Holistic treatment refers to an approach that seeks to address the needs of an individual as a whole person. This differs from modern medicine significantly which treats the symptoms of an illness rather than the causes. Holistic therapy in San Francisco and elsewhere is based on the belief that overall wellbeing is dependent on a person’s physical, emotional and mental health, rather than being separated into components.
Holistic therapies are now widely used in holistic treatment centers in California and have been shown to be highly effective in promoting long-term recovery. This is because of the way holistic therapy allows for introspection and self-exploration so that people are better able to understand their negative relationship with drugs and/or alcohol. Addiction doesn’t develop overnight and takes a firm hold on a person’s “essence” in terms of how they behave, how they think and how they feel.
How Holistic Therapy in San Francisco Works in an Addiction Setting
Holistic treatment focuses on the underlying causes of illness rather than treating its symptoms. This applies in addiction treatment by identifying the reasons people initially turned to drugs or alcohol. Some may have become addicted to opioids as a result of following a prescribed course of painkillers for a chronic condition. Others may have been through a difficult time such as suffering a bereavement or relationship breakdown and used substances to try and make themselves feel better.
Because of the many reasons behind a person’s addiction, it is important to understand the challenges they face on their recovery journey. It is also vital to recognize and deal with the issues that led to the person using drugs or alcohol in the first place, which are often dependent on several factors unique to the individual. Some of the factors affecting a person’s potential to develop addiction include environment, genetic predisposition, personal history and mental health.
What Holistic Therapies Are Offered In Rehab?
The kind of holistic treatments that are used in rehab include the following:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Aromatherapy
- Adventure therapy
- Art & music therapy
- Massage
- Physical fitness
- Nutritional education
Mediation and yoga are types of mindfulness practices that provide clients with a method of coping with the stressors that might threaten their recovery. Both practices encourage individuals to focus on deep breathing while isolating small parts of the body so as to silence negative internal dialogue. This can be very useful in helping people overcoming addiction to deal with cravings or stressors for substance abuse.
Physical fitness and nutritional awareness are also important as part of a holistic rehab program as they help to reverse the physical damage done by substance abuse. Improved fitness levels are also shown to boost confidence levels while creating a natural high through the production of endorphins.
Experiential therapies such as adventure therapy take people out of their comfort zone and into challenging situations where they can discover their true strengths and weaknesses. By participating in team tasks, individuals can learn how to trust others and perhaps more importantly become more trustworthy themselves.
Art and music therapy is another experiential treatment that offers clients in rehab other channels for self-expression. Many people struggling with addiction become withdrawn and isolated from friends and family. By opening additional and previously unexplored creative ways of communicating, people learn more about themselves in the process as introspection is required before committing pen to paper.
Is Holistic Therapy in San Francisco Effective?
The most important consideration when seeking holistic rehab in California is what works best for the individual. This is crucial as rehab treatment needs to resonate with each client so that the things they learn can easily be absorbed into their substance-free lifestyles. Some people prefer the traditional approach which is the faith-based 12 step model and that is why holistic treatment centers in California still offer some components of this model in their programs.
Addiction is intensely personal and affects people in very different ways. This means it is essential for each individual entering holistic rehab in California to be understood by the people treating them. With the holistic approach to addiction treatment, it is not just the addiction-related symptoms that require treatment but the person as a whole “unit” as it were. Holistic treatments are effective because they heal the mind, body and spirit so that the person’s overall wellbeing is significantly improved. Continued practice of techniques learned in holistic treatment centers in California is always recommended as efficient protection against relapse for many years after completing a program.
To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.
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