Holistic treatment for addiction is treating the whole person—body, mind, spirit—using a variety of non-traditional methods. These methods can include massage, acupuncture, homeopathy, and hypnotism among others.

Holistic treatment seeks to restore an addict's entire self by reconnecting the body and mind and spirit. We'll look at some of these methods and how they help with addiction.

Holistic Treatment Philosophy
Let's dig a little deeper on exactly what the holistic treatment philosophy is.

"When addressing an addiction, all holistic techniques begin with the same basic philosophy: people develop addictions to correct an 'imbalance' within them," says an article in Psychology Today.

"The holistic approach encourages the patient to include healing strategies that support the whole person…help reduce tension, anxiety, depression and insomnia, improving overall mental, physical and spiritual well being," says an article on the American Holistic Health Association's website.

The American Holistic Medical Association provides this definition for holistic medicine:

"The practice of holistic medicine integrates conventional and complementary therapies to promote optimal health, and prevent and treat disease by addressing contributing factors. In practice, this means that each person is seen as a unique individual, rather than an example of a particular disease. Disease is understood to be the result of physical, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental imbalance."

Holistic Treatment Options
Here's a sampling of what you'll find in treatment centers that specialize in holistic treatment.

In massage therapy, a therapist releases energy and loosens tight muscles thereby decreasing pain. Massage also reduces production of the stress hormone cortisol.

The Touch Research Institute in Miami has performed studies on the benefits of massage including releasing dopamine, a brain neurotransmitter that helps control the pleasure and reward center and a major player in addiction.

In addition, says an article on the Integrative Institute for Healthcare Studies, "regular massage sessions can aid the client's awareness of his or her own body, including where and when tension exists. Being conscious of these patterns is a step toward recognizing one's own resistance, which can lead to healthfully addressing emotions associated with cravings and stress."

Yoga techniques like stretching, breathing, relaxation and meditation can calm the mind and improve concentration, two areas needed for successful treatment. With yoga, addicts become more in touch with their bodies and minds and gain greater control, which can help dealing with cravings and agitation.

In one study by Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions, found that regular Hatha yoga sessions were as effective as group psychotherapy for treating methadone addiction. And that both groups had significant reduced drug use and criminal activities. 

Hypnosis is another non-traditional addiction treatment method that puts the patient in a hyper-focused, concentrated state. In this state—the hypnotized is not asleep—a hypnotist can delve into the patient's unconscious mind (bypassing the conscious mind) to find the root cause of addiction. This is called analysis.

Another approach is suggestion therapy. Here the patient is more open to suggestions making it easier to change their undesired (drinking, drugs, etc.) behaviors.

The key for success for hypnosis therapy lies in the receptiveness of the patient to be placed in a hypnotic state. Several addiction studies, one by the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis and the other by the Department for the Treatment of Substance Abuse, Israel Ministry of Health showed that hypnosis use produced a high rate of success for drug and alcohol abstinence.

A focus on nutrition in addiction treatment is becoming as much a part of traditional treatment as it is in holistic treatment. Why?—because proper nutrition is crucial for the short-term success of those in rehab and for laying the foundations for a successful long-term recovery.

"Diet and nutritional supplementation can strengthen our immune systems, improve mood, enhance the natural process of detoxification, and restore the body to a healthy balanced functioning level," says the American Holistic Health Association.

Alcoholics, drug addicts, bulimics and others are deficient in amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are crucial to healthy body functioning. Also, years of addiction changes the neurotransmitters in the brain (e.g. dopamine, endorphins, serotonin), those responsible for controlling stress, pleasure, pain and just about every function in your body.

Proper nutrition is key to restoring these neurotransmitters so that mood, behavior and cravings are better controlled, particularly as one is going through rehab.

Summary
Finding the right combination of treatment methods may take some trial and error. Approaching it with a holistic philosophy—whether you try these particular techniques or not—is a smart way to tackle addiction.

Once you are clean, the everyday recovery starts. And this is when a healthy body, mind, and spirit can especially benefit your life.

One aspect of holistic treatment that all practitioners agree on is that these methods need to be combined with other addiction recovery methods than can include 12 step programs, medication, and other treatment approaches.