Substance abuse rehabilitation programs are increasingly resorting to traditional forms of healing to treat alcohol and drug abuse. Research on the effects of these approaches illustrates the utility of the often less expensive means for addressing substance abuse effectively.
Definition
Traditional healing, termed alternative or complementary medicine, outside the indigenous or original culture, involves the knowledge, skills and practices through using indigenous theories, beliefs and experiences to maintain health, as well as to prevent and treat physical and mental illness, as explained by the World Health Organization, or WHO. Healing comprises herbal remedies as the most popular, as well shamanism, acupuncture, homeopathy, reiki, harmonic or crystal therapy.
Shamanic Healing
A review of shamanic therapeutic mechanisms in the International Journal of Drug Policy through clinical research illustrates their applicability to addressing the psychodynamics of drug addiction. Accordingly, shamanism induces the relaxation response, enhances theta-wave production, and stimulates endogenous opioid and serotonergic mechanisms and their mood elevating effects. The American Journal of Public Health cites numerous studies supporting the usefulness of shamanic practices in treating substance abuse, and found the practice of drumming especially beneficial.
Reiki
Reiki is especially beneficial for treating substance abusers, as it helps relieve the physical symptoms and calms the body and mind. The utility is when a person undergoes higher levels of stress associated with withdrawal, explains the International Center for Reiki Training. Reiki helps substance abusers stay clean as clients benefit from its ability to gently help them to open up and bring unresolved issues, traumas or repressed feelings to surface.
Crystal Healing
When a person abuses drugs or alcohol, she compromises her physical, emotional, spiritual and mental well-being, not just one area, because they are all affected through the chakra system. Because crystal healing methods work on balancing all these bodies by working on the subtle energy system via the chakras, it can help a person think more logically, lift her mood, and have greater spiritual strength to maintain a drug free life. Seven Lilies also notes that crystal therapy can help relieve the pain associated with substance abuse.
Method
It is advisable to consult a practitioner as to which method might work best in treating and preventing the specific form of substance abuse. For example, a study by the American Journal of Drug Alcohol Abuse found acupuncture showed evidence for clinical efficacy and relevant neurobiological mechanisms in opiate withdrawal, but poor efficacy for alcohol and nicotine withdrawal or relapse prevention. Also, a practitioner will more likely know the effect the various therapies normally have in relation to the nature, degree and length of abuse present.
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References
- American Journal of Drug Alcohol Abuse: Traditional medicine in the treatment of drug addiction
- American Journal of Public Health; Complementary Therapy for Addiction: Drumming Out the Drugs
- International Center for Reiki Training: Reiki for the Recovering Alcoholic or Addict
- World Health Organization: Traditional Medicine
- Seven Lilies: Crystal Healing
