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Recovering from addiction takes work. If you are in treatment for addiction or considering it, you know how true this is, and you’re likely thinking about your options. You may be wondering if it makes sense to stick to traditional treatments, or if it’s best to explore alternative treatment options. In this article, we’ll discuss alternative treatments for addiction recovery.
Alternative Treatments May Be More Conventional Than You Think
When you think of alternative treatments, you may start picturing acupuncture and meditation, but there are quite a few non-conventional, yet conventional, addiction treatment therapies. For instance, pet therapy and gardening are also considered alternative therapies for addiction. Pet therapy involves animal companionship, or basically having a pet. Pets help recovering addicts feel less stressed, more motivated to behave responsibly, and less angry, among other positive benefits. So if you are considering alternative therapies, know they may be more familiar than you initially think.
Alternative Treatments Aren’t Enough For Anyone
While alternative therapies, like yoga or gardening, sound more appealing than more traditional treatments, they can’t treat addiction alone. Addiction tends to involve a deeper issue with mental health, trauma, or severe stress. Some addictions can even be passed down through genetics. You can’t overcome your addiction if you refuse to get to the root of your habit. Traditional treatments focus on this deep dive while more effectively dealing with the excess stress and withdrawal symptoms recovering addicts experience. You’ll need the medical and psychological expertise accredited treatment programs provide.
But Alternative Treatment Options Can Benefit Everyone… At Some Point
If you want to recover, you need to find a rehabilitation program that focuses on mental and physical health treatments. You should, however, consider alternative therapies as a supplement to these more common care methods. Activities such as art therapy and gardening can be great ways to relive the stress and boredom that can lead to relapses. Getting into a meditation practice can help you be more present and appreciate the joys in life, which can bring you peace through recovery and beyond. As you consider a treatment program, look for an inpatient or outpatient experience that balances professional knowledge with the benefits of alternative therapies.
You Have To Take Care Of Yourself For Any Treatment To Work
Rehab taxes your mind, body, and soul. You have to stay strong to succeed, so you’ll want to make healthy choices when it comes to nutrition, exercise, and self-care. Incorporate whole foods that are packed with nutrients into your diet. Make time for daily workouts to get your body moving and your mind making endorphins. Diet and exercise are core elements of any effective addiction treatment program. Be sure to set aside time for self-care, or stress relief, as well. Make time for rest and relaxation to keep stress from sidetracking your recovery efforts.
There’s No Easy Answer To Addiction
While alternative treatments sound like an easy way to tackle an addiction, they simply are not. Addiction is a serious problem that takes serious effort to recover from. Struggle is simply part of the process. You may feel uncomfortable and discouraged when you start your treatment. As you progress through your treatment and address your issues, you’ll find that it eventually gets easier. Stay positive and stay focused, and soon you’ll start to feel more like yourself again.
Alternative addiction treatments are wonderful supplements to any rehabilitation effort but should not necessarily be used alone. Successful treatment of substance abuse often takes a more comprehensive approach involving mental, physical, and spiritual care. You need to address the underlying cause of your addiction to truly move past your habit and have a chance at staying sober.
This guest post was contributed by Ryan Randolph.
Ryan Randolph is the author behind Recovery Proud. With more than 23 million people in the U.S. that struggle with substance abuse and addiction, Ryan has made it his life’s purpose to shine a light on the challenges faced by those in addiction recovery. Recovery Proud focuses on publishing ebooks (https://recoveryproud.com/our-books/) that help connect people in rehabilitation with a variety of tools to help them get clean, stay sober and find meaning in their lives. In addition to publishing ebooks, he also provides articles about recovery in an effort to draw more attention to this significant epidemic (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/us/addiction-heroin-opioids.html) that engulf our country. Ryan is currently researching the different ways people approach recovery. Be it a holistic approach, a faith-based approach, or an inpatient or outpatient avenue.
