What is Holistic Addiction Treatment?

What is Holistic Addiction Treatment?

By Jenny Hunt, Palm Partners Recovery Center

February 1, 2012

When looking for an addiction treatment center, many people are confused by the many treatment options out there. Many addiction treatment centers refer to their programs as “holistic addiction treatment.” “Holistic” is an approach to addiction treatment that encompasses the body, mind, and spirit. Holistic literally means to treat a living system as a whole rather than as a collection of its parts. Holistic addiction treatment addresses all aspects of the disease: physical, psychological, social, interpersonal, and spiritual.

Holistic addiction treatment addresses the whole person, including thought processes, methods, and reasons for addiction, rather than just the physical dependency. Holistic addiction treatment has been proven effective because addiction is a multifaceted disease. Addiction affects the all aspects of life. To truly address all the causes and everything that has been affected by the disease, a holistic approach is crucial.

Holistic addiction treatment uses many methods to help an addict or alcoholic to recover and live a drug and alcohol free lifestyle. For the physical addiction, holistic addiction treatment includes detoxing the body from the drugs and alcohol, and then helping the body heal from the damage that was done during active addiction. Healing the body can include things like yoga, healthy food, massage therapy, and acupuncture. These processes can also help relieve pain for people who began to use drugs and alcohol to relieve chronic pain conditions.

Holistic addiction treatment also helps an addict or alcoholic recover psychologically. Many drug addicts and alcoholics have psychological issues that caused them to drink or use drugs in the first place. It is common for a drug addict or alcoholic to have experience some type of trauma in their past. Many alcoholics and drug addicts find that they were in great emotional and psychological pain before they enter into holistic addiction treatment. Psychological issues are addressed with group and individual therapy sessions.

Holistic addiction treatment centers also address the spiritual aspect of the disease of addiction. Through practices like yoga and meditation, drug addicts and alcoholics can address the “spiritual malady” that is the hallmark of this disease. Often, in active addiction, addicts and alcoholics are completely cut off from any kind of spirituality or adherence to spiritual principles such as honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, and helping others. Interacting within the community at a holistic addiction treatment center can help us to practice these principles.

When we attend holistic addiction treatment, we learn that drugs and alcohol are not the problem. Drugs and alcohol were the solution to our problems, so when they are taken away, we must learn other ways to solve our issues. Holistic addiction treatment addresses all the aspects of ourselves and our lives that have been affected by this disease. Only by addressing all the causes and all the damage caused by this disease can we truly hope to recover. A holistic addiction treatment center gives us the tools we need to treat our addiction and to live a happy, productive and drug free life.

If you or someone you know needs drug or alcohol treatment call us at (877) 711-HOPE (4673) or visit us online at www.palmpartners.com.