Holistic therapy for treating addiction
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Last Updated:
July 12th, 2024
If you are considering rehab, you may have come across the term ‘holistic therapy’ whilst browsing through brochures or web pages. Holistic therapies are at the cornerstone of any quality rehab programme, and they are employed time and time again due to their strong ability to support and sustain lifelong recovery. This page will look at what holistic therapy entails, the various methods of practice, and why they are so beneficial to our recovery.
What is holistic therapy?
UKAT promotes a holistic approach to treating addiction recovery, no matter what form of addiction. The word ‘holistic’ stems from the word ‘whole’ and essentially describes the comprehensive process of restoring people to a good quality of health. Holistic treatments are built on the premise of focusing not just on a person’s specific illness but on a person as a whole entity, comprising their physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing all at the same time. Therefore, to heal from addiction, all three aspects must be addressed.
UKAT incorporates holistic therapy techniques extensively throughout our rehab treatment, providing a comprehensive approach to healing. Our qualified staff members are trained in these holistic methods, ensuring each individual’s well-rounded and personalised care.
Healing the body
Traditionally, when people think of health, they automatically think of the body. Although addiction starts in the mind, it inevitably creates physical concerns for the body. Many people with addiction feel a multitude of physical health problems such as malnourishment, dehydration, and obesity. Furthermore, they often exhibit acute or chronic physical pain. All clients undergo a complete examination with a doctor before they embark on a holistic recovery programme to ensure their safety.
Once settled into rehab, clients can improve their physical health by:
- Damage repair through undergoing a safe detoxification process
- Exercising to regain strength
- Eating nutritious meals cooked and prepared by professional chefs
- Getting plenty of rest, ensuring a minimum of eight hours of sleep
Healing the mind
When entering rehab, our minds can feel so clouded, and we may feel mentally exhausted to the point where we cannot think clearly or rationally. Part of our holistic programme is to ensure we restore the mind to good health in conjunction with the body.
Holistic practitioners passionately believe that physical health and mental health are firmly connected. Imagine a scale; if your mental health is out of balance, there is a chance your physical health will be compromised, too (and vice versa). In our current society, people are giving mental health more attention and deference than ever before. However, stigmas still exist, and the first step towards healing our minds is to be open about our inner mental state.
Holistic therapy at rehab can nurture our mental health by:
- Providing one-to-one counselling
- Practising Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Exercising (this can help us to clear our minds and release natural endorphins)
- Spending time in nature
- We recommend spending your free time engaging in board games, ART or reading, to support cognitive function
- Practising mindfulness and mediation techniques
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
- ART therapy
- Music therapy
Spiritual well-being
Holistic wellbeing requires treating the spirit because it is the spirit that dictates a person’s perception of hope and purpose. Those suffering from addiction often feel hopeless; in some cases, they may no longer see a purpose for living. We believe that restoring hope from within is fundamental. This will enable you to harness your inner strength and regain control of your life. This strength is more powerful than addiction, it may be hidden amongst the ramifications of addiction, but it still resides in you. Spiritual practices help you to get in touch with your soul; they show you how to connect with your higher self, which can strengthen your powers of grounding, intuition, and empathy. Such skills can help you understand and protect yourself on a deeper level and make you more conscious of the world around you.
Popular culture seems a little cynical of spirituality, and clichéd connotations are attached to the word. If you are sceptical of the concept, try keeping an open-minded approach and set yourself the challenge of trying one or more of the below activities for a time to observe any changes you feel within yourself.
Some ways we can nurture our spiritual wellbeing through holistic therapy include:
- Spend time in nature, such as parks, beaches, gardens etc
- Practice mindfulness
- Practice yoga and breathwork
- Sit in quiet meditation
- Practice gratitude (find one thing you are grateful for each day and express gratitude before sleeping)
- Completing the 12-step programme
- Praying
- Healing sound bath (gong bath)
Keep an open mind
UKAT employs the holistic approach to addiction recovery because we know it is the best method to help people overcome the trauma of drug addiction and behavioural addiction. We understand that some of these treatments may seem redundant to prospective clients, but it is not uncommon for clients to dismiss the power of specific treatments upon entering rehab. For example, someone may think they don’t need creative therapies or that a gong bath seems ridiculous, but it is not uncommon for those people to enjoy the experience and, in many cases, find healing from them. Therefore, we strongly suggest you keep an open mind as much as possible, as you may surprise yourself.
Would you like to know more about how holistic treatments can benefit you or someone you love? If so, reach out to us today, and a member of our helpful team will go through any questions you may have.
