Whether it’s Adderall addiction treatment, cocaine addiction, methadone addiction, opiate addiction, or even alcohol addiction, it’s safe to say that addiction treatment methods have a come a long way in terms of improving for the better and becoming even more effective. Methods of treatment that were once considered “alternative” or “outside the box” are now apart of standard drug and alcohol treatment processes and therapies. Nowadays, the majority of treatment facilities offer a variety of what are known as supplemental or holistic therapies in order to provide a more thorough, comprehensive approach to drug treatment.
But even though these alternative treatments are widely effective, they are not without controversy, especially among recovery professionals and experts who are wary of them. Generally speaking, the dominating view among the addiction recovery community is that alternative therapies are only high effective when used to compliment or supplement traditional means of therapy, and that they are not and should not be used as a replacement for traditional therapy methods. Experts warn that attempting to do so can hinder the recovery process and may even be dangerous in terms of relapsing.
Curious as what some of these alternative addiction treatments are? You may be surprised because you might even be using some of them yourself, even if you’re not an addict!
Meditation and mindfulness
The art of actively practicing mindfulness, otherwise known as meditation, is popular method of being present in one’s thoughts that’s been incorporated into many a 12-step program. Many drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs use meditation as a way for substance abusers to become more in tune with their own feelings and thoughts. It’s believed that by doing so, substance abusers and recovering addicts can identify destructive patterns or thoughts that may contribute to their addiction, and by confronting and understanding these harmful patterns or thoughts, they can then be controlled. Meditation has also been proven to lower levels of cortisol in the body, a stress hormone that may act as a trigger and alter mood.
Nutrition restoration
Although the name sounds pretty fancy and complex, the premise of biochemical restoration is actually quite simple. Biochemical restoration seeks to address and reverse biochemical imbalances in the body that can cause mood disorders such as anxiety and depression that can exacerbate addictive behavior. Clinical and scientific research has proven time and time again that biochemical imbalances in the brain linked to diet and nutrition can crease an imbalance within the brain’s neurotransmitters. In people that are prone to addiction, these imbalances can lead to relapse or substance abuse and other destructive behavior. Biochemical nutrition restoration typically includes a personalized nutrition plan in conjunction with prescribed physical activity and periods of rest and relaxation, such as meditation.
Acupuncture
Though falling into the same category as meditation and mindfulness, acupuncture has less clinical and scientific evidence that it is indeed an effective alternative addiction treatment method. It does, however, have strong anecdotal evidence that it not only helps to alleviate physical pain — a substance seeking trigger for many addicts — but that it also is a highly effective treatment method for treating emotional imbalances such as depression that may cause a person to abuse drugs and alcohol. There are countless stories of recovering substance abusers who say acupuncture was instrumental to the detox process, making it less painful, less anxiety inducing, and overall more tolerable. Acupuncture has been around for a long, long time, and dates all the way back to Ancient China. It is a principal part in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is used to treat a variety of ailments, from skin disorders and allergies, to menstrual cramps, to fatigue, and more.
Pet therapy
Animal therapy is often used in conjunction with more traditional forms of drug and alcohol therapy as a highly effective alternative addiction treatment method. It is believed to work by allowing addicts to focus on something outside of themselves and their addiction, and can help them find purpose and meaning. Caring for a dependent creature can be a catalyst for wanting change and improve one’s life, and an animal’s non-judgmental, unconditional love can be just what the doctor ordered — both literally and figuratively!