A holistic approach is an important component of addiction recovery. Simply stated, holistic approaches are natural ways of overcoming mental, physical and spiritual ailments. Holistic therapy is very common in addiction treatment because prescription drug addiction is often a major issue. By finding a facility that offers holistic paths for recovering from addiction, you have a greater chance of staying sober.
Holistic Approach to Detox
One of the common misconceptions about drug detox is that you won’t have any type of medication. You may receive medications, but these are to help ensure your safety by decreasing blood pressure and heart rate. The holistic part comes from overcoming your dependence on drugs or alcohol without tapering through the use of a detox medication. Different medications that patients use for detox may become a sort of replacement drug for the original addiction.
Some detox medications include:
- Suboxone
- Methadone
- Benzodiazepines
There are different issues that come along with using these medications because they’re similar to narcotics. Suboxone and methadone act by imitating the effects of opiates, which can cause a person to develop a new dependency. Benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous because they’re similarly addictive. One of the other drawbacks of using these medications is that they can also result in withdrawal if patients don’t properly taper them.
Learning that You Don’t Need Certain Medications
The best reason for using a holistic approach to your recovery is that it helps you to avoid or overcome an issue that many Americans have. From a young age, most Americans learn that some type of substance can fix any problem. The reality is that medications don’t fix all of your problems. In fact, in many cases, there are better, holistic ways to treat them. Through holistic methods, you’ll begin to see that you don’t need drugs, alcohol or medications in order to feel mentally or physically well.
How Holistic Methods Help with Addiction Therapy
Holistic methods aid behavioral therapy by helping individuals learn to deal with their emotions. Evidence shows that meditation is able to decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression as well as ADHD. This is incredible news to anyone struggling with mental illness who can’t imagine staying sober without medications. The other benefit to meditation is that it helps strengthen and repair the part of the brain that helps to form healthy behaviors.
Yoga is another holistic method that helps in a variety of different ways and is a great supplement to meditation. Those who had a long-term drug or alcohol addiction have most likely damaged muscle tissue as well as the nervous system. Yoga helps to repair damaged muscles and the nervous system in a natural way. This is also a great practice for anyone who may struggle with Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).
Pinnacle Peak Recovery is here to help you learn that you don’t need to rely on medications to live a great life. We offer a variety of different levels of care, including inpatient treatment, PHP, IOP as well as sober living. Find out more about our addiction treatment programs by calling 866-377-4761 today.