Is Holistic Drug Rehab Successful?
At first glance, there is no question that holistic rehab is an appealing prospect. However, the primary concern is that holistic treatment centers won’t be as effective as more traditional facilities. In reality, the opposite is often true, and holistic drug rehab can absolutely be successful in the treatment of addiction.
Defining Holistic Drug Rehabilitation
A brief definition of holistic rehab might be a treatment program that seeks to treat patients in their entirety rather than trying to exclusively focus on the treatment of the disease. By widening the parameters of treatment, holistic drug rehabilitation offers a much larger number of therapy options, and it may also be more customized than traditional rehab programs.
It is important to note that holistic and traditional drug rehab programs still have a lot in common with one another. Both, for example, will typically offer individual behavioral therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy. This seeks to make positive changes to behavior that can reduce harm and avoid substance abuse. Group counseling is something that both traditional and holistic rehab programs also have in common.
What makes holistic rehab unique is that it utilizes many different approaches to achieve total wellness. At a holistic rehab facility, patients aren’t recovered just because they are sober. Instead, they are recovered once all their physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs have been met, lingering issues resolved, and life skills education learned.
When it Comes to Drug Addiction, What is Successful Recovery?
When asking whether holistic drug rehabilitation is successful, it is important to define success in the context of addiction. Far too often, success is viewed as achieving sobriety. However, that is just the very tip of success, and true recovery is a much more complicated process.
Success in the treatment of drug addiction is having the tools to prevent a relapse. It means understanding the very nature of addiction and being prepared for cravings and temptations to appear for years to come. Success is accepting these eventualities and creating plans for overcoming them and coming out stronger as a result.
In this context, holistic drug rehabilitation can absolutely be successful. Not only will rehabilitation help patients achieve sobriety over those first 30 or 60 days, but it will help create overall wellness. In addition, it may spark a sense of purpose, belonging or fulfillment, all of which can make it easier to stay sober and achieve goals and objectives in the future.
Holistic Rehab Looks Forward as Well as Back
One of the problems with traditional drug rehab is that it focuses exclusively on the present. The goal of a traditional rehab might be to stop consuming drugs right now, and to learn how to avoid drugs tomorrow and in the days that follow. Holistic rehab, however, understands that addictions aren’t created in a vacuum, nor do they disappear overnight. For comprehensive recovery, it is important to look to both the past as well as the future.
Holistic drug rehabilitation takes a look at the underlying causes of addiction, and identifies whether trauma has played a role in its formation. For some patients, experiencing or witnessing a personal trauma could be what has sparked the desire to abuse drugs, and dealing with those emotions may be critical for recovery.
Holistic drug rehabilitation also focuses not just on the weeks ahead, but the decades ahead. Patients should leave rehab with a renewed sense of self and a list of goals they want to accomplish. Life skills, nutritional therapy and self confidence can make it easier to tackle these goals and succeed in the practical aspects of independent living.
Holistic drug rehabilitation also places a focus on learning how to find the right resources. In some situations, patients will need to think critically and identify support or help for their health, and learning where to look and how to ask may be key.
Exploring Common Therapies Used in Holistic Drug Rehabilitation
Holistic rehabilitation utilizes a number of different treatment methods and therapy types. It is important to note that these methods can vary from one rehabilitation facility to the next, and the therapies may be tailored to meet the specific needs of the patients.
To help patients feel centered, and to relieve stress and focus on goals, therapies like meditation or yoga may be utilized. These can be led by teachers who are experts in these fields, but they can also simply be encouraged in group settings. Fitness classes can also increase circulation and boost mood, which can ward of depression and increase the likelihood of avoiding relapse.
Some of the other types of holistic therapies that might be offered in rehabilitation program can include the following:
- Aromatherapy
- Acupuncture therapy
- Sauna therapy
- Massage therapy
- Nutritional therapy
- Tai chi
- Chiropractic therapy
- Light therapy
- Herbalism
Reasons Behind the Success of Holistic Drug Rehabilitation
When examining the reasons behind the success of holistic drug rehabilitation, one thing becomes abundantly clear: Holistic rehab offers more approaches to recovery than traditional rehab programs.
In many traditional, standard drug rehab programs, the only treatment methods used are evidence-based and highly scientific. While this is important, and should be the bedrock of any recovery program, it doesn’t take into account the varied and fluid nature of patients and their recovery.
For some patients, stress relief is the biggest obstacle to staying away from drugs. For these individuals, drugs are a way to reduce anxiety and eliminate worry. By developing a passion and routine for something like yoga or tai chi, stress can evaporate rather than build up over time.
Similarly, some patients crave direction and purpose. They may feel that even when sober, something is missing. Spiritual development or meditation might fill a void or help patients see clearly, eliminating the need for substance abuse.
Holistic drug rehabilitation can be an incredibly successful approach to recovery. By offering a range of treatment methods and looking to the past for underlying issues, holistic rehab can offer patients a comprehensive approach to lasting sobriety.