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Natural Treatments for Addiction
ShareAddiction, in its simplest form, is a term used to describe any habitual, psychological and physiological dependence on any substance beyond one’s voluntary control. It can turn us into drugs addicts, neurotics, alcoholics and workaholics, just to name a few.
There are many complementary therapies that may be used in conjunction with traditional medical treatment to relieve symptoms of addiction withdrawal. Please read on for more information.
Symptoms of Addiction
Symptoms of addiction may manifest both physically and psychologically.
Some of these symptoms include:
- Difficulty in cutting down or controlling the addictive habit/behavior.
- Withdrawal symptoms when the individual doesn’t take the addictive substance or engage in the addictive activity.
- Increased tolerance towards the addictive behavior or substance.
- The addiction taking the main focus of the work, social and recreational activities.
- A preoccupation with the addiction, involving the individual taking a lot of time to prepare to engage in the addictive behavior.
- Extended amounts of sleeping in the day and night.
- Unexpected illness, weight loss and weight gain.
- Fluctuating energy levels and swinging moods.
- Financial unpredictability.
- Lying and stealing.
- A change in social groups and environment.
Common Addictions
- Alcohol
- Food, particularly sugar
- Caffeine
- Cigarettes
- Sleeping pills and other pharmaceuticals
- Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Heroin and other opiates
- Exercise
- Gambling
- Shopping
- Sex
- The Internet
- Work
Natural Treatments for Addiction
- Acupuncture for addiction: Through the use of needles on the skin, acupuncture aims to unblock any unwanted negative energy in the body that may be causing or fuelling an addiction. It aims also to stimulate the energy of detoxification organs such as the liver, kidneys and lungs that may support the recovering addict throughout the healing process.
- Counselling for addiction: An addict often feels there is no support around them when fighting an addiction, which causes feelings of isolation, loneliness and depression. A professional counsellor aims to resolve these feelings by helping the client understand how and why the addiction came about in the first place and may offer tools that help the recovering patient manage the quitting process more easily.
- Herbal medicine for addiction: Herbal medicine employs herbs and other medicinal plant extracts to tret addictions and the withdrawal symptoms experienced in quitting from them. It aims to treat the addiction by strengthening the immune system, detoxifying the body, promoting and by addressing the mind/body system.
- Hypnotherapy for addiction: Hypnotherapy is therapeutic technique used to safely access the powers of the subconscious mind. It acts to put an addicted individual into a sleep-like state in which the person acts only on external suggestions that support the quitting process. Hypnotherapy may also assist those fighting addictions with a range of issues from high stress and low self esteem to motivation and self-improvement.
- Massage for addiction: Massage can be helpful in the withdrawal, detoxification, and abstinence stages of quitting an addiction. It helps someone fighting an addiction to relax, diminish feelings of depression and anxiety, and reduces withdrawal-associated pain and cravings for the substance or behavior.
- Meditation for addiction: Meditation works to treat addictions and alleviate their withdrawal symptoms by providing a road of self-exploration that can often reveal its root cause. It functions to reduce physical symptoms as well as quieten the excessive, obsessive stream of negative thoughts often experienced by those withdrawing.
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References
Related Modalities
Acupuncture Counselling Herbal Medicine Hypnotherapy Massage - Chinese Massage - Deep Tissue Massage - Hawaiian Massage - Remedial Massage - Swedish / Relaxation Meditation
