How does a holistic rehab in Ohio differ from an exclusively medically-focused one? With the term holistic being more frequently applied to drug and alcohol rehabs in Ohio and elsewhere, you may be wondering about the answer to that question.
Holistic simply means whole. As applied to substance abuse recovery, it more specifically means treating the whole person. Holistic rehabs believe that drug abuse damages not just the body, but the psyche and the soul, too.
All this damage needs to be addressed and repaired. If it isn\’t, the holistic philosophy holds that the person will be much more likely to relapse. Therefore, holistic rehab doesn\’t just offer detox and standard, evidence-based therapy, such as group and individual therapy, trauma resolution and complex treatment protocols like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Ohio holistic rehabs recognize that these therapies are effective and do use them, but they go further and treat the whole person with some of the following techniques:
- Acupuncture and acupressure
- Reiki
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Herbal medicine
- Biofeedback
Reiki is a specific type of massage therapy intended to induce extreme relaxation, stress release and feelings of well-being in every mental, spiritual and emotional sense. In fact, reiki is a Japanese word meaning energy healing.
The effects of reiki therapy are cumulative, meaning that its benefits increase over time. Acupuncture isn\’t understood very well by Western medicine, but it\’s thought to work in part by coaxing the brain into releasing endorphins, which are natural brain peptides very similar to the opiates found in the opium poppy. Endorphins relieve pain and cause feelings of pleasure, reward and well-being.
When the acupuncture needles are inserted at specific points on the body, which is a painless process, the needles are thought to cause a release of a rush of endorphins. Yoga and meditation both create feelings of serenity by teaching the mind to concentrate on pleasant imagery, blocking out unwanted feelings of anger, fear, shame, sadness and resentment. Although this would be useful for anyone, it\’s particularly helpful for someone recovering from substance abuse.
Biofeedback is similar in some ways, but instead of seeking another plane of thought, it uses electronic sensors attached to various parts of the body that measure such things as heart rate and blood pressure. These are both associated with the body\’s stress response and are normally involuntary, that is, not actively controllable by the individual. Biofeedback uses a therapist and visual or auditory cues to teach the client how control bodily functions related to stress.
By learning how to control these functions, the person also learns how to directly reduce stress. Reports of success are mixed, but some people have experienced good results with reducing the occurrence of migraine and tension headaches.
Nutritional Therapy
Nutritional therapy for recovering addicts in Ohio rehabs offering holistic therapy is focused on restoring physical health, helping the brain balance critical chemicals called neurotransmitters, reducing or eliminating the intake of processed foods and refined sugar, increasing whole foods in the diet and addressing bodily damage resulting from substance abuse, especially alcohol.
Not only do alcoholics tend to get most of their calories from alcohol, which is high in calories but void of any nutritional value, but alcohol depletes the body of vitamins, especially those in the B vitamin family, and more particularly, vitamins B-12, cyanocobalamin and B-1, also known as thiamine. The metabolism of alcohol requires B vitamins. Since the alcoholic rarely takes B vitamin supplements or consumes a healthy diet providing these nutrients, the body must rob the liver and bloodstream to get them.
All B vitamins are water-soluble. This means the body cannot store them. They must be obtained on a daily basis. Unless replaced, B vitamins used to metabolize alcohol will quickly become depleted. Deficiencies of B-1 and B-12 affect both the brain and the nervous system, producing symptoms like depression, dizziness, tremors and memory loss.
B-12 cannot be obtained from plant foods, but it\’s plentiful in meats and dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese. Nutritional therapy in Ohio holistic rehabs can help with the following:
- Stabilizing mood by helping the brain ramp up production of critical neurotransmitters
- Reducing drug and alcohol cravings
- Nourishing and healing a body ravaged by substance abuse
- Reducing stress and promoting normal sleep patterns
- Treating medical conditions induced by substance abuse
Would you Like to Know More? We\’re a group of trained drug counselors available to help you 24 hours a day at 833-820-2922. We have the resources to help you find the best Ohio holistic drug recovery center fitting your needs. We can explain more about holistic therapy and answer all your questions, too. Please call. We\’re here to help.