A treatment approach with its roots in integrative medicine can make the difference in any addiction rehab program. Integrative medicine focuses on causes—not symptoms—of any ailment in the body, including chemical dependency. With an end goal of returning the chemically dependent individual’s body to a natural state of balance known as “homeostasis,” integrative medicine offers medically advanced—as well as practical—approaches to curing drug and alcohol addiction.
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Through the Lens of Integrative Medicine
Integrative medicine harnesses the scientific advances of Western medicine, while integrating aspects of alternative medicine into an alcohol or drug dependent individual’s treatment plan. Each drug or alcohol addicted person is viewed as unique, and as such, integrative medicine aims to treat people holistically—focusing on the interrelatedness of the psyche and body. Alcoholism and drug addiction are not viewed as incurable diseases by most integrative medicine physicians—but rather as symptoms of underlying physical or mental conditions that need to be resolved.
Addiction Rehab and Integrative Medicine
One of the central principles of integrative medicine is the strong link between behavior and health. Diverging from the viewpoint that drug addiction or alcoholism is inevitable, integrative medicine doctors believe that many addictions are entirely avoidable, and not due to genetic predisposition alone. Chemical imbalances, imbalanced diet or deficient nutrients can lead dependent individuals down the road of self-medication, while other patients turn to drugs or alcohol to escape unresolved emotional or psychological issues.
In this way, integrative medicine proponents avoid the simplistic, sweeping assessment of genetics alone as a cause for drug addiction or alcoholism. Because of this cause-based approach, integrative medicine seeks to treat root issues, rather than simply prescribing medication to eliminate symptoms such as depression, panic, or drug and alcohol cravings. Individuals are coached in proper nutrition, desirable levels of exercise, sleep changes that need to occur, or mental health issues that need to be resolved.
Integrative medicine also makes incredible use of diagnostic testing. Blood chemistry analysis tests and technologically advanced scans can uncover root causes for addiction, revealing organs, systems or processes that have become imbalanced or blocked within the body. Once these conditions have been treated in an integrative medicine inpatient rehab facility, the symptoms of alcoholism and drug addiction will resolve along with the root physical and psychological issues themselves.
Call Passages Addiction Treatment Center today if you or a loved one is battling an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. Our admissions department is available 24/7 and can be reached directly by dialing our toll-free number at (888) 397-0112. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
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