What Is Holistic Therapy for Addiction Treatment?

Holistic therapies are non-traditional recovery methods employed to complement more conventional treatment approaches. Holistic recovery is intended to bring the mind, body, and spirit into balance. Holistic therapy concentrates on improving the person’s overall well-being while also addressing the physical symptoms of withdrawal.

Holistic therapies may include the following:

What Is Holistic Therapy?

Holistic therapy programs offer personalized techniques that treat the whole individual and all aspects of mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. Holistic therapists aim to address the symptoms of addiction as well as emotional and nutritional deficiencies and imbalances. Sleep disturbances, poor diet, and stress are all obstacles that holistic therapy can help a person in recovery lessen or even overcome. 

Some of the primary goals of holistic therapy include the following:

• Identifying the underlying causes of addiction
• Increasing resistance to drug or alcohol cravings
• Encouraging physical fitness
• Boosting self-confidence
• Decreasing the allure of substance use

Types of Holistic Addiction Therapies

Holistic therapy is comprised of several different aspects of healthy living. Some of the most common therapies include the following:

Nutritional Therapy

Having a healthy body is a vital aspect of addiction recovery. Helping individuals focus on and receive proper nutrition promotes healing on many levels. Those in recovery get a fresh start by providing their bodies with the nutrition they need to feel better and end their addictive behaviors.

Exercise Therapy

Daily exercise can help a person get into a healthy routine, reduce stress, and strengthen both the body and mind. Exercise is an essential part of many holistic treatment programs. 

It’s a well-known fact that exercise is generally a positive experience and beneficial for a person’s overall well-being, but summoning the motivation to workout can be difficult. For those with addiction, it’s often especially challenging, as physical activity tends to be neglected in place of substance abuse. But research has shown, however, that regular exercise can induce a natural high similar to the chemical one that drugs and alcohol provides.

Meditation

To overcome addiction, a person in recovery must have a clear mind and be able to focus on the moment. For this reason, meditation is a vital addition to many comprehensive treatment programs.

Unfortunately, many people dismiss meditation in the belief that it’s some new age practice that isn’t evidence-based. However, the science behind meditation is there. 

Regular meditation can help individuals learn to be more present in their daily lives and meticulously examine their thoughts and feelings. Meditation has been shown to help with emotional regulation, alleviate pain, cope with stress, reduce depression, and foster a positive mood. These are all outcomes that can offer extraordinary benefits to a person in recovery.

Art Therapy

Art therapy involves using art and a creative process to promote a therapeutic experience. By creating art and appreciating that which is created by others, a person in recovery is allowed to express themselves when words cannot. This approach is frequently used in addiction treatment as a means to relieve anxiety, address conflicts, and foster self-confidence and self-awareness. 

Music Therapy

Music therapy is distinctly different from listening or playing music for mere entertainment. It is an evidence-based practice that uses music to help accomplish an individual’s goals within a therapy program. Each client’s music therapy experience is explicitly designed to meet their needs and likings.

Music therapy offers physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits. It is helpful in a variety of ways for persons who are suffering from addiction and other forms of mental illness.

Adventure Therapy

Adventure therapy promotes recovery, growth, development, and enrichment of a person’s overall well-being through the use of structured activities that involve direct experience with nature. Adventure therapy includes the facilitation of enjoyable outdoor expeditions, also supported by traditional talk therapy. 

Adventure therapy is usually conducted in a group or family setting. It takes advantage of the environment to evoke change by making use of cooperative games, trust-building activities and problem-solving initiatives, outdoor adventures, and wilderness excursions.

Getting Help for Addiction

The most effective holistic programs are used in combination with conventional addiction treatment approaches. The philosophy that underpins holistic therapy, which is achieving and maintaining balance in all areas of life, fits well with and complements most modern addiction treatment programs.

Harmony Treatment and Wellness offers a comprehensive treatment program that includes evidence-based services, such as behavioral therapy and counseling. These pair well with meditation and other holistic practices and teach recovering addicts how to better cope with stress. By learning to deal with emotional difficulties in a healthier way, an individual in recovery can more effectively prevent relapse.

People who are addicted to drugs and alcohol often feel helpless and have great difficulty imagining a life that is happy and fulfilling. We can help you end the cycle of addiction and reclaim the life you deserve. 

If you are ready to start your journey to recovery, contact us today to discuss treatment options!