Holistic approaches to drug treatment have been helpful to many throughout their recovery. You treat your body, mind, and spirit by taking a holistic approach to drug treatment. While traditional treatment methods are crucial to getting better, the benefits of holistic drug treatment can help you enhance your recovery and find greater fulfillment in your life.
What Is Holistic Drug Treatment?
Holistic drug treatment uses several different techniques and activities that you can use during active treatment and throughout your life in recovery. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), holistic or whole person health refers to helping individuals improve and restore their health in multiple interconnected domains including biological, behavioral, social, and environmental rather than just treating disease.
Sometimes called alternative or integrative approaches, holistic treatment methods are used in medical, mental health, and substance abuse treatment. Holistic means that the whole person is treated including multiple dimensions of wellness including body, mind, and soul.
Traditional medical models attempt to separate your health care. For example, dental and vision care are not included in most insurance plans, which generally only cover illnesses or injuries in your body. However, holistic treatment operates on the theory that each area of your health affects the others.
If you are mentally ill, you might not take care of yourself physically. People with depression might struggle to exercise, get out of bed, brush their teeth, or eat healthy foods. The mental health issue affects the person’s physical wellness, and separating these areas will not lead to a full recovery. One of the key benefits of holistic drug treatment is the focus on the whole person.
Examples of Holistic Rehab Approaches
Drug and alcohol abuse impact you in many different ways. Your mental and emotional health can suffer. You might develop long-term physical health issues related to substance abuse, like hypertension, diabetes, cirrhosis, and others. By including holistic approaches in your treatment plan, you can address multiple areas of wellness while treating your addiction.
Many treatment facilities include holistic approaches in their programs. These approaches are meant to enhance your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being to complement traditional treatment methods.Â
You might consider some of the following holistic approaches during your treatment:
- Acupuncture
- Aromatherapy
- Massage therapy
- Meditation and breathwork
- Yoga
- Nutrition
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage (massage that targets your immune system and flushes your body of harmful toxins during drug detox)
Many of these techniques might be considered hobbies and interests by those not in addiction recovery. However, all of these activities have a therapeutic benefit and can help you prevent relapse during recovery. You can usually engage in these holistic activities outside your rehab center and incorporate them into your everyday life.
The Benefits of Holistic Drug Treatment
Holistic drug treatment can benefit your recovery in several ways, such as:
- Lowering your reliance on medications to treat anxiety or withdrawal symptoms
- Alternative approaches like breathwork and meditation can help relieve anxiety and manage withdrawal symptoms during detox
- Healthy nutrition can play an essential role in your recovery
- Reduces your risk of adverse side effects from medications
- Low-cost ways to supplement your treatment
- Many holistic activities can be found in your community or even online
- As you continue with therapy, peer support, and other addiction treatment, holistic approaches can fit easily in your daily life outside of a group or facility
- Learn relapse prevention and coping skills that you can do anywhere
- Mindfulness and breathing techniques can be done anywhere when you have cravings, urges, or are feeling upset and anxious
- You could even just take a walk around the block to redirect your focus
- Build connections with others
- Support and connection are crucial during your recovery
- You might meet new people during a healthy cooking class who are like-minded and focused on their overall wellness
- If you need to cut out toxic friends to avoid triggers, you could meet healthy people by engaging in holistic health classes
- Better health outcomes overall
- Holistic approaches during drug treatment are not just about treating your addiction
- You are learning better ways to deal with stress and take care of yourself
- Addiction can damage your body and mind; holistic approaches can help you restore and repair the damage of drugs and alcohol
While holistic approaches can play a valuable role in your treatment, they are not meant to entirely replace traditional drug treatment methods. Instead, they can be part of your individualized drug treatment plan to improve your outcomes and increase your chances of success in recovery.
Holistic Drug Treatment in Nashville
You can experience the benefits from our holistic drug treatment by adding these approaches to your recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. If you or your loved one need help with a substance use disorder, Brentwood Springs Detox of Nashville, TN, is here to help. We offer a range of services, from medical detox and inpatient rehab to alternative and holistic approaches to recovery. Visit our admissions page or call us today to begin a treatment program that works for you.
