Does Holistic Therapy Actually Work?
It’s no surprise that people have some skepticism about the benefits of holistic therapy. Holistic therapy is often seen as the “hippy-dippy” way of dealing with a real disease. However, many of the benefits are undeniable, such as the benefits of exercise and the feel-good chemical released during low-intensity workouts like yoga.
What is “Holistic?”
Holistic therapy refers to any health care approach that embraces the person as a whole. Meaning that prescriptions and talk therapy aren’t ruled out, which is a common misconception. The goal of holistic therapy in addiction is to create beneficial habits that promote long-term good health.
These therapies can include:
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Yoga
- Meditation
What Does Holistic Therapy Do?
Some holistic therapies aim to create good health habits such as yoga. Yoga is a beneficial form of exercise that is low intensity, and its not-so-demanding nature makes it easy to work into a daily routine. Benefits from performing yoga include building muscle strength along with building the habit of exercising regularly.
Whereas other therapies like acupuncture lend themselves to personal satisfaction. It’s no surprise that the happier someone is in their life, the less likely that they are to resort to drugs for escapism.
These therapies can aid in the withdrawal symptoms as well by targeting key nerve areas, muscle spasms, and muscle damage done from drug use and low body care. Holistic treatment attempts to work on the entirety of substance abuse, not getting them through day by day. Many people argue that holistic medicine is advised to take the place of western practices. However, reverting back to the concept of holistic methods being about the whole of the body, it doesn’t rule out the need for medication for a safe withdrawal.
For example, if a person needs methadone or hydration aids to make it through a heroin detox, that’s not something that a holistic practice would deny.
What Is The Real Point of Holistic Therapy for Addiction?
From the outside, it looks like a pretty good setup. You go somewhere for 30 to 90 days, and in that time you meditate, receive massages, and acupuncture treatment. But anyone who’s been in a standard treatment center that offers these holistic therapy options can tell you it’s not a month at a spa.
Holistic therapy helps addicts understand what it means to feel good in your own skin. The idea is that by enabling people with positive behaviors, they will want to sustain those practices after they leave treatment. For many people that hold true, you replace addiction for a drug with an addiction to creating a healthy life.
Much like talk therapy, holistic therapy allows the person to get to know themselves beyond their addiction and prepare for a sober life. Unlike people who spend their entire lives without substance use disorder, people suffering from addiction have long forgotten what it means to put their health and wellbeing first.
Why Not?
What it usually boils down to since it’s so difficult to obtain hard facts about the effectiveness of holistic therapy is, why not? If there is the possibility that it will or could help someone with addiction overcome their addictive behaviors, take better care of themselves, and live a sober life, then why would anyone stand against that opportunity.
The issue that comes up repeatedly is about the spa-like nature of holistic therapy and treatment. But for addicts, that’s not the case. People suffering from addiction need to relearn behaviors that we took on in early childhood, such as handling stress or being able to calm down, and holistic therapies are tools for learning those behaviors again.
Access Multiple Therapy Options and Find What Works For You
If you’re not in a holistic way, then you can access a wide range of other therapy options, including traditional talk therapy and more. But if you’re ready to try out a holistic therapy approach, you may be pleasantly surprised with the results. The act of clearing your mind, focusing on what’s in front of you and carefully being aware of your surroundings are all tools that help people through difficult situations early into their sobriety.
These acts also give you the chance to put yourself first. Many recovering people will face many difficult obstacles shortly after completing rehab, and the idea that your needs come before others can help you stay sober.
Learn more about therapy options and benefits by contacting Rehab Carolinas. Our team will work with you to identify the course of therapy that will most likely have a long-term benefit for you.