Facing an addiction is a complex physiological and psychological issue. Recovery is an ongoing process in which some days are better than others.
Engaging in holistic health practices can help improve addiction treatment and support progress. While holistic approaches don’t replace medical interventions, they’re incredibly beneficial for improving mental and physical health during this challenging time.
Here are seven holistic health tips to help support your recovery and reduce your relapse risk.
Seek Support
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Getting professional and peer support often falls under the medical intervention umbrella but is also holistic and natural. Addiction is often tied to underlying trauma or poor emotional processing. Taking a deep dive into those underlying causes and developing skills to let them go or to cope with stressors is worthwhile.
Community and social connections are also essential aspects of recovery. As many people facing addiction cut ties with former social groups to focus on their recovery, finding others on a similar path can help create a sense of belonging. Click here to find Narcotics Anonymous meetings and connect with others in recovery to share your stories and find a community.
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Sleep deprivation is one of the most insidious stressors on the body and mind. Poor sleep hygiene can impact everything from your metabolic rate to hormonal control to cognitive function and emotional processing. Many people in addiction recovery have poor sleep hygiene and dysregulated sleep patterns related to substance use. Re-establishing healthy sleep cycles can help bolster recovery.
Start by creating a sleep-positive environment. Identify anything that’s potentially interrupting your sleep, and brainstorm ways you can remove or shield them. For example, if you live on a noisy street, a simple pair of earplugs can make a big difference.
The key elements of a positive sleep environment include a cool temperature, darkness, and ambient noise (like a fan or noise machine). Creating a consistent bedtime routine and sleep schedule can also help you feel well-rested and capable of taking on life’s challenges during your recovery journey.
Practice Stress Management
Stressors are a considerable relapse trigger for many people in recovery. Engaging in stress management is likely something you’ll discuss during treatment. However, it’s essential to continue using and developing these skills after you’ve completed the clinical aspect of addiction treatment.
A big part of stress management is building awareness around your triggers and avoiding them whenever possible. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid stress entirely; that’s where stress management comes in.
Using skills like deep breathing, meditation, muscle relaxation, and visualization can assist with stress management. It’s also helpful to find activities that relax you, like art, dance, running, reading, cooking, etc. As you shape your new existence, consider trying new activities to find the ones that help you relax and manage stress.
Move Your Body
Exercise is one of the best holistic tools for addiction recovery. In addition to combating stress, exercise releases endorphins that create a positive chemical response in your brain, offsetting cravings.
Many people are intimidated by the word “exercise” and envision running marathons or bench pressing a ton of weight. If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of exercising, use the word “movement” instead. Movement can be gentle and fluid, like yoga, walking, and tai chi. Movement can also be intense, like cycling, running, and weightlifting. Using a neutral word makes the concept of exercise less intimidating and more acceptable.
Moving your body is also a great way to connect with new, health-oriented social groups. You can also use movement as a focal point for goal setting, giving yourself something to focus on and work toward.
Nourish Yourself
Many people facing drug addiction are malnourished. This common side effect stems from the effects of certain substances and financial instability. Reintroducing proper nutritional habits and vitamins is an important part of ongoing physical recovery.
Take some time to learn the basics of nutrition so you can start giving your body what it needs. Take it slow— it’s unrealistic to expect yourself to start eating five servings of vegetables daily. However, if you can start eating one serving of vegetables per day and learn how to prepare some basic, healthy meals, you’re headed in the right direction.
The food we eat doesn’t just affect our bodies; it impacts our minds. Setting simple nourishment goals can help you regulate your moods as you go through recovery and give your body what it needs to heal.
Keep a Journal
There’s power in putting pen to paper. Journaling is an outlet when you’re having a challenging day and can fill the gaps between therapy appointments and other interventions. Journaling provides a space for you to speak your truth and tell your story, so you can start moving forward.
Your journal is also a powerful, scientific tool for tracking your triggers and emotions. This data will help you identify themes or overarching issues impacting your recovery journey. If you’re so inclined, you can also share an online journal to tell your story and connect with others. Many choose to share their journey through social media to help others and connect.
Spend Time in Nature
Nature therapy may sound like a new age, unscientific concept, but it’s not. Scientists have proven through several studies that spending time in nature can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Doctors in Canada can now prescribe time in nature to patients facing these issues, with an initiative that provides passes to national parks.
Finding ways to reconnect with nature and get outside can be a powerful tool in your healing journey. You can combine this effort with socialization and movement to enhance your holistic health efforts.
Final Thoughts
The most important thing to remember as you incorporate holistic health efforts into your recovery is not to forgo your medical interventions. Holistic efforts are meant to support medical efforts, not replace them. Talk to your recovery support team about what you want to try and ensure you have medical clearance and professional support.
Start incorporating some of these practices into your daily routines to build a stronger foundation for your addiction recovery journey.
