There are several ways to treat addiction, but the holistic approach in drug rehab has been gaining traction and attention due to its effectiveness.
Addiction is a serious condition that can rob a person of health, family, career, peace of mind, and financial security. There are several ways to treat addiction, but the holistic approach in drug rehab has been gaining traction and attention due to its effectiveness. Traditional treatment modalities, such as medication-assisted detox, still work, but the inclusion of such things as massage therapy is also producing positive results.
How Massage Therapy Helps in Addiction Treatment
Massage therapy is much more than a patient just lying on a table with relaxing music playing and candles burning. This is a complementary treatment that uses various bodywork techniques to calm the mind and relieve tension. A massage therapist will knead and press a patient’s muscles and trigger points with circulating movements. Depending on the client’s needs, the treatment might include deep tissue, myofascial, Swedish, or cranial sacral massage.
When clients receive massage therapy, they are not only getting stimulation of the muscles but also of the skin, which happens to be the body’s largest sensory organ. This stimulation sends messages to the body’s central nervous system, which then releases dopamine, which is the body and mind’s natural feel-good chemical. In fact, studies show that this mind-body connection provided by massage therapy helps create self-awareness and may prevent relapse.
The Role of Massage Therapy in Drug Rehab
When patients attend drug rehab, most of the treatment and therapy that they receive requires their full participation and attention. Whether this is counseling, a 12-step meeting, or some other treatment, clients are asked to participate and communicate while learning new skills. One of the benefits of massage therapy is that it is completely passive.
It should come as little surprise that a client is likely under some degree of physical and emotional stress when he or she enters drug rehab. An addict who is under stress is more likely to return to his or her drug of choice to soothe those feelings. Massage therapy not only reduces stress, but it also helps to release some of the dopamine naturally that addiction chases through unnatural sources. Massage therapy also releases toxins in the body that have built up during addiction and are working to come out through drug detox.
A Holistic Approach to Drug Rehab
A comprehensive treatment program, like the one offered by The Recovery Village, gives clients a wide variety of treatment options that treat the mind and body. For example, medication-assisted detox can help clients with a potentially difficult drug or alcohol detox experience. Different types of therapy are available to build tools for lasting recovery. Holistic options are available to relieve stress and boost the body’s immune system.
The Recovery Village offers a personalized full-service drug rehab program that takes a multidisciplinary approach to substance abuse treatment. Contact us today to discuss admissions and learn more about how our unique treatment program can benefit you or a loved one.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.