
Types of Holistic Therapies in Addiction Recovery
- Mindfulness Meditation. One of the main techniques used in holistic treatment is mindfulness. Mindfulness is the state...
- Yoga. Yoga is another popular holistic modality as it encourages physical activity while focusing the mind on the breath.
- Guided Imagery. Guided imagery is a valuable holistic approach, especially for...
Full Answer
What is holistic addiction treatment and why is it important?
This helps to reduce the risk of future relapse. Often, a holistic approach can help to effectively treat addiction. Those who enter a holistic addiction treatment program can enjoy the benefits of becoming emotionally, mentally, and physically well while eliminating the influence of alcohol or drugs from their lives.
What are the best therapies for treating addiction?
- Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors that are involved in the rewarding effects of drinking and in the craving for alcohol. ...
- Acamprosate (Campral®) may reduce symptoms of long-lasting withdrawal, such as insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, and dysphoria (generally feeling unwell or unhappy). ...
- Disulfiram (Antabuse®) interferes with the breakdown of alcohol. ...
What is a holistic approach to addiction recovery?
Substance abuse is not limited to a particular group in society.” Guiding Light’s Recovery program provides a holistic approach to addiction treatment that helps men construct a life worth staying sober for. Known on the streets as no-joke recovery ...
What is holistic therapy for addiction?
Holistic therapy in substance or addiction recovery is crafted to complement the existing medical and clinical recovery process. Holistic treatment will include massage, an excellent nutritional and balanced diet, and reiki to facilitate emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing.

What is a holistic approach to treatment?
Holistic treatment means creating an integrative plan for each client which assesses all three areas of mind, body, and spirit. Their mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and spiritual well being have to be treated at the same time in order to ensure a greater chance at lifelong recovery.
Which of the following rehabilitation techniques uses a holistic approach?
With holistic approaches such as yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and acupuncture, patients may see improvements not only in their rehabilitation but also in other parts of their daily life.
What are 3 strategies often used to treat addiction?
There are many options that have been successful in treating drug addiction, including:behavioral counseling.medication.medical devices and applications used to treat withdrawal symptoms or deliver skills training.evaluation and treatment for co-occurring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.More items...•
What is the most effective way to deal with addiction?
5 action steps for quitting an addictionSet a quit date. ... Change your environment. ... Distract yourself. ... Review your past attempts at quitting. ... Create a support network. ... For more information on finding an effective path to recovery, check out Overcoming Addiction, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.
What does the term holistic refer to?
1 : of or relating to holism. 2 : relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system.
When is the person needs to be rehabilitated?
Anybody may need rehabilitation at some point in their lives, following an injury, surgery, disease or illness, or because their functioning has declined with age. Some examples of rehabilitation include: Exercises to improve a person's speech, language and communication after a brain injury.
What type of therapy is used for addiction?
Behavioral therapy is perhaps the most commonly utilized types of treatment for addiction that is frequently used during substance rehabilitation. A general behavioral therapeutic approach has been adapted into a variety of effective techniques.
What kind of therapy is used for addiction?
According to American Addiction Centers, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a valuable treatment tool because it can be used for many different types of addiction including, but not limited to, food addiction, alcohol addiction, and prescription drug addiction.
How do you break an addiction to someone?
Tips on How to Break an Addiction to a PersonFigure Out Your Addictive Relationship. ... Detach Yourself from an Unhealthy Bond. ... Surround Yourself with Positive People. ... Welcome Your Independence. ... Learn to Set Boundaries in Relationships and Friendships. ... Pay Attention to Yourself. ... People You Should Avoid.
How can God help me overcome addiction?
5 Ways Faith in God Helps You During Addiction RecoveryLove and Community Are Christian Principles. ... Prayer Provides Guidance. ... God Is Always There for You. ... Christian Exercises Assist Spiritual Progression. ... Passages From the Bible Offer Encouragement.
How can you help solve the problem of drug abuse?
Tips to overcome drug addiction:Surround yourself with supportive people. One of the most important things you can do to stay sober is to find friends who are sober, too. ... Find new hobbies. ... Exercise. ... Volunteer. ... Eat well. ... Talk it out. ... Meditate. ... Seek professional help.
How does the brain recover from addiction?
Addictive drugs can provide a shortcut to the brain's reward system by flooding the nucleus accumbens with dopamine. Additionally, addictive drugs can release 2 to 10 times the amount of dopamine that natural rewards do, and they do it more quickly and reliably.
What is holistic rehab?
The therapies used in holistic drug rehab programs aim to help individuals achieve overall health by improving all aspects of their well-being. These treatments often are tailored to the individual who is undergoing addiction recovery.
What is the treatment for substance abuse?
Traditional substance abuse treatment programs focus on counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, 12-step programs, and peer support. Holistic programs complement these approaches and help patients focus on understanding and improving their well-being.
How does prayer help with addiction?
Some holistic treatment programs will utilize prayer to augment addiction recovery . Prayer can increase self-awareness, decrease stress, and contribute a sense of optimism.
How to find out if rehab centers are holistic?
Many facilities have holistic treatment options available. To find out if a rehab center utilizes holistic therapies, contact their admissions department. They will provide information on their treatment approach and all the complementary therapies offered.
Why is yoga considered a therapy?
Yoga is a popular therapy because it combines mindfulness with physical activity. Yoga uses breathing techniques, body postures, and meditation to improve your health. It can relieve stress and anxiety and helps patients practice coping mechanisms.
How does art therapy help?
Art therapy helps confront emotional conflict, practice behavior management, increase awareness, gain social skills, and can even reduce anxiety and boost self-esteem.
What is holistic approach?
A holistic approach believes that every part of a person is interconnected. Therefore each system of the body affects all the others. Holistic treatment focuses on treating the whole person, taking physical, mental, social, and sometimes spiritual factors into account.
How does holistic medicine help with addiction?
According to the American Holistic Health Association, holistic medicine educates clients and encourages them to actively participate in their own recovery. Through the holistic philosophy, individuals suffering from addiction learn to protect many areas of their health.
What is holistic treatment?
Holistic treatment is composed of several nontraditional therapies intended to treat all facets of a person’s health. Many rehab centers have incorporated alternative therapies into treatment plans to enhance addiction recovery.
How Do I Know if a Rehab Has Holistic Treatment Programs?
As research on the efficacy of holistic therapies in treating chronic disorders has progressed, more treatment centers have incorporated these practices into their curriculum.
How many people use holistic medicine?
In the United States, holistic treatment is growing in popularity. More than 30 percent of American adults and about 12 percent of children have used some form of complementary or alternative medicine, according to a 2016 report by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
How does addiction affect health?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction can cause problems to the cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Substance use disorders can also lead to overdose and death.
What is the best treatment for addiction?
Acupuncture. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into specific points in the body to alleviate pain or treat various health conditions. When used with addiction treatment, acupuncture may help reduce anxiety, cravings, irritability and withdrawal symptoms.
How does art therapy help?
Through art therapy, people can help manage behaviors, assuage emotional conflict, increase self-awareness and develop social skills. It can also increase self-esteem and reduce anxiety.
What is Holistic Addiction Treatment?
The basic premise of holistic treatment is that the individual will have needs that are physical, social, and spiritual in nature. Modern medicine tends to focus predominately on treating physical symptoms. This can mean that important aspects of the individual’s care will be missing. It is the aim of holistic treatments to redress the imbalance. A person is not just a physical symptom that needs fixing but instead a complete whole. It is therefore beneficial to provide treatments that are individually or collectively aimed at treating the whole person.
How can holistic therapy help with addiction?
There are a number of holistic treatments that have proved effective in addiction treatment as a complementary therapy, including: * Acupuncture has been shown to lessen the experience of withdrawal symptoms. It can also reduce anxiety and help people sleep better at night.
How does massage help with addiction?
While in this altered state the individual will be able to develop effective strategies for dealing with addiction. * Massage can help to calm the body and mind. It also encourages the addict to become more in touch with their physical body.
How does holistic treatment work?
It is the inability of the individual to feel comfortable in their skin that drives them into alcohol or drug abuse. If balance is restored within the individual they will no longer have any reason to rely on chemicals. The different holistic treatments work to bring the person back into a natural balance. Instead of just treating the symptom the aim of holistic treatment is to get right to the root of the problem. That way the individual will benefit from more than just a temporary reprieve.
What is the importance of holistic treatment?
An important idea in holistic treatments is that a physical symptom is a sign of an overall imbalance within the individual. If attention is only given to treating the physical symptom then this will only be providing a temporary solution. The imbalance will continue to cause problems elsewhere in the body.
Can a holistic therapy help with withdrawal?
Any treatments then can help ease the transition are therefore welcome. Holistic therapies are promoted as a way to relieve the symptoms of withdrawal.
Is there empirical evidence for holistic medicine?
There tends to be less empirical evidence available with some of these holistic treatments. This is slowly changing, specifically as the UN has recognized traditional medicine as a repository of knowledge which can provide effective and low-cost health care benefits.
How to be effective in holistic therapy?
In order for holistic treatments to be effective, there must be a sense of trust between client and therapist. Understanding the client’s concerns and goals and truly listening will help the therapist to understand the client’s worldview and what they are looking to get out of holistic therapies.
What Is a Holistic Approach?
Holistic therapy is a form of treatment that focuses on recovery in a comprehensive way. Holistic therapy abides by these same principles. A holistic approach to therapy delves into the complex nature of conditions such as addiction, depression, and anxiety, using a variety of approaches that focus on both the mind and body. 3
What are the different types of holistic therapy?
Holistic therapy may include any or all of these approaches, and more, individually or blended: 3,8 1 Psychotherapy 2 Gestalt therapy 3 Art therapy 4 Breath therapy 5 Mindfulness awareness/meditation 6 Hypnotherapy 7 Guided imagery
Why do people come to holistic therapists?
For example, someone with chronic pain might come to a holistic therapist to explore possible psychological sources of their suffering. Stress and anxiety can contribute to chronic pain , and if an emotional issue or past trauma is the source of that stress, dealing with it could alleviate chronic pain to a certain extent. 5
What is holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine simply refers to the treatment of the whole person. 1 A holistic treatment approach takes takes into account all aspects of a person’s health – physical, mental, social, etc. 2.
Why do people turn to holistic medicine?
Many people who have felt like traditional medicine has failed them have turned to holistic medicine in hopes that their practitioners will understand the complex nature of their illness, dig deeper into the source (s) of the issue, and focus their treatment on the whole person, not just the obvious symptoms. 4
Is holistic medicine growing?
The acceptance of holistic treatment has been growing. As part of this, complementary and alternative treatments (CAM) are being utilized on an increasing basis. In 2007, 38.3% of adults and 11.8% of children accessed some form of complementary or alternative medicine, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. 6
What are some holistic therapies for addiction?
It is reasonable to assume that certain holistic therapies, such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and massage, as used to augment more traditional addiction treatment therapies, like individual counseling, behavioral therapies, and medical detox, can add to such treatment satisfaction, in some instances.
What Is a Holistic Treatment Program?
In general, rehab programs that incorporate holistic techniques carefully consider an integrated physical, mental, and spiritual model to build out a comprehensive treatment regimen for substance use disorders. Several of these techniques are also categorized as alternative or complementary treatments, some of which are based on practices that derive from cultural traditions. Examples of these include:
What Does Holistic Mean?
Holistic refers to a “whole person” approach to health care interventions— a simultaneous focus on the mind and body for complete healing. Many treatment centers see holistic approaches as an opportunity for patients to better attend to both their psychological and physical needs. With holistic approaches such as yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and acupuncture, patients may see improvements not only in their rehabilitation but also in other parts of their daily life.
How Effective are Holistic Techniques in Rehab?
Those who are looking into holistic treatment programs may find it difficult to find research backing the efficacy of such treatments. Not a lot of research has been done on various holistic therapies, and the research that does exist is often inconclusive. For this reason, the effectiveness of the techniques in supporting lasting recovery from addiction is still largely unknown, and it is sometimes hotly argued.
Why is holistic therapy important?
In addition, the use of these therapies can help people feel more at ease, more productive in their treatment response , and generally better able to cope with the challenges of detox and rehab. For these reasons, holistic practices can be a positive complement to the more evidence-based modalities.
What to ask when considering rehab centers?
They may need to ask about the therapies offered, the training of the people providing the therapies, and the cost of care, for example.
What is holistic approach?
Holistic refers to a “whole person” approach to health care interventions—a simultaneous focus on the mind and body for complete healing. Many treatment centers see holistic approaches as an opportunity for patients to better attend to both their psychological and physical needs. With holistic approaches such as yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and acupuncture, patients may see improvements not only in their rehabilitation but also in other parts of their daily life.
How can holistic therapy help with addiction?
Being that there are a wide range of holistic treatment approaches for addiction recovery, there are sure to be various approaches that will be beneficial for everyone. One of the core tenants of holistic therapy and addiction recovery overall is to improve wellness and become an improved version of self. As such, holistic approaches such as nutritional therapy or exercise can be beneficial for just about anyone. Especially being that individuals’ physical health has generally deteriorated as a result of substance abuse. Holistic therapies are not harmful, and therefore they are often incorporated and encouraged in addiction recovery centers for all individuals. The best way of finding an approach that is beneficial to your addiction recovery process is by trying them with an open mind and an open heart.
How to find holistic treatment for addiction?
Many comprehensive addiction treatment programs incorporate holistic treatment into their approach. Reviewing the website of addiction recovery centers to see what services they offer is a good starting point. For more in-depth and hands on guidance, you may want to seek out an addiction specialist who offers consultations and treatment placement in order to find the right addiction treatment provider that meets your needs. Some of the more common holistic approaches used in addiction recovery include nutritional counseling, yoga, exercise, mindfulness and meditation. Other specialized holistic approaches may be more sparse and harder to find, such as art therapy, music therapy, hypnotherapy and nature therapy, to name a few. As such, if you are interested in seeking out a particular holistic approach you may need to put some more time and energy into finding an addiction treatment center that not only offers the approach you are looking for, but that also aligns with your needs more broadly and that is reputable. There are many considerations when searching for the right addiction treatment provider, but taking the time to do so is worthwhile, as recovery is lifechanging and perhaps one of the greatest and most important undertakings of an individual’s life. A helpful starting point might be to read, “ A Guide to the Different Pathways of Addiction Recovery ” as well as “ How To Find An Addiction Therapist In New York City .”
What is holistic treatment?
The term “holistic treatment” can be used as an umbrella term that often refers to a “whole person” approach to treatment, meaning that there is a simultaneous focus on mental health and physical health, as well as other areas of an individual’s wellbeing such as spiritual health. As such, an underlying premise of holistic therapy is that there is an integration of an individual’s body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Using a holistic approach to addiction recovery, the entire person is addressed in treatment and not just one aspect of the individual or a particular symptom that the individual is presenting. Holistic treatments are designed to have an effect on the individual’s overall well-being rather than target a particular symptom or behavior.
Is holistic therapy covered by insurance?
Addiction treatment usually involves treatment via evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Medication Assisted Treatment, and although holistic therapy is a growing trend in the addiction recovery field, many holistic therapies are not covered by insurance as there is not as much rigorous empirical evidence to prove their efficaciousness. This does not mean that holistic therapy is not highly effective.
Is holistic therapy effective?
Many holistic therapies have been proven to be effective in research studies to provide benefits such as increased wellbeing, an increased sense of self, and a decrease in depression or anxiety, among other benefits. However, much of the research that has been done in this field may not be as reliable as the research that has been done in more conventional westernized therapeutic approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Nonetheless, these therapies continue to be used as no harmful effects have been found by integrating them into conventional treatment.
What is holistic treatment?
The purpose of holistic treatment is to help the addicts discover what caused their addictions. Once people have completed a holistic treatment program, they can claim to have received at least these four benefits: 1 A Physical Benefit – The detoxification process cleanses the body of the drug’s or alcohol’s toxins, but holistic therapy also improves the person’s health and physical fitness. 2 An Emotional Benefit – Because addicts’ emotional growth has been stunted due to drug use, they receive therapy to help them catch up to where they need to be currently. 3 A Mental Benefit – Since a large percentage of people with drug addictions are also suffering from mental illnesses, holistic treatment centers have psychiatrists who are ready to address these issues. 4 A Spiritual Benefit – People have a chance to reconnect with their old faith or to discover new ideas.
Why do addicts receive therapy?
An Emotional Benefit – Because addicts’ emotional growth has been stunted due to drug use, they receive therapy to help them catch up to where they need to be currently.
What is spiritual benefit?
A Spiritual Benefit – People have a chance to reconnect with their old faith or to discover new ideas.
Is holistic therapy a specific therapy?
Holistic treatment is not considered to be one specific type of therapy. The term covers something very broad that encompasses any type of treatment that is guided by a particular philosophy. The most accurate definition of holistic treatment is that it cures the entire person. The addict’s mental health, physical well-being, ...
Do holistic treatment centers have detox?
Of course, each holistic treatment center will need to address the physical addiction with the detoxification process. Once detox is over, medical professionals know that people cannot be left to return to their daily lives without undergoing any counseling, and this is true of holistic treatment centers as well.
