Holistic Recovery Treats The Entire Body, Not Just The Addiction

​|Addiction can impact an individual in many different ways, not just in a physical sense, but in a holistic sense and these impacts can include emotional, relational and spiritually or internally. Therefore, in order to treat all areas that addiction can negatively influence, it's important to consider a holistic treatment model.

​This guest post is written by a recovery center that specializes in holistic care and treatments and specializes in addiction services. Their holistic treatment approach includes EMDR, yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Read on to learn more!

​Please note: This article does not contain healthcare or therapeutic advice. If you are concerned about your health or well-being, speak with a health professional or visit your nearest medical facility in an emergency.

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Reflections Recovery Center is a nationally-accredited drug rehabilitation center is located in beautiful Prescott, AZ. They focus on treatments for addiction and mental health issues for those struggling to overcome such issues, with a powerful emphasis on holistic practices to supplement the recovery process. ​
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w | reflectionsrehab.com
f   | facebook.com/ReflectionsRecoveryCenter
p  | 866-418-1213

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​Holistic Therapy for Addiction Recovery

​Sometimes people find themselves lost and increasingly reliant on drugs or alcohol. Addiction can permeate every facet of your life. Thankfully, the recovery process can begin by employing a combination of science-based treatment services and supplemented with holistic practices to help any individual coping with addiction and drug-related withdrawals.
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​The Benefits Of EMDR For Addiction Treatment

Sometimes alternative treatment can enhance the effectiveness of traditional recovery programs. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR, is a relatively new type of therapy that has proven successful in treating substance abuse and mental health disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Often, people who struggle with addiction also have additional mental health issues and need dual-diagnosis treatment.

EMDR therapy has the following benefits:

• Reduces memory-related emotional suffering
• Creates lasting changes in behavior
• Treats drug- and alcohol-related PTSD​​​

Ease PTSD 

​EMDR uses psychotherapy to help the mind heal from past trauma and move past the memories of experiences like physical or sexual assault, military combat, traumatic accidents or other sudden, traumatic life events that can cause PTSD. Individuals struggling with the disorder experience symptoms like insomnia, anger, difficulty concentrating or feelings of anxiety. They also may suffer from physical symptoms such as fatigue and stomach pain.

Experts originally thought PTSD only came from major trauma, but new research shows that events from childhood like painful interactions with family members or classmates become unprocessed memories that can cause PTSD. They disrupt regular brain processing and cause negative emotions, sensations and behaviors. 
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​Confront Emotional Disturbance

​Situations trigger the negative feelings associated with the memory-creating cycles of behavior. Individuals feel sadness and insecurity, often reacting in ways they wouldn’t otherwise. EMDR includes eight phases that use sights, sounds and eye movement to help patients learn techniques for dealing with emotional disturbance.
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​Yoga For Addiction Recovery

Many individuals who find themselves in a cycle of addiction, rehab, and relapse benefit from practicing yoga along with more traditional forms of therapy like 12-step programs. Some facilities teach those in recovery to use yoga postures to process through cravings and emotions that can cause relapse.

A Stanford University Professor studied the connection between yoga and abuse recovery and found that yoga’s breathing patterns often cause the body to produce endorphins. When individuals in recovery seek out the dopamine surges that come from using drugs or alcohol, an infusion of endorphins can fight cravings.

​Quiet Stress Hormones

Yoga helps people struggling with addiction because it balances the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. When these hormones are at abnormal levels, people are more likely to experience depression, PTSD, anxiety and other mental health disorders and substance abuse. It also increases the natural tranquilizer gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to reduce the stress, depression and anxiety that often accompany substance withdrawal.
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​Find Peace 

Yoga has additional health benefits. Simple yoga postures are an accessible way to improve flexibility, build muscle strength, increase blood flow and build stronger immune systems, even for those who have been physically inactive for years.

One Harvard Medical School professor who wrote a study on the use of yoga in substance-abuse treatment said that when people abuse substances, they’re seeking an escape. They want to get away from whatever is causing them emotional pain. Yoga helps people process through negative emotions to find peace without using alcohol or drugs.

Treating Addiction With Meditation And Mindfulness

Meditation can be used in combination with other treatments like group counseling and psychotherapy to help individuals promote inner peace, self-awareness and mental functioning, qualities that are useful in preventing relapse. It encourages those in recovery to find a quiet, comfortable place to quiet their minds and focus on breathing.

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​Supplementing Meditation With Aromatherapy

To enhance the quality of your meditation practice, many individuals find that specific scents can trigger or bolster feelings of calmness and relaxation. Aromatherapy is an excellent tool for this purpose. Applying essential oils, incense, or even lighting a simple candle or tea light can go a long way towards enhancing one’s mood, and even more so when used simultaneously with one’s meditation practice.
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​Realizing A Sense Of Calm 

​Meditation promotes mindfulness, which is being aware of and accepting feelings, sensations and thoughts without trying to change them. Mindfulness and meditation have been associated with several physical and psychological benefits including reduced stress, improved blood pressure, pain and anxiety relief and better sleep.

Some experts say mindfulness is so effective in addiction treatment because what causes cravings is often a feeling of something lacking. The mind feels dissatisfied because it wants something it doesn’t have, or it holds on to negative emotion. Mindfulness meditation encourages awareness and acceptance in a way that leads to calm.

Holistic Treatment For Complete Recovery

If you feel trapped by addiction, you don’t have to struggle alone. Look for a treatment center that focuses on an individual’s unique needs and will help you create a personalized treatment plan that teaches and encourages continued sobriety. Start your journey to recovery today.

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​Other holistic health articles to check out:

• 10 Health Benefits of Yoga
• The Anatomy of a Great Self-Care Routine​

Also check out the Helpful Links page for information about resources and services in case you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or addictions.

This post may contain affiliate links that I am compensated for at no additional cost to you.