Holistic therapy is a term that refers to alternative or complementary addiction therapies. The word holistic itself means that the treatment team considers all factors during treatment, including mental, social, emotional, and physical factors. The holistic treatment uses therapies that complement your overall addiction therapy program.
What Is Holistic Therapy?
Holistic therapy can refer to therapies designed to meet needs not met with traditional addiction therapies. Conventional therapies include treating physical addiction, individual and group therapy, and addiction education. These are an essential part of addiction treatment, but there are areas that they fail to address. When used alongside traditional therapies, holistic therapies create a holistic treatment that treats every aspect of a person.
Holistic therapies include:
- Art therapy
- Nature or wilderness therapy
- Music therapy
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Nutritional counseling
What Are the Benefits of Holistic Addiction Therapies?
Each type of therapy has its specific benefits, but we will look at the benefits of a holistic approach in general.
1. Stress Reduction and Healthy Coping Skills
Stress is one of the reasons people begin and continue to use drugs or alcohol. When you enter recovery, you’ll need to find new ways to relieve stress. Holistic therapies are an excellent way to relieve stress safely and naturally.
This benefit goes hand in hand with stress reduction. If you were using drugs or alcohol to cope with negative emotions, you’d need to learn new skills to stay sober. You’ll need new hobbies that allow you to enjoy yourself without the help of substances. Many types of holistic therapy are easily accessible after rehab so that you can continue the activity as a form of stress relief outside of treatment.
2. Spiritual Connection
It’s important to differentiate between a spiritual connection and religion. AA co-founder Bill Watson stated, “We must find a spiritual basis for living else we die.” Definitions of spirituality vary, but it can be summed up as a connection someone has with themselves and belief in something more significant than the individual. Spirituality brings a sense of connection with others and with the world around us. It gives life a sense of meaning.
Interestingly, a survey of people in AA showed that those who had a stronger spiritual connection were more likely to stay sober than those who didn’t. Similarly, one study from Norway indicated that people of faith were less likely to develop an addiction in the first place. There are many ways to achieve a spiritual connection, and holistic therapies provide some of the most effective methods.
3. Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention is a vital part of addiction recovery. Holistic treatment can reduce the rate of relapse. Stress reduction and coping skills likely play a role in decreasing the risk of relapse. Another aspect is these therapies can help you find a sense of purpose and fulfillment. This factor is an essential but often overlooked part of preventing relapse.
When people feel like they have a reason to stay sober, they’re more likely to stick with it. A sense of purpose can come from many things: a job, volunteering, creative endeavors, or raising a family. Holistic therapies often help people find their sense of purpose so that they can lead fulfilling and drug-free lives.
4. Better Overall Health
Holistic treatments improve your overall health. Active addiction can lead to health issues, and these therapies can address some health issues naturally. Some therapies have an evident impact on health, like nutritional counseling and yoga. Others have subtle effects. Meditation, for example, can improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and reduce pain.
Improved mental health is another benefit of holistic therapies. Addiction often goes hand-in-hand with mental illness. In fact, nearly half of people with addiction have a co-occurring mental disorder. Holistic therapies can provide relief from symptoms of mental illness and help to prevent relapse.
5. Increased Self Esteem and Identity
Addiction can have a detrimental effect on your self-esteem and sense of identity. You may feel shame and self-doubt. You may feel like the person you became in addiction is not who you are, which can leave you questioning your identity. Holistic therapies help to reconnect you with yourself. You can work through difficult emotions and gain self-confidence through learning new skills.
They allow you to look within yourself in a safe environment. This time of reflection can allow you to reconnect with who you really are. A strong sense of identity can help you stay in recovery.
Holistic Addiction Therapy at Midwest Detox
If you need a holistic treatment detox center near Maumee, Ohio, consider Midwest Detox. We offer holistic therapy, including recreational and expressive therapy, along with traditional addiction recovery treatment. To learn more about our treatment options, contact us today at 833.647.0392, or contact us online.
