How much do you know about holistic rehab? Since addiction affects not only the body but the mind and spirit of individuals, alternative therapy can provide a positive outcome.
Nowadays, an increasing number of rehab centers, including those in Fort Collins, incorporate holistic methods with traditional approaches during recovery. The most effective holistic approaches involve yoga, meditation, gardening, equine-assisted therapy, and acupuncture.
Find out more information about each of these practices and their influence on addiction.
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What is holistic addiction treatment?
Holistic therapy is all about the body, mind, and spirit instead of just focusing on the physical effects of addiction. These treatments are thought to be effective because they bridge the gap between the physical condition of patients and their emotional well-being. Although addiction has to be treated as a physical problem, the root of this issue is often interpersonal or emotional.
Patients who receive such therapy end up learning the causes of their addictions. There are various holistic treatments that are incredibly useful in the battle with alcohol/drug dependence, including yoga, meditation, garden therapy, equine-assisted therapy, acupuncture, etc. When combined with traditional approaches, they provide excellent results. Learn more about the reasons to consider holistic addiction treatment.
Yoga
Yoga is an excellent coping mechanism in the recovery from addiction. Many people become addicted to substances or alcohol when experiencing stress, anxiety, or mental illness. Yoga is known to heal the mind, body, and spirit, as well as reduce stress. It inhibits the surge of dopamine that addicts undergo from using drugs, while restricting cravings. Since yoga involves elements of deep breathing, it releases endorphins that provide pleasure and can suppress addictive behaviors.
Moreover, yoga promotes physical health and contributes to boosting the fitness levels of addicts whose bodies have suffered the adverse effects of addiction. It improves respiration, organ performance, and circulation. Most importantly, yoga is very effective in reducing stress. In many cases, cravings and addictive behavior are stimulated by stressful situations. It teaches addicts how to control their breathing for stress levels to eventually get reduced.
Yoga is also helpful in developing new relationships and habits, as it introduces people to a new community. The sense of belonging somewhere while trying to find balance in life can take you far in the recovery process.
Meditation
Meditation is another practice that’s helpful in holistic rehab programs in Fort Collins. It’s defined as a state of awareness of your feelings, thoughts, and senses. Meditation has a positive effect in drug rehab centers, as it improves the capacity for positive thinking by helping individuals connect with the moment. Meditation teaches discipline, which is of great assistance to addicts.
In addition, it requires the ability of individuals to concentrate their attention on the present moment, which can only be done through discipline. Meditation can teach addicts mindfulness that eventually leads to self-acceptance. It helps them to clear their minds of all conversation and enjoy its complete silence. Go here, https://askthescientists.com/brain-meditation/, to see the meditation benefits for the brain.
Meditation has a positive influence on the mental state of patients by allowing them to keep centered and focused on the treatment. It improves their concentration, attention, and the chance to discover their character strengths. Stress is reduced while happiness levels are increased.
Garden therapy
Another holistic rehab approach is garden therapy, which has gained plenty of popularity in the field of addiction treatment. It’s a slow and relaxing process that takes place outdoors. Patients in detox centers stand to gain not just from the physical exertion that comes with gardening but also from the development of skills and enjoyment provided by this hobby.
Garden therapy aims to provide the replacement of self-destructive urges with much healthier ones. It offers a calm outlet for patients who go through tough times to stop being obsessed with addiction. Just like yoga, gardening helps individuals develop a sense of community with people who share similar interests and problems.
Equine-assisted therapy
Another popular holistic approach to overcoming addiction is equine-assisted therapy. It provides addicts with a companion that’s incapable of judging and being hurt by their actions. Equines help addicts strengthen their emotional awareness by spending time with non-judgmental animals like horses. It allows for getting a deeper insight into their behaviors, feelings, and boundaries.
Moreover, equine-assisted therapy enables patients to build self-esteem by building their confidence over time. This holistic approach is also helpful in improving relationships by making addicts realize what healthy relationships look like.
Acupuncture
Another practice used in holistic rehab is acupuncture, which is believed to increase the effects of dopamine production in the brain. Individuals can take advantage of holistic rehab Fort Collins centers that offer an all-around treatment approach, not just conventional treatments. Dopamine is in charge of creating feelings of pleasure and euphoria. Such feelings are induced when using drugs as well.
Acupuncture is capable of reinforcing the drug properties by restricting dopamine production when drugs are consumed, thus minimizing their effects. It reduces the severity of withdrawal symptoms by inhibiting GABA neurons and stimulating the release of dopamine. The ear is home to five pressure points used in acupuncture at holistic rehab centers.
Each pressure point targets a certain area. For instance, the Shen Men point provides feelings of euphoria if stimulated properly. It’s thought to heal physical pain or central nervous system conditions. When the kidney point is stimulated, the balance of the main body systems is restored, including the respiratory, immune, and digestive systems.
In contrast, the sympathetic autonomic point affects some brain activity aspects, hormone levels, and willpower. When stimulated, patients usually restore their feeling of optimism. Prolonged addiction does incredible damage to the liver, which is the only organ that can regenerate. The stimulation of the liver point assists in the healing process of the liver. The lung point is capable of improving circulation.
Wrap up
Holistic medicine helps addicts manage cravings, lowers their stress levels, alleviates insomnia, improves their eating habits, and makes their well-being a priority!
