massage therapists, and more.
What is the holistic approach in the addiction treatment process?
For substance abuse treatment at a holistic treatment center, it may be important to incorporate holistic techniques carefully. A medical detox is usually required first to manage withdrawal symptoms and stabilize the individual. Next, the patient may receive a variety of holistic treatments over a period of time to address their overall health and wellness. Holistic treatment offers a way for individuals to deal with mental health issues that may be contributing to their substance use. Doing so can prevent relapse and promote lasting recovery.
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