Healing the Mind as Well as the Body: What Are the Benefits of Holistic Addiction Treatment?

Did you know that mental health and physical health are intimately connected? Have you ever had a deadline for work or a school test and suddenly noticed that you had an upset stomach? That’s because the connection between the mind and body are entwined.

The stress and anxiety of a deadline or test, cause the brain to secrete hormones that constrict the stomach, and you start to feel queasy. You can also begin to sweat, and your cheeks will get flushed. The brain is using the body to send you a message.

The message is that something is wrong, and you need to take notice.

What is Holistic Care?

Holistic healthcare means that the clinical team caring for the client takes their entire history into account and treats them as a whole person, getting to the “root cause” rather than just trying to treat symptoms.

Holistic care takes both medical and social factors into account, including any traumas from which they might be recovering.

An example of this is if you suddenly find that you have overwhelming insomnia that is debilitating and is negatively affecting your life and even putting your job at risk. A doctor that just hands you some pills to help you sleep is addressing the symptom only.

A holistic doctor would ask more probing questions about your life and ask you if anything else in your life has changed or is changing. Upon reflection, the patient may realize that some past disturbing memories have been resurfacing, and he/she needs to address these with a mental health professional.

Shadow Mountain Recovery holistic care recognizes that there is a link between the mind, body and spirit. Our clinical team uses activities and therapies that help a person reconnect to their spiritual side to heal mental health issues as well as addressing addiction issues.

Meditation, hiking, grounding, acupuncture and aromatherapy help our clients reconnect to earth and relieve a great deal of stress and pressure.

How Does Holistic Care Heal?

The medical doctor in the above example would provide a referral if the patient didn’t already have a therapist. In this way, we address all aspects of a person. And the root cause of a behavior is discovered, so real change is possible in the future.

That’s the real key to holistic care. Without getting to the bottom of a symptom, the client sadly suffers from the effects indefinitely. Holistic care helps a client move from survival mode to rest mode. If you’ve been on edge for a long time, your body has been releasing too many hormones for too long, making you literally feel ill. But the activities and therapies at Shadow Mountain Recovery allow you to unwind and slowly release all that built-up tension.

The holistic approach allows a person time and space to meditate on their experiences and decide if they want to change. Rather than having a mental health professional merely telling you what you need to do to feel better, in holistic healing, the therapist partners with the client to help them reach their goals of recovery, self-acceptance, and future plans.

This method enables them to be empowered, start calling the shots and no longer allow their traumatic experiences to bring them down. The strategy helps a person thoroughly understand the decisions they’ve made that have led to their addictive behaviors and self-medicating attempts.

What Can I Expect at Holistic Addiction Care?

Shadow Mountain Recovery has incorporated a holistic approach since our inception with results that speak for themselves. Our holistic approach assists our clients in noticing that the brain is often sending a message to the body, and the physical symptoms are manifestations of a deep upset of the mind.

We have developed a unique treatment process that aids clients by focusing on all aspects of the human being. Our clinical team uses Dual Diagnoses to address a person’s mental health needs and physical issues.

For example, a person with chronic pain may also struggle with depression. A holistic clinical team would address both these issues. Especially when there are studies that have shown depression can cause chronic pain or can even make that pain worse. Not all facilities offer dual diagnosis, but you can see how important it is that the facility of your choosing does.

Many Shadow Mountains locations offer yoga, meditation, hiking, life skills where you learn how to cook healthy meals, and adventure therapy where you will work as a cooperative group to problem solve and overcome any challenges faced.

All of these activities help bring about real and lasting change when clients realize they are creating new patterns and ways of thinking with coping mechanisms that are healthy and positive.

Numbers Don’t Lie

Shadow Mountain Recovery recently used a third-party source to conduct a study. In this study, patients responded to several questions regarding their motivation for seeking treatment, addiction severity, suicidality, past treatment experiences, and the occurrence of mental health disorders before receiving treatment. They were then asked those same questions again upon finishing their 29-31 day inpatient stay.

Among the 267 clients discharged between January 31, 2019, and January 31, 2020, a total of 90% across the various facilities successfully completed treatment, compared to the national average of 53%.

Again, the holistic approach’s real effectiveness became evident when we compared the admission answers vs. the discharge answers. Of particular interest was the difference in replies for depression and anxiety. Depression dropped over 68% during treatment, and anxiety fell at least 60%. These are fantastic results for our clients, and we are so happy to have been able to help.

The best news was in how much the suicidal ideations decreased over their treatment period. Many persons looking for a long term recovery location are battling suicidal thoughts. At Shadow Mountain, we have been able to reduce suicidal ideation by 83%, on average. This change is a tremendous accomplishment that we are very proud to share.

Shadow Mountain Recovery Center operates three treatment centers in New Mexico. All of our facilities have adopted a holistic approach to healthcare and provide unmatched care for you or a loved one.

If you are experiencing an increase in anxiety and depression during this time, please reach out. Remember, your mental health matters. You can learn more about our program and schedule a visit here.

FAQs

What does Holistic Treatment mean?

Holistic treatment is a medical approach that takes the whole person into account, not just their western medical needs but also their social and spiritual needs.

What is a holistic approach to therapy?

A holistic approach to therapy is more client-based and allows the space and time necessary for a person to self-reflect on their situation in life and make lasting and impactful decisions for the betterment of their future.

What is the difference between holistic and homeopathic medicine?

Homeopathic medicine is often based on diluted herbs used in essential oils, teas or capsules that have beneficial effects on the body and mind of the patient. Holistic medicine can use the same herbs but will often incorporate western pharmaceuticals as well.