We often hear about holistic medicine and treatments. Some people refer to holistic healing methods as an alternative, non-traditional, or unorthodox, as if to exclude traditional Western medical practices. However, holistic actually refers to the treatment of the whole person. Rather than looking only at symptoms, the health of the body, mind, and soul are treated collectively. But why is holistic healing so important?
Holistic Healing in Recovery
If a person has an illness, and only the symptoms are treated, then the illness is likely to return or may never heal. However when all of the factors impacting the illness are taken into account and they are all treated together, then the illness can finally heal.
Apply this concept to addiction: if we only take away the substances, then it is likely that we will drink or use again because we didn’t change the underlying causes of our substance abuse. However when we treat the mind, body, and soul in relation to our substance abuse, our chances for successful recovery improve greatly. By integrating healing in all aspects of our lives, we achieve change in our whole life. This is the holistic approach to recovery.
At AToN Center, we embrace holistic recovery. We use best practices for treatment of addiction, whether they be traditional Western medicine, psychology, alternative medicine, or any other category. We simply gather the best methods and tools for recovery with the goal that each person will find what works best for them to navigate their lives.
The Whole of Holistic
Part of holistic treatment is making sure that all facets of the person are addressed: mind, body, and soul. That means a balanced approach to healing. If we focus only on the mind, then the other facets suffer, but the progress we made in our mind may regress, too. All facets of our beings are intrinsically linked. So it naturally follows that treating the whole is necessary to achieve harmony and complete healing.
While there are some methods that help to heal the mind, body, and soul simultaneously, such as yoga or massage, and other methods that may overlap two areas, many methods focus primarily on facet at a time. This is why it is so important to have as many tools for healing at our disposal, so we can find address our own needs for each aspect of our own recovery.
Mind
The mind is our control center or computer. When we drink or use drugs excessively, there are physiological changes that occur within the brain that can impact our behavior, sleep, and thoughts. Cravings originate in the brain, it is the primary source of substance use motivation. It is also where the origin of our substance abuse is stored, so it is crucial to treat the mind.
One of the most obvious methods to treat the mind is through therapy. There are many methods that are particularly helpful in recovery, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR.) Hypnotherapy and breathwork are also great tools to heal the mind. The idea is to reverse any possible physiological changes within the brain and to create new thoughts and ideas about ourselves, our behaviors, and our health.
Body
There are a lot of physical side effects to substance abuse, including a lowered immune system, liver and kidney damage, heart and lung problems, and memory loss, seizures, and stroke. There is unfortunately sometimes damage to our bodies that cannot be reversed. However, no matter where we are at, our bodies can always be improved and many conditions healed if we are willing to make changes in our daily routines.
A big factor in healing the body is food. The food we eat can either offer our bodies quality nutrients and help in our healing, or it can contribute to poor health. The choice is ours. Another choice is exercise. Regular fitness can boost both physical and mental health. Treatments like acupuncture also focus on healing the body and can be personalized to fit our needs.
Soul
Our soul is our emotional component, our essence. There is no measurement for the damage that addiction does to our soul. But it is closely tied to the experiences that drive substance use as well as how we feel about our physical health. However, just because there is no scientific measurement for the damage, it doesn’t mean that it does not exist. And it definitely does not mean we should ignore it.
Meditation is a great way to treat our souls. It allows us to train our minds to allow our souls to thrive. We can learn to be present and to live without distraction, which can help heal our whole selves, actually. Another great treatment for our soul is Watsu. This is done in a swimming pool and is meant to recreate the safe feeling of being in the womb. It can be healing not only for the body, but also for the mind, and soul.
Healing the body, mind, and spirit to provide us with the best opportunity for success, that is why holistic healing is so important. All of the treatment options above and more are available at AToN Center to assist you in your holistic recovery. Let us help you find the direction in your life by giving you all the tools you need to forge your own path of recovery: mind, body, and soul.
Choose to heal your life holistically today. Call AToN Center at (888) 535-1516.
