There are a lot of alternative treatments that can be paired with traditional counseling to help fight addiction. These alternative treatments area a great path to recovery and something that can help an individual further down the road.
One of these alternative treatments is yoga.
Reportedly one in three American’s suffer from addiction in some form. Addictions can take shape in many ways, but they are, simply, just habits that have spiraled out of control.
Unfortunately with an addiction, the chosen substance of abuse becomes a necessity. In fact, your brain will change the body’s chemistry to cause a physical or mental craving for the substance. Often times, the person is unaware that a dependency and problem has been created, and when others point it out, it is met with a state of denial.
Luckily addiction can be treated once the individual realizes they have a problem and wants to change. With treatment, the individual can discover what the underlying causes of the addiction are. All aspects of the addiction need to be focused on and treated. That means physical, mental, and emotional.
Yoga is a great help for these. Yoga combines the physical, mental, and emotional healing that individual’s need. Yoga can help calm the mind and emotions while creating endorphins with the physical aspect.
Participating in yoga allows the individual to break addiction patterns. Focusing on the body with treatments like yoga, acupuncture, and massage, can help calm the spirit and allow an individual to work through their addiction with a clear mind.
Yoga can cultivate body awareness in a kind, nurturing way. With yoga you are able to look within yourself and find the areas that need work. Individuals are able to connect with their body and look inside themselves. Developing compassion for oneself with the help of yoga allows individuals to start placing their health, happiness, and overall wellbeing above the addiction. Yoga can help individuals deal with stressful situations, like addiction, in a calm meditative manner.
While alternative treatment methods should not take the place of traditional treatment, when paired together, the two can be much more effective in overcoming an addiction.
Many yoga poses can have a positive effect on the areas of the body that are most affected by abuse.