Holistic Therapy in Drug Rehab
Is There a Role for Holistic Therapy in Drug Rehab?
For as long as most of us can remember, alcohol and drug rehab has been approached almost exclusively from the physical perspective. We have treated the physical symptoms and consequences of addiction with the ultimate goal of breaking it and preventing feature onset. But things are beginning to change. More and more, treatment programs are including holistic therapy.
The question is whether holistic therapies have a legitimate role in rehab. And if so, what should that role be? Substance abuse and addiction clearly manifest themselves in one’s physical health. But there are also mental, emotional, and spiritual concerns as well. A holistic approach to drug rehab would have the same focus as holistic medicine: treating the entire person rather than just the body.
The Mind, Body, and Spirit Connection
The holistic approach to wellbeing is rooted in the understanding that humans are more than just their bodies. We are three-part creatures consisting of body, mind, and spirit. The connection between the three is hard to deny if you simply observe the world around you. So why is it that so much in healthcare focuses only on the physical?
Addiction is so much more than physical dependence. It is also mental dependence and emotional attachment. It affects every aspect of the addict’s life, down to the deepest recesses of their spirit. Truth be told, treating addiction as a purely physical condition may be one of the contributing factors in high relapse rates. We are treating the body, but what about the mind and spirit?
The Role of Holistic Therapies
Some of us within the addiction treatment community believe that holistic therapies do have a vital role in rehab. They do what physical therapies cannot: address the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of addiction. To better understand how, let us take a brief look at some of the more common holistic therapies:
1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being mentally and emotionally present in the moment, without any preconceived notions about the past or future. Mindfulness has been practised by Eastern cultures for centuries. It is often combined with meditation, breathwork, and yoga to help individuals come to a new sense of self-awareness.
It is believed that mindfulness and similar therapies can help during rehab by making it easier for patients to manage their cravings, triggers, and the intrusive thoughts that could derail progress. They strengthen the mind while traditional therapies strengthen the body.
2. Creative Therapies
A selection of creative therapies can help patients in rehab process their emotions. Creativity is also useful in developing coping skills that will help a recovering addict after rehab. Examples of creative therapies include art and music therapies.
3. Nutritional Therapy
Nutritional therapy is just as its name implies: a therapy to help patients get back on a balanced and nutritious diet. When a person is addicted, malnutrition is one of the side effects. It is critical to return the body to its proper nutritional balance in order to encourage physical healing. After rehab, ongoing nutritional counselling and meal planning can help a recovering addict maintain better health.
4. Recreational Therapies
Recreational therapies are about both physical and mental health. Recreational activities promote regular exercise while simultaneously boosting endorphin production and reducing stress. For some recovering addicts, recreational therapies give them something other than rehab to focus their minds on.
5. Spiritual Practices
Tending to the spirit is just as important as addressing the body and mind. As such, growing numbers of rehab programs are beginning to incorporate spiritual practices. These are practices like meditation, prayer, and spiritual counselling. The goal is to help those in recovery find a greater meaning and purpose in life. Spiritual practices can also be utilised to help build a support system that gives recovering addicts a sense of community and belonging.
Complementary Therapies Are Also Appropriate
The holistic approach to recovery is one that considers every possible therapy. In medicine, there is a therapy category known as complementary therapies. These are traditional therapies – like physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage – that are utilised alongside existing therapies in a complementary way.
Complementary therapies enhance the benefits of the other therapies they accompany. For example, acupuncture and massage are known to help some patients better manage withdrawal symptoms. Used in concert with prescription medications, they can make the first week or so of recovery much easier.
Holistic treatments are gaining respect throughout medicine. They are certainly catching on in drug and alcohol rehab. And why not? We are more than just the bodies we walk around in. Like everyone else, addicts are people whose overall wellbeing requires a healthy body, mind, and spirit. When we approach rehab holistically, no part of the patient is left out. Each aspect is treated for a better recovery.
