Holistic Approaches To Addiction Recovery: What You Should Know
While most people understand the harsh toll addiction can take on the mind and body of the addict, few understand how to design a treatment plan that addresses the whole person rather than individual components or aspects. Standard addiction treatments, while effective are not holistic and may leave gaps in care that make continued recovery and sobriety difficult. Get to know some of the options available that can be used to supplement and enhance standard addiction treatment protocols to give you a holistic recovery experience for your substance abuse struggles.
Chiropractic Care
The chiropractor may not be the first place you choose to turn when you are seeking treatment for your addiction. But, what you may not realize is that much of your substance abuse problem stems from nervous system and brain chemistry issues. The pleasure receptors and neurotransmitters are damaged either through the use of the addicted substance or prior to it, an effect which lasts long after you stop using the addicted substance.
Chiropractic care stems from the philosophy that misalignments in the spine cause damage and disruptions to the nerves that run along it preventing proper communications between the brain and the body. Spinal adjustments are designed to coax the spine back into place freeing up the nerves to get back to their regular function.
As such, chiropractic care can help with addiction issues by helping to get the nervous system back up and running as it should. Additionally, chiropractic care helps during the initial recovery to alleviate some of the aches and pains of withdrawal that can last for days, weeks, or even months depending on the addicted substance.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese alternative medicine tradition that has been in use for thousands of years to treat various mental and physical health problems. The philosophy that underlies acupuncture contends that the body is made up of systems of flowing energy that keep the body and mind operating smoothly. When that energy flow is disrupted or unbalanced, the person suffers physical and psychological effects.
Acupuncture also uses the concepts on yin and yang to help understand how the flow of energy operates in the body. According to acupuncture, addiction stems from a deficiency of yin or the nourishing, grounding force in the body. When the yin is deficient the yang is left to take over, creating a craving need in the body and an emptiness that needs to be filled (psychologically-speaking). This creates the perfect condition for developing an addiction.
To help remedy this imbalance in a person's energy, acupuncturists insert tiny needles into specific energy points in the body to stimulate the flow of energy and to get the yin energy back on track. The energy points most used for addiction are located along the exterior of the ear and relate mostly to liver and kidney function. This may help to eliminate toxins from the body, reduce cravings, and to help relieve withdrawal symptoms. Some rehab and addiction treatment centers offer in-house acupuncture services as part of their treatment offerings to assist with the initial recovery process.
As you can see, creating a holistic approach to addiction recovery will help to treat the whole body rather than just specific addiction-related behaviors and habits. Adding these treatment options to a standard recovery process can enhance the initial recovery experience and help you to maintain your sobriety and recovery going forward. Talk to a professional like Advanced Chiropractic & Acupuncture for more information.