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.

The Need for Holistic Drug Rehab

First, it’s important to understand why holistic rehab exists at all. The emergence of holistic rehab is due directly to the high relapse rates seen among those addicted to drugs or alcohol. As many as 60% of patients who achieve sobriety will go on to use drugs again, and it’s the goal of every reputable, accredited rehab facility to reduce that number whenever possible.

Not all holistic rehab methods work for every patient. Some patients might respond well to some type of physical therapy, while others could get frustrated by it entirely. However, the goal is to offer as many different types of therapies to patients as possible. They can then choose from these alternative methods, selecting the therapeutic approach that fits their personalities and lifestyle and can best help them maintain their sobriety over the long term.

Holistic Rehab Complements Evidence-based Treatment

Some prospective rehab patients, as well as their loved ones, feel that they have to decide between traditional, evidence-based treatment and a holistic rehab. Thankfully, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Holistic rehab therapies don’t need to replace evidence-based treatments. Instead, they complement one another, thereby approaching addiction from all angles and doing more to help patients.

At a holistic rehab, patients are still provided with the key elements of treatment that have been proven most effective to work. Traditional treatment might include group counseling, where patients can share their experiences and feelings with others in a similar situation. It could also include the prescribing of certain medications to address mental health disorders or the use of cognitive behavioral therapy to foster changes to harmful behavior. However, these evidence-based methods can be supplemented with holistic approaches to recovery that may have less extensive research behind them, but certainly have the potential to help patients in a number of different ways.

Creates Stronger Coping Mechanisms for Patients

One of the biggest benefits of using holistic rehab to treat addiction is that it can help patients create stronger coping mechanisms. In the world of addiction treatment, coping mechanisms are those tools and resources that patients have at their disposal to prevent relapse and resist cravings. These coping mechanisms are unique to every individual, and holistic therapy can often highlight the most effective means of relapse prevention for patients.

Some patients, for example, might find that fitness is an incredibly helpful coping mechanism. Fitness, whether it comes in the form of a brisk jog or some weight lifting, has the potential to create endorphins in the brain and lift the mood, which is integral in the battle against recovery depression. Furthermore, regular exercise can reduce stress, which is a common trigger that leads to relapse. If fitness programs are available in holistic rehab, then patients can incorporate them into their daily routine, learn new skills and use fitness as a coping mechanism for the rest of their lives.

Meditation, as well as a similar activity like yoga, can also be an integral part of a holistic rehab program. Meditating, and thinking carefully about actions and their consequences, can be a coping mechanism for patients, as well as a way to avoid relapse. Music, art, horseback riding and countless other therapies may also have the same positive impact on individuals battling with a drug or alcohol addiction.

Improves Overall Health and Well-being

It may be important to note that virtually everything that goes on at a holistic rehab facility should be beneficial to the overall health of patients. Not only will patients be improving their chance at lasting sobriety, they will also be improving their own health and well-being.

Motivational therapy, for instance, can give people the confidence and self-esteem needed to secure a career after rehab and help them feel that they can make a difference in the world. Nutritional therapy can help patients learn to eat better, targeting problems like low energy or weight problems, both of which can lead to worsened health.

There is some evidence to suggest that holistic rehab works, in part, by focusing on the positive rather than the negative. Some rehab approaches emphasize the bad things that happen if patients use again. Holistic rehab, however, may instead focus on the positive things that can happen when patients live sober lives. These positive reinforcements may be an important factor in reduced stress, more happiness and longer periods of sobriety.

Methods Used in Holistic Rehab

Trying to define holistic rehab exactly can be tricky, because there are so many different methods used. That is all part of the success of holistic rehab, because it ensures that patients can pick and choose the alternative therapies that work best for them. On a physical level, things like massage, acupuncture and chiropractic work have been known to relieve stress and help patients feel healthier and more capable.

Nutritional therapy can include healthy, nutritious meals, but it can also focus on helping patients to shop for and prepare their own meals. This can set up individuals for a lifetime of healthy eating, boosting their health profiles and eliminating any potential vitamin or mineral deficiencies. The use of saunas, certain herbs and even light therapy have also proven to be effective among some patients.

Hobby therapy is also important in holistic rehab, and it gives patients the opportunity to get rid of stress in a healthy way, stave off boredom and develop new skills and social opportunities. Things like art, music, yoga or dancing can all have a place in holistic rehab.

Holistic rehab can be an incredible resource in the battle for recovery from addiction. By complementing evidence-based treatment, rather than replacing it, holistic approaches can target the needs of patients and help them to be as healthy, motivated and purpose-driven as possible.