What is Holistic Treatment?

Recovery from drug abuse isn’t a single-lane highway. Multiple methods lead to sobriety. However, they should all include holistic and evidence-based treatments. What is holistic treatment and how does it benefit you?

Understanding the Terminology

Evidence-based practice refers to modalities that have shown effectiveness in treating addiction. For example, there’s plenty of evidence that psychotherapy helps people struggling with a substance abuse problem. The majority of rehab facilities include evidence-based therapies in their treatment protocols. Some also add holistic modalities.

It’s interesting to note that several of them can also fall under the label of having helped others in recovery. What is holistic treatment in this setting? Examples might include:

• Mindfulness-based treatment, which helps you learn how to live in the moment rather than the past
• Yoga therapy as a means of combining exercise with breathing techniques for stress relief
• Tai Chi, which is a form of exercise that anyone can participate in – no matter the fitness level
• Meditation for overcoming trigger situations you might experience when interacting with others
• Massage therapy for relaxation

What is Holistic Treatment in Practice?

Many believe that these treatments come into play during rehab only. In fact, they also benefit program participants in detox. Because you’ll struggle not just with the physiological addiction but also psychological components, it makes sense to start early. Case in point is mindfulness training.

The goal of the treatment is to help you ground yourself in the here and now. Doing so is vital for people struggling with a co-occurring mental health disorder such as anxiety. It also helps you to overcome worries about the future and problems of the past. It does so with the help of targeted activities.

For example, you and other peers in recovery might go swimming, hiking, or surfing. These activities require you to be present in the moment. You learn to recognize sensations that are part of this mindset. Next, you transfer them when experiencing other situations where you’re tempted to live once again in the past.

Adding These Treatments to Evidence-Based Modalities

What is holistic treatment if not an excellent complement to evidence-based therapies? Good-quality rehab facilities will offer therapies such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy, which allows for dysfunctional pattern recognition
• Dialectical behavior therapy that encourages emotional regulation in stressful situations
• Trauma therapy, which helps people deal with severe adverse circumstances from their past
• Dual diagnosis treatment after assessment for program participants with co-occurring mental health conditions
• 12 Step recovery program meeting opportunities that allow for group sessions and relapse prevention planning

But no matter which modalities are right for you, the holistic approach can’t stand alone. It works together with the other therapies to provide a well-rounded approach to healing. By focusing on only one or the other set of modalities, you miss the balance. Besides, holistic treatments allow for a higher level of introspection that will benefit psychotherapy.

Don’t suffer any longer. There’s help out there for your addiction and the way it makes you feel. The caring therapists at Beaches Recovery will answer the questions you have about recovering, including what is holistic treatment?  Start on the road to recovery. Call 866.605.0532 now to discuss your situation with an addiction specialist.