Many people think of addiction as a one-dimensional problem. They think mainly of the physical symptoms and cravings or the emotional struggles associated with substance misuse. As such, it’s tempting to feel like the solution to addiction could be one-dimensional as well
Most people struggling with addiction have thoughts like, “If I could only get past the pain and cravings, I’d stop using drugs in a heartbeat,” or “If I could just learn a better way to cope with a rough day, I wouldn’t need to use drugs and alcohol.” The truth, however, is that addiction affects almost every layer and aspect of your life. All of these threads must be untangled to conquer an addiction over the long haul. That’s why holistic addiction treatment that heals the mind, body, and soul as one cohesive unit is the most effective way to achieve long-term success.
What is holistic addiction treatment?
Oftentimes, traditional treatments have a narrow focus (such as taking a medication to treat the physical pain of withdrawal). The goal of holistic treatments is to heal you as a whole person instead of treating your individual aspects separately.
In practice, this often looks very different from person to person because each needs to be healed differently. Some of the holistic activities that many people find helpful and rejuvenating include:
- Physical exercise like running or lifting weights.
- Yoga and stretching
- Meditation
- Breath work and deep breathing practice
- Sleep therapy
- Practicing a religion, including prayer
- Spending time in nature
- Journaling
- Talk therapy
- Relaxation techniques
- Nutrition and healthy eating
Why do holistic therapies increase your odds for long-term recovery?
When you’re deep in the throes of addiction, detox may seem like the most intimidating part of the process. You may have heard stories of the discomfort and inconvenience of the acute detox phase, or perhaps you’ve been through it yourself before. You often have to juggle medications, intensive individual and group therapy, and various symptoms all at the same time.
However, with assistance from a qualified treatment center, detox may go more smoothly than your fears allow you to believe. That’s what the specialists are there for, after all.
The true challenge comes afterward, as you integrate back into your everyday life and face hundreds of choices every day that determine your path for the future. Long-term recovery requires a lot of personal development, hard emotional work, new techniques that help you stay on track, and ideally, a solid network of support.
How does the process of holistic addiction treatment work?
Holistic therapies, by their very definition, help you work to conquer your addiction on all fronts. Not only that, but each method increases the effectiveness of the others, in addition to strengthening your overall wellbeing.
Exercise, breathing practices, and sleep therapy enhance your immune system and help you feel stronger and more capable. This, in turn, makes the emotional work more manageable. Emotional healing gives you new and better coping mechanisms. It can help you keep up the motivation to exercise, eat well, and take care of your body. Spiritual work, whether it’s practicing your religion of choice, learning meditation, or simply taking a peaceful walk through nature, renews your spirit and reminds you why putting in the physical and emotional effort is so worthwhile.
Eventually, you will fall into a positive and reaffirming cycle of physical and mental health that does more toward your long-term recovery success than any single treatment could ever manage.
Foothills Centre for Change offers the most effective holistic addiction treatments known to addiction science. Our program guides you through helpful daily routines as you learn positive coping mechanisms and emotional tools. Focusing on building a supportive environment in your day to day routine, you will learn how to start your new life from a clean slate.