The following are some of the most common types of alternative addiction treatments.
Alternative Therapies
Alternative therapies take many different forms. The provider administering the treatment may be medically certified, but it’s not always required. The most important thing is to find the alternative treatment option that works best for you.
It’s also relevant to note that, while many of these therapies have initially proven to be effective, there aren’t a lot of studies done on some of them and little to no regulation or standardization of certain practices.
Art Therapy
Art therapy can be a way to visually express what you’re feeling and interpret how you present it. It can also be a meditative and calming exercise, creating space for you to escape a little or process your emotions.
Adventure Therapy
Adventure therapy is commonly done with a group and outdoors. The group may explore a new area or complete exercises and activities that help each person discover who they are and how they respond in high-risk situations. It’s considered especially helpful for at-risk young adults.
Equine Therapy
Equine therapy is ideal for horse lovers. Basic care activities are standard components. Advanced equine therapy might include creating an obstacle course to lead the horse.
As horses tend to respond to what we’re feeling, working with a horse helps you understand your feelings and learn to manage how you express them.
Music Therapy
Sessions in music therapy may include writing or performing music, but they can also be more about listening to a song and reflecting on what you hear and feel as it plays. Approaches to this type of therapy are evidence-based and may be done in an individual or group setting.
Biofeedback
Sensors attached to your body will track blood pressure, heart rate, brain activity, and other physiological responses. The therapist will tell you how your body responds in each moment, and you can use that information to adjust your body’s response.
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that focuses on brain activity levels through sensors adhered to your skin. As with other types of biofeedback, you’re updated regularly on your body’s reaction to help you move toward more positive responses to stimuli.
Emotional Freedom Techniques
EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, are a series of tapping exercises performed by yourself or a professional.
While tapping or being tapped in specific locations and following a set sequence, you repeat to yourself a mantra based on the focus of your energy. The tapping sequence continues until your response level lowers.
Yoga
The movement, focus, and breathing techniques used in yoga help to treat many symptoms in recovering from drug use. The effects of regular practice of yoga are known to reduce stress in the general population.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation have been studied as treatments for drug addiction because of the self-regulating tools they give practitioners. For recovery purposes, these are often carried out in a group setting as guided practices.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is often included as part of detox during recovery from substance abuse. It helps remove toxins from the body, reduces pain, and promotes higher levels of feel-good chemicals in your brain.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can be used during recovery to help with stress, provide mental clarity, remind you of good memories, and more. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for different medicinal purposes, and helping with drug addiction detox and recovery are among those.
Reiki Therapy
Reiki therapy focuses on the energy of your body. During a session, the practitioner will move their hands over your body without touching or with only light touching to move your energy around. This type of therapy is meant to heal physical resonance of trauma and unblock your energy.