What Is The Holistic Treatment Model For Addiction?

Over the last few decades, the holistic model has become a popular treatment technique which adds alternatives to the standard rehab model in treating addiction. Part of the reason that the holistic method gained in popularity in the West is that it focuses on the whole person, and not just their physical ailment.

Let us explore holistic addiction treatment in more detail, outlining its various treatment techniques and how it assists in treating the whole individual. 

Holistic Defined

In medicine, the holistic approach is characterized by the treatment of the “whole person”, taking into account the social and mental factors and not just the mere symptoms of a disease. Many addiction treatment centres in Canada and the West incorporate this model now in treating individuals with substance addiction. Put in other words, holistic addiction treatment seeks to heal the whole person, integrating techniques to address the mental, physical, spiritual and social aspects of what it means to be human. 

Holistic Treatment Techniques

In treating substance addiction, holistic approaches incorporate the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of an individual in order to successfully overcome substance dependence. 

Some examples of holistic treatment techniques include:

• Massage
• Acupuncture and acupressure
• Reiki and other types of energy work
• Yoga and meditation
• Biofeedback and neurofeedback
• Nutritional therapy
• Herbal medicines  

As you can notice from the above, many of the holistic techniques listed come from cultural traditions found all across the world. Yoga, for example, is so popular in the West that it clearly does not need a definition here.

Other holistic treatments are familiar to us, even though we can not define their practice. Reiki, for example, is a familiar technique that we have seen in many films. Essentially, Reiki is an energy healing technique in which the practitioners use their hands to deliver energy to the body and thus improve flow and balance of energy to aid in healing. 

Taking into account the cultural mosaic that makes up Canada, it is easy to see why these complementary holistic techniques can be very useful in successfully treating substance addiction abuse. Afterall, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to addiction recovery: holistic treatment techniques are designed to provide individualized care, while taking into consideration our social, cultural, and spiritual background.  

Holistic Treatment And Balance

Holistic treatment is based on the notion that a person is unhealthy because of a certain imbalance in their lives. These imbalances can lead us away from a happy life and draw us into addiction as a coping mechanism. Once one has regained balance, they can be free of addiction, but more importantly, they can live happy and healthy lives.  

Balance is also much needed in the  approach to treating substance abuse. While addiction is a physical ailment, the social and psychological aspects of addiction must be acknowledged by health professionals in treatment centres. Western residential rehab programs certainly recognize the benefits of holistic treatment techniques and many incorporate it as part of their treatment program.  

To find out more about our treatment techniques and how we can incorporate holistics in your path to recovery, please contact us today and we will be glad to help you.