Unsurprisingly, the trends in psychology mimic the effectiveness of complementary treatments. Alternative medicines and holistic approaches are used to ensure physical and mental healing.
Researches suggest that the patients utilize the recent trends of holistic techniques to deal with their stress, anxiety, and depression. These therapies are subsequently replacing the use of medical treatments. Even the US military has shown their huge interest in using holistic methods like meditation, spiritual healing, exercise, etc.
Whenever people look for rehab to cope with addiction, most of them give importance to traditional treatments. However, rehab is about traditional services, but it is famous for alternative treatments such as holistic therapy.
Are you also interested to know about holistic therapy? If so, then you have landed in the right place. This blog post will provide you detailed information about holistic treatment.
Let’s delve into the details
What is holistic therapy?
Whenever you listen to the term holistic, quirky complementary therapies might come to your mind. Right? If you think that holistic therapies shuns medical sciences and promotes false treatment options, you are mistaken. In reality, holistic therapy ensures the use of conventional therapies for the health of the individual. Such therapy is usually effective in dealing with drug addiction, anxiety, and depression.
During this therapy, the main areas of concern are the physical, mental and spiritual parts of human life. Combining these with the abusive substances accompany conventional methods. Several alternative therapies are effective for addiction. Some of them are listed below;
- Yoga and Meditation
- Massage therapy
- Acupuncture
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Biofeedback
- Reiki
- Herbal medicines
- Nutritional therapy
All of these treatment options share one key feature, i.e., they are not intended to treat a single element, but the focus is on the entire body’s wellbeing. Considering this, holistic therapy may address isolated addictive behavior and is significantly related to various factors that are associated with the development of addiction. It would be best if you pursued holistic therapy under the supervision of qualified health care professional.
History of holistic therapy
The term ‘holistic’ is associated with health care since 2500 years ago, from Hippocrates. Hippocrates believed that focusing on one aspect of the human body is insufficient rather, to establish the equilibrium among individuals, the working of different body parts should be observed.
In the 20th century, health care updated and became more focused on the extraction of intervention through certain symptoms. The mental issues were addressed with counseling or talk therapy, while physical problems were treated with medicines and surgeries. The body and mind were still considered separate entities.
Before the 1970s, health care professionals believed that addressing a few symptoms can treat certain problems and didn’t helped to improve the overall quality of life. Later in 1975, the movement in support of complementary health therapies got momentum.
Holistic treatment program
Generally, rehab programs that include holistic therapies involve the integration of mental, physical, and spirituality make up a comprehensive treatment option for drug abuse. According to a survey, from every 10 adults in the US, 4 use different forms of complementary and alternative therapy, and the trend is increasing with every passing day.
Many people have found that traditional therapies have failed to offer them a cue. They hope that their general physician will completely understand the complexity of their disease, delve into the source of the problem, and design the treatment that focuses on the entire body.
For instance, a person with chronic pain may visit a holistic therapist to dig deeper into the associated psychological issues of their ailment. Stress and anxiety might cause chronic pain, and the stress is post-traumatic, then coping it up might give rise to chronic pain.
You must know that holistic therapy doesn’t completely shun western medicine; however, it includes complementary techniques. The holistic treatment approach must follow the use of medicines.
At Regency Recovery Wellness Center, we offer substance abuse treatment programs in Prescott, AZ containing;
- Alcohol Addiction Treatment Program
- Meth Addiction Treatment Program
- Heroin Addiction Treatment Program
- Cocaine Addiction Treatment Program
Psychosynthesis Holistic Counseling
In holistic therapy, psychosynthesis focuses on the idea that all living organisms struggle naturally to fully realize themselves and grow to their maximum capacity in a much better way. However, human beings especially promote this process of self-realization through different ways such as meditation, yoga, self-reflection, etc.
Roberto Assagioli was the first who coined the term psychosynthesis in 1911. He made efforts to shortcomings in the theories on the human psyche by Sigmund Freud.
Psychosynthesis is the amalgam of both eastern and western health-related theories. Eastern psychology focuses on spiritual healing, while western psychology gives priority to neurobiology and personality. The main focus of psychosynthesis is to combine all the theories and ensure the patient receives the maximum healing, self-love, and full potential.
Many professionals believe that the entire human body controls its feelings. The mental health issues like anxiety or depression may be effectively controlled through physical treatment options. The common treatment choices are
1. Diet
Human feelings are very well related to their dietary habits. The holistic counselors will take a comprehensive review of what a person eats daily and ask him to cease consuming processed foods, sugar, and alcohol. These things have close relation with anxiety and depression.
2. Senses
Today, saltwater chambers and sensory deprivation chambers are used to heal the body and ensure optimal mental health functioning. These treatment choices will make a person feel good mentally and physically.
3. Spirituality
Another best thing about holistic care is focusing on spirituality. A person who doesn’t believe in the afterlife and overthinks often gets caught in anxiety and depression. They believe that their life is purposeless, leading to spiral out of control of the patient. Incorporating spirituality in the treatment plan helps a person forget bad experiences and believe in a better sense of self.
4. Body’s alignment
Mental health is also associated with the body’s overall alignment. The therapies like yoga and chiropractic help properly align the body and keep it in sync mentally and physically.
5. Psychological care
The combination of holistic counseling and the traditional method of counseling is highly popular. Talk therapy, exposure therapy, and hypnotism are examples. These treatments coordinate with the human brain and help a person to know about the feelings. This therapy can develop positivity in the person and allow him to spend a better life.
Main types of holistic therapies
Holistic therapy includes different aspects of healthy living, from physical workout to yoga.
Some of the main types of holistic Addiction therapies are
1) Exercise
Exercise or recreational activities may help to relieve stress, develop a routine and strengthen the body. Exercise is the most basic thing in holistic treatment centers. Different centers offer different activities like horseback riding, rock climbing, canoeing, or hiking.
2) Yoga and meditation
The clearance of mind is the key requirement for overcoming drug addiction. Guided meditation is the key to holistic treatment. Activities vary from centers to centers; some offer yoga as meditative practice while others focus on tai chi for clarity of mind.
3) Nutritional therapy
A healthy body can assist in the addiction recovery process more rapidly. A proper diet containing all the essential nutrients helps the recovery of addicts and provides tangible healing. The recovery begins when the body takes its nutrients, and later it helps to cope with the addiction.
4) Acupuncture
A traditional Chinese treatment option that focuses on inserting fine needles in certain body points to maintain balance and promote the body’s self-healing. Under skilled professionals, acupuncture can be highly effective for the treatment of many disorders.
5) Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils for the emotional and physiological changes in the body. Aromatherapists prepare a unique blend of essential oils for each person and choose the method according to the individual’s requirement, like massage, inhalation, topical application, and water immersion. It should never be ingested or applied directly onto the skin. First, dilute the oil in any carrier oil, then apply it.
6) Homeopathy
The main theory behind the homeopathy treatment option is ‘like with like.’ It claims to promote the healing process by using substances that share the symptoms of those diseases in healthy individuals.
7) Reiki
Another natural therapy that uses non-invasive, non-manipulative gentle touch to ensure the healing process. It is the Japanese treatment option that doesn’t cure diseases but aims to promote relaxation and enhance energy levels. Once you practice Reiki, you will feel more peaceful and relaxed.
8) Massage
The intentional manipulation of joints, muscles, and tissues for combatting tension and relieving pain is known as massage therapy. A certified massage therapist under a certain setting is obliged to perform this therapy. Once you go through massage therapy, you experience significant emotional and physical relief.
9) Naturopathy
Naturopathy is the practice of using natural ways to treat medical issues. It completely prohibits the use of medications and invasive procedures.
10) Chiropractic
Chiropractic therapy involves the healing of mechanical musculoskeletal conditions, particularly related to the spine. The therapy uses the spinal manipulation method for the treatment of low back pain.
11) Biofeedback
Determining bodily functions through sensors and utilizing such information for controlling such functions and developing awareness. Biofeedback therapy accompanies relaxation techniques to regulate normal body functions.
12) Hypnosis
Also known as hypnotherapy is the brain’s ability to dedicate concentration, eradicate peripheral distraction, to be open for suggestion. Hypnotherapy is gaining is huge popularity due to its ability to treat irritable bowel syndrome.
13) Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
It is an evidence-based practice that aims to ease depression, stress, trauma, and anxiety. The intervention helps your brain to heal naturally from distressing experiences. Post-trauma can stimulate the fight, flight responses and activate the stress response that stops a body from distinguishing the past problems.
EMDR is the therapy that is extremely effective for traumatic events. This trauma therapy distinguishes post-traumatic distress and works on the brain’s parts that produce fight and flight response. It doesn’t eliminate the distressful memory but trains your mind and body to accept it.
What are the benefits of holistic therapy?
In the quest for overall wellbeing, many people embrace complementary treatments such as holistic therapy to heal their spirit, mind, emotions, and overall body. The purpose of holistic therapy is to help the person strive for overall health and proper balance. Some of the benefits of holistic therapy are as follow;
i. Emphasizes whole body care
Holistic treatments understand the need for optimal health. It emphasizes not only physical health but considers the spiritual and mental wellbeing of the individual.
ii. Ensures general wellbeing
Holistic therapy emphasizes healthy eating and lifestyle modifications. Self-relaxing exercises like meditation and yoga are believed to relieve stress and ensure general wellbeing.
iii. Other benefits
- Maintains hormonal balance
- Promotes deep relaxation
- Improves joint mobility and eases their stiffness
- Improves skin tone and skin condition
- Enhances concentration and alleviates mental fatigue
- Balances emotions that increase confidence
Working and effectiveness of holistic therapy
It is a common thought that a wide range of mechanisms is involved in holistic therapies. However, integration of physiological and psychological processes is the key factor. It believes that physical outcomes like chronic pain might result from psychological conditions such as work stress and vice versa. For such conditions, a holistic therapist might advise physical activity like exercise to treat mental problems like depression.
Sometimes, the idea of holistic therapy depends on the concept of energy work, which aims to correct body imbalances through natural energy flow. For instance, acupuncture, chiropractic, and Reiki work on the principle of energy work.
Making a concrete statement about the effectiveness of holistic therapy is difficult because this is a broad term. However, researches suggest that different types of holistic therapy can be beneficial to combat mental health issues.
According to a study, different holistic treatment techniques like relaxation methods and Reiki helped breast cancer patients fight their chronic pain and alleviate negative emotions. The holistic treatment methods might not get a huge acceptance in the scientific community. However, for severe mental health issues using holistic therapy in combination with conventional treatments is highly recommended.
What is the length of holistic therapy?
There is no certain length of time for holistic therapy. You may have to discuss with your therapist, then he/she will decide your treatment goals before the therapeutic process. They also decide on different ways to measure the progress of each individual. For instance, your treatment may continue until the complete removal of symptoms until you are fully aware of the holistic techniques or feel that all your medical issues are resolved.
The positive thing about holistic therapy is that you can continue it even when no symptoms are present. Without any harmful effects, the treatment may continue up to several years or a lifetime. As with other lifestyle modifications like having a balanced diet or exercising, there is nothing that ceases the effects of holistic therapy. So continue practicing this treatment to enjoy its benefits.
Develop new hobbies
Have your sessions at rehab ended? Congrats! Wait still; you need to fight your addiction. You can continue drug-free activities to fill your free time in a better way. Studies suggest that creating new hobbies is the best way to avoid relapse.
The definition of holistic therapy is not as such related to developing new hobbies. However, people who aim to keep their minds off using drugs should participate in healthy activities like yoga, gardening, etc.
Of course, a bit of effort can prevent the relapse. Also, the fight to stay sober is continuous, so people join support groups that make their everyday lives much easier.
Final verdict
The goal of holistic therapy is to maintain balance, most suitable for addiction treatment. A significant imbalance of the priorities, energy, and resources takes place during addiction. However, holistic approaches can be effective in reviving that balance. Even complementary therapies that are not supported by researches can promote health in individuals battling addiction.
Counseling is something that offers a huge benefit to people dealing with mental health issues or relationship problems. In modern medicine, talk therapy and medication support systems are different ways of counseling. The trend of holistic therapies and holistic counseling expands, providing an entirely different approach to combat mental health issues.
Let’s embrace holistic therapy and combat drug addiction.