There are many excellent treatment programs for people who are struggling with substance abuse disorders, from prescription drug rehab to rehab facilities for people with alcohol or other chemical dependencies. Any reputable rehab or treatment facility will provide medical attention, care, and support for someone who is dealing with a substance abuse disorder, making sure that they are able to detox safely and heal from any trauma or other medical conditions. This may mean medications, therapies, and other common treatments, all of which have been proven to be effective in the treatment of substance use and abuse. However, these treatments are not the only things that can help you heal. If you’re already getting professional help for your substance abuse disorder, consider adding alternative therapies to make the most of your recovery and help yourself heal as well as you can.

One of the reasons that alternative medicine or complementary therapies are so effective for people struggling with substance abuse disorders is because they can be helpful for managing the symptoms of common issues such as anxiety and depression. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, or SAMHSA estimates that, as of 2014, approximately eight million Americans are struggling with both a substance abuse disorder and a mental health disorder. While medical care is still the most important thing for people who are dealing with these disorders, alternative therapies can be very useful for coping with ongoing mental health issues. It would be wrong to prioritize these alternative treatments over the proven medical interventions that so often save the lives of people struggling with addictions, but people should keep an open mind for alternative treatments that can support and enhance the medical care that they are already receiving.

Meditation and mindfulness practices are both excellent examples of alternative therapies that have been proven to help people heal. Both meditation and mindfulness practices have been shown to help people learn to manage their stress and better deal with all of the difficulties of everyday life. Meditation has proven physical benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and helping people to deal with insomnia without turning to medication. Best of all, meditation and mindfulness can be practiced by anyone, at any time, and in any place, which makes it an extremely useful tool for people who are not in inpatient treatment but still need regular support. Although it is very helpful to talk to an expert at first, who can guide you and teach you how to practice meditation and mindfulness, once you are familiar with the practice you can do it on your own. You can even learn about mindfulness and meditation with the help of apps that can be downloaded onto your phone and accessed at any time. This can make it easier for people to resist temptation and avoid relapse when it comes to stressful and triggering situations.

Although yoga incorporates many of the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, it also comes with the added physical benefits. Unfortunately, many people suffer from physical ailments caused by their addictions, whether it is to alcohol or to Commonly abused prescription drugs like opiates or benzodiazepines. These chemicals can have serious and lasting physical effects and may leave one in a weakened state. Yoga not only encourages a mind-body awareness that can be helpful for those in recovery, it also helps people to strengthen their muscles and improve their balance, making injuries less common and healing quicker. Yoga can also be practiced at home, although many people benefit from attending group classes where they can also meet other people who are interested in healing themselves. The only downside to yoga is that it can be difficult for people who have severe physical limitations. If that is your situation, talk to an experienced yoga practitioner about finding a way to modify the usual moves to suit your condition.

Finally, consider taking up a hobby or practice that will help you to heal, either in an organized fashion or on your own time. Animal therapy can be extremely healing, but you can also get the benefits by caring for your own rescued pet, whether it be cat, dog, guinea pigs, or indoor rabbits. Musical therapy can help, but you can also simply listen to soothing music or practice an instrument on your own. No matter what you choose, you can successfully heal from your disorder today.