Learn / Opening the Door to Real Healing: A Holistic Approach to Addiction Recovery by Janelle Salo
Opening the Door to Real Healing: A Holistic Approach to Addiction Recovery by Janelle Salo
November 1st, 2024| Clinically Reviewed by
Key Points
- Holistic addiction treatment addresses more than symptoms for comprehensive healing.
- It address all areas of the mind, body, and spirit.
- A holistic approach to recovery offers deep, maintainable healing.
Most of us have encountered someone who is struggling with addiction at some point in our lives. The battle with addiction can run in families and be handed down through the generations. The path to recovery can be difficult, and conventional therapies frequently ignore the emotional and spiritual difficulties that accompany recovery in favor of concentrating on the physical aspects of healing.
Choosing a holistic strategy can provide a more encouraging route to recovery. Because the mind, body, and spirit are interconnected, people can improve their general well-being, achieve balance, and undergo more profound healing.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these contributions are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Recovery.com.
Understanding Holistic Addiction Recovery
What is Holistic Recovery?
The goal of holistic recovery is to treat the patient as a whole—mind, body, and spirit—rather than just their addiction. This entails having a balanced diet, engaging in mindfulness exercises, maintaining an active lifestyle, and receiving the necessary emotional support. By addressing the underlying causes of an individual’s addiction, this approach facilitates healing and growth.
Traditional Treatments and Holistic Methods
Treating physical withdrawal symptoms and altering behavior through medication and therapy are common approaches used in traditional addiction treatment methods.
Holistic approaches, on the other hand, combine techniques that support mental, spiritual, and physical well-being to heal the whole person. This way of thinking helps people find long-term recovery by addressing the underlying causes of their addictions.
These methods can help you think more clearly, manage your emotions better, and improve your physical health. By identifying the root causes of addiction, you can heal more deeply and avoid slipping back into comfortable bad habits. Mindfulness, healthy eating, and staying active will build healthier habits and help blaze your path to recovery!
Healing the Mind in Recovery
Importance of Addressing Mental Health
Mental health and addiction often intersect. Untreated issues like anxiety or depression can intensify addiction, while addiction complicates managing mental health. Addressing both boosts the chances of long-term recovery and helps individuals maintain emotional balance.
Techniques such as Meditation, Mindfulness, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Meditation and mindfulness can be practiced during a yoga or meditation routine. Both practices can help with focus and self-awareness. Focusing on one day at a time instead of dwelling on past mistakes and future uncertainties can help reduce cravings and negative thoughts. Meditation can also reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and aid with sleeping, which also helps boost self-awareness during waking hours.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)1 is a practice that helps the individual identify negative thoughts, beliefs, and patterns that can lead a person back down the road to destructive, addictive behavior. Participating in CBT can offer a practical way to support good mental health and keep the individual on track in their recovery.
Healing Emotional Trauma
Therapy: Speaking with a certified addiction therapist offers a secure environment in which you can process and manage severe emotional suffering. It helps to pinpoint where the behavior started and how to prevent falling back into harmful patterns.
Journaling: Writing down your thoughts provides an excellent outlet for expressing feelings on paper. It helps you monitor your progress as you pursue sobriety and offers a chance to reflect on how much you’ve achieved in your recovery journey. By jotting down thoughts and emotions, you create a personal connection to your experiences.
Support groups: Finding group support can connect you with peers on similar paths to recovery. Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) help you meet others facing similar challenges, reminding you that you’re not alone in your journey. By identifying shared experiences, these groups also provide strength and support to build friendships that enable you to heal in a supportive community.
Explore Holistic Treatment Centers
Nurturing the Body for Holistic Healing
Role of Nutrition in Restoring the Body
To kickstart healthy habits, embrace a nutritious diet. Adding vegetables, fruits, and grains to your meals will give you essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that support heart health and boost your energy. This approach serves as a foundation for individuals recovering from addiction, helping them adopt a healthier lifestyle. Consuming various wholesome foods strengthens your body and keeps your energy levels high. Eating well can lift your mood and enhance motivation, benefiting your brain and contributing to a healthier life in the long run.
The Importance of Exercise
Yoga: You can often find yoga classes by joining support groups or churches or searching online. Many of these options offer free classes for beginners to help you get started. Practicing yoga keeps you flexible and mindful while enhancing physical and emotional balance. It emphasizes thoughtful awareness and mindfulness while boosting circulation to vital organs like your heart and brain. If you can’t find a local class, you can always explore beginner, intermediate, and advanced yoga classes on YouTube.
Walking: A great way to breathe fresh air and enjoy the world. Walking allows you to disconnect from the world by immersing yourself in nature’s sounds, smells, and sights. Whether you’re in a park or on a beach, walking encourages awareness and mindfulness, making it an easy way to unwind in nature and improve your mood.
Lifting weights: Joining a gym or weightlifting group can help build strength and boost confidence. Whether at a gym or working out at home, weightlifting offers an excellent opportunity to connect with others facing similar struggles. You can find gym partners while attending live support groups or engaging with online communities.
Taking care of your body during recovery and exercising regularly will improve your physical health and strengthen your mind and emotions, supporting your overall recovery journey.
Detoxifying the Body Naturally
Natural Remedies: In addition to your provider’s recommendations for recovering from harmful substances, consider discussing natural remedies with your physician. Milk thistle2 and dandelion root3 can support your liver and aid in detoxification. Supplements and teas can be found at your local organic store or online. Combining these two can also help to rebuild your immune system from damaging substances.
Probiotics: You can find probiotics naturally in yogurt or kefir, kimchi, or sauerkraut, but if those options don’t appeal to you, over-the-counter supplement capsules or gummies are also available. They help restore your gut health, making you happier and more energetic!
Water: Drink enough water throughout the day to rehydrate and aid in detoxing. Adults should aim for 3-4 liters daily, which aids in detoxification and enhances gut and urinary tract health.
Sauna: If you decide to join a gym, choose one that has a sauna. Visiting a sauna at your local gym or spa can enhance your detoxification process and overall well-being.
Restoring the Spirit
How Addiction Disconnects People from Themselves
When people focus on their addiction, they might lose sight of what really matters to them, like their values, passions, and relationships, which can leave them feeling empty and disconnected. Recovery isn’t just about overcoming addiction; it’s also about rediscovering themselves and reconnecting with what’s truly important to them.
Reconnecting with a Higher Purpose
Meditating: Finding a quiet place to meditate helps you achieve deep calm and gain insight, allowing you to reflect on your beliefs and what matters most. Choose a quiet spot at home, close the shades, open the window, light a candle, and play relaxing spa or yoga music in the background. Aim to meditate for at least 20 minutes daily, independently or integrated into your yoga practice. Making meditation a regular habit can support your recovery journey.
Being in nature: Being outside, taking in the fresh air, sights, and sounds around you, grounds you and fills you with gratitude and wonder for the world around you. As you recover, you’ll notice things that previously went unnoticed. The sights, smells, and sounds of nature highlight the beauty of the world we are lucky to inhabit! Spending time in nature is also a great place to journal about what you are genuinely grateful for.
Self-reflection: Spending time alone can help you identify what genuinely matters and steer you toward a more meaningful, addiction-free existence. Use reflection not as a way to criticize yourself for past mistakes but as an opportunity to learn and develop strategies to avoid repeating them in the present and future.
Incorporating Different Practices
Spiritual counseling: Finding a spiritual counselor can help you explore your beliefs and tackle life challenges. If you’re struggling with addictive thoughts, reach out to a pastor, rabbi, or another spiritual leader for guidance. Additionally, you can listen to audiobooks or read works by authors like Eckhart Tolle, who excels in providing spiritual guidance and emphasizes the importance of being present. Spiritual audiobooks are a great way to decompress after a stressful day while commuting to and from work.
Spiritual retreats: Another great way to meet like-minded people is through a spiritual retreat. These retreats can provide an opportunity to reflect, connect with others, and regain your purpose after struggling with addiction. They enable you to meet like-minded individuals, build friendships, and create safe spaces throughout your recovery journey.
Final Thought
To heal your entire self—mind, body, and spirit—try incorporating a holistic approach to recovery along with traditional methods. Explore various treatments to find what suits you best. Always be kind and patient with yourself. Focus on living one day at a time and embrace the recovery journey.
Author Bio:
Janelle Salo is a registered nurse with over 20 years of experience, specializing in the management of chronic diseases while integrating holistic medicine with conventional treatments. She has cared for patients with various conditions, including diabetes, heart failure, and COPD.
As a yogi, Janelle believes that adopting a healthier lifestyle can significantly aid those struggling with addiction and recovery. She emphasizes, “By eating well and incorporating exercise and mindfulness, patients can shift their focus away from their addictions and, in the process, feel better about themselves during recovery.”
Janelle is the owner and editor of www.healthyearthliving.com and Salo Content Writing, LLC.
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