Alcoholism and drug addiction situations have reached quite high according to statistics gathered for the 21st century. Crime rates, related to substance abuse are escalating all around the world. Individuals from every race, color and socio-economic background are becoming dependent on drugs such as crack, crystal meth, heroin, cocaine, alcohol and prescription drugs. Resulting drug abuse and addiction, marriages and families are being torn apart; directly and indirectly endangering the children.
There are a number of factors contributing to the development of addictive behaviors, such as early childhood trauma, untreated mental disorders, family with drug dependent member/s, and environment. The early childhood trauma usually includes sexual or physical abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Some of the mental illnesses that often go in conjunction with addiction are learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, anxiety disorder, depression and many others. Addictions often results from repetitive attempts to alleviate the symptoms of these illnesses.
Addiction ravages a person on every imaginable level of their existence. It destroys them mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, which leaves them virtually helpless, floating in a dark sea of loneliness and despair. The last trace of hope, that they may one day win their struggle to stop using drugs completely vanishes. They lose connection with their higher power and their lives become seemingly an endless experience of failures that would eventually lead to total submission to their illness and their pain. Those people suffering from the disease of addiction not only restrict themselves to abusing drugs and alcohol, but also every person, place, and thing with whom they come in contact with. Even though it is not their intention to cause pain in those around them, their battered emotions creep into all areas of their lives, making all attempts at recovery futile.
The Holistic Method
The Holistic approach to medicine and addiction treatment believes that human beings have three separate, but symbiotic parts, a body, a mind and a spirit. These three elements of the human being are intertwined and co-exist in a delicate balance; this balance determines the positive or negative outcome of physical/mental health. The holistic method greatly puts into consideration this balance and implements treatment with the understanding that in order to truly achieve positive and lasting results this equilibrium must be restored and kept in check.
The Body
The modern holistic approach, which was derived from centuries of proven methods from other cultures, begins first with the body. The food we ingest creates the foundation for the harmonious functioning of our mind and body. Stimulants and other toxins such as caffeine, processed foods, refined sugars, food additives, and poor overall dietary habits contribute greatly to an imbalance in brain chemistry. It is imperative that these types of foods and additives be totally removed or significantly reduced in the diet in order to restore healthy brain functioning.
In exchange, a complete and balanced diet consisting of fiber, turkey, fruit, fish, whole grains, protein, and lots of water must be welcomed. Most often, those entering holistic treatment are dehydrated, hypo/hyperglycemic, and protein deficient. They also need to be diagnosed for certain fungal and bacterial infections. Chemical dependency set along with an insufficient diet can wreak unprecedented destruction on an individual's delicate immune system. These complications are definite contributors to depression, agitation, and decreased energy stores, which eventually lead to relapse.
Combined with a proper diet, a good vitamin and mineral supplementation is also necessary since much of the vitamin, mineral, and amino acid stores, which are the building foundation of the brain’s neurotransmitters, are depleted from drug and alcohol addiction. Exercise, neuro-feedback, meditation, and stress reduction techniques are essential in keeping the stability of the mind and body. Some proven and effective disciplines for achieving harmony in both mind and body are yoga, tai chi, and different soft or hard-soft styles of kung-fu.
The Mind
Recent research has implied that certain chemical imbalances occurring in the brain appear to act a significant role in contributing to substance addiction. The use and abuse of drugs and alcohol causes the brain chemistry to move away even further from the normal range of function. It has been reported that those who use illicit drugs were twice as vulnerable to having serious mental disorders as compared with those adults who did not partake in the use of illicit drugs. With chronic abuse, a destructive cycle is eventually formed that exponentially grows over time. These chemical imbalance causes lack of concentration, feelings of depression, emotional instability, and a total lack of a moral and spiritual equilibrium. In most cases, medication is necessary to correct the chemical imbalance caused by mental illnesses.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a technique in psychotherapy that utilizes eye movements in order to stimulate the processing of information in the brain. This therapy provides relatively quicker results than traditional therapy. This method is widely used in treating trauma such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, crime, war, depressions, addiction, phobias, and self-esteem issues. A recent study discovered that EMDR was twice as effective and in about half the amount of treatment time than typical therapy. Simply put, EMDR provides the means for the brain to heal its own wounds and at the same duration that the rest of the body is able to cure its physical ailments, making very long and tedious recovery a thing of the past.
Neuro-feedback, another cutting-edge technique, aims to train the brain in order to assist in improving body function regulation and overall brain health. If there is poor brain functioning, it is immediately recognized through the EEG (Electroencephalogram). By constantly providing a challenge to the brain, like muscles are challenged in physical exercise in order to improve their strength, normal brain functionality can slowly be restored. The clear benefits of neuro-feedback treatment include healthier sleep patterns, relief from depression and anxiety, as well as attention and emotional management. Emotional management is very important in how a person reacts to a particular situation.
The Spirit
Considered as one of the most significant steps in addiction recovery, is a person’s psychological awareness. Being aware of personal speech, body language, thoughts, and actions is necessary in maintaining a life free from substance addiction. It is important that a person learns how to avoid the pitfalls of having negative thoughts and being surrounded by negative people. An individual must learn that it is more important to be kind than to be right, and to develop values and integrity and finally, to learn to be good to one's self and others by trusting in a higher power. By believing in a higher power, it is easier to submit oneself to recovery and treatment.
The relationship that is developed through spirituality enriches life and gives hope and inspiration. Recovering individuals discover that a life free from the clutches of drugs and alcohol is not only possible, but is a life well worth living. Spirituality is the basis for the creation of a positive philosophy in life. The twelve-step programs are considered a spiritual way of life. They are non-denominational, non-controversial, and anonymous. The high success rates of these programs are based upon "the therapeutic value of one addict helping another". Quite a number of atheist and agnostic individuals have been able to accept the twelve steps with their own personal belief of the existence of a higher power. The role of a higher power in their lives becomes G.O.D., or Good Orderly Direction. Every addict that is truly serious about his recovery is able to attain harmony and fullness of life by applying these proven steps and these principles in their daily existence.
While choosing the drug rehab it has to be made sure that all the aspects of what caused the addiction problem in the first place have to be addressed.
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