If you are a woman struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol, a residential treatment program can change your life. Addiction treatment has undergone many developments in recent years. For example, there are more and more treatment centers that are gender-specific. That is, they serve either all men or all women. There is strong evidence that women-only treatment centers have better outcomes when it comes to long-term, quality recovery. This is because women and men differ a great deal in the way drugs and addiction affect them, as well as how they recover, what they go through in recovery, and how their addictions are perceived by society. Another development that is changing addiction treatment for the better is holistic treatments and therapies. Holistic Therapies And Addiction Treatment Holistic medicine means, quite simply, to treat the whole person. Instead of focusing solely on a symptoms, or one area, you focus on the body, mind and soul. You look at the whole picture, and the underlying causes of the problem. As it applies to treatment, holistic therapies means treating the person, not just the addiction. And, it means that since everyone is different, there isn’t one right way to treat addiction. Some examples of holistic therapies and treatments being used in treatment include: Massage therapy Yoga and meditation Art and music therapy Acupuncture Biofeedback Animal-assisted therapy Horticulture therapy And more If you are wondering how something like yoga can help treat addiction, you’d be surprised. No longer seen as some new-age exercise fad, yoga has earned its place in western medicine, with many physicians recommending it to patients to help with everything from back pain and insomnia to high blood pressure and depression. What is so special about yoga? If you thought it was just a good way to get in shape, you’d be wrong. There is so much more to it. The Benefits Of Yoga Yoga has been practiced for over two thousand years. The physical aspect of yoga began as a way to prepare for meditation. It involves a series of poses, or asanas, that are done in a sequence. There are many varieties of yoga, with most of them springing from Hatha yoga. Physically, yoga improves flexibility, strength and balance. It improves circulation and can ease aches and pains, particularly lower back pain. It can lower blood pressure and some evidence suggests it can help manage diabetes and other chronic health conditions. As you practice yoga, you will notice a difference in your posture and the way your body looks and feels. These physical benefits alone are impressive, but they don’t stop with the body. Yoga is a holistic practice, and so it impacts the mind and spirit, as well. Practicing yoga helps you ground yourself in the present. With the combination of poses and breathing, you will find that your mind doesn’t wander off so much. You will find yourself increasingly relaxed. People describe feeling “centered” and “peaceful” after a yoga session. Yoga can help alleviate depression and anxiety, and can also increase impulse control and lower stress levels. How Yoga Can Help In Early Recovery And Beyond When people come into treatment, they are generally not at their best, physically, mentally or emotionally. Often physically depleted, angry, sad, restless, unable to sleep properly and suffering from low self-esteem and self-worth, it can be extremely difficult those first weeks and months in treatment. Holistic therapies like yoga can work wonders. Depression and anxiety are common for women in treatment. Drug and alcohol use wreak havoc on brain chemistry, and it can take some time to restore it to normal, baseline levels. Yoga has been shown to help alleviate both anxiety and depression. Insomnia and restlessness are also common issues, and yoga can help. This is important. There is a lot of work being done in treatment, and so often, women are simply trying to cope with the realities of not using, erratic emotions and physical discomfort. Practicing yoga helps alleviate these problems, allowing better focus on the work at hand. Yoga also promotes positive body image, impulse control, patience and a healthier sense of self-esteem. When combined with other holistic therapies and other addiction treatment, yoga is a powerful addition to a well-rounded program. Yoga At Wayside House At Wayside House, we recognize the unique needs of women in treatment. Our program is designed to help women ages 18 and over to overcome addiction and to lead healthy, happy lives. We offer a range of holistic therapies that are often only offered in more expensive treatment centers. Our program is designed for women, by women. Our facility is situated in a peaceful, safe setting, and creates a welcoming, nurturing atmosphere that promotes growth, change and self-awareness. If you would like to learn more about Wayside House and our residential program, call 561-278-0055 to schedule a confidential consultation.