How Elevate Addiction Services Is Fighting The Opioid Crisis In America

In 2015 alone, over 33,000 people lost their lives to opioid drug overdoses

Over 33,000 deaths occurred as a result of addiction and an inattention to the epidemic that continues to sweep across America. Opioid abuse continues to climb, and yet it seems that many are turning a blind eye to it, failing to speak up regarding the problem.

Many people seem to believe that existing addiction recovery methods should be sufficient. But statistics show that this is not the case. Between 1999 and 2008, admissions to recovery programs for opioid addictions were four times higher. And in 2008, the death rate from opioid overdose was four times that of the death rate in 1999. While people continue to check into these treatment centers, existing programs don’t seem to be reducing the number of overdoses.

Where are things going wrong? What needs to be done differently? How can this crisis be curbed? One addiction recovery center believes they have an answer: holistic addiction recovery.

What Is Holistic Addiction Recovery?

For many people, the term “holistic” brings up thoughts of unproven medicine and superstitious healing practices. But that’s not what this kind of addiction recovery is about. According to Elevate Addiction Services, holistic treatments use a variety of therapies that allow a patient’s body to heal naturally. This treatment type is adaptable to each person and “heals and enhances the mind, body and spirit” simultaneously.

Treatments included in such a recovery program can include:

* Massage therapy

* Meditation and yoga

* Mindfulness training

* Nutritional awareness and training

* Experiential therapy

* Exercise and physical fitness

But perhaps the most important aspect of a holistic approach to recovery is that it does not rely on any medication to help the patient through the recovery process. While the occasional prescription pill might not significantly impact the average person, addicts have a completely different chemical makeup in their brain. Taking another form of medication to end their current addiction appeals to the ingrained mentality of “taking a pill to solve your problems.” That is why holistic rehab facilities believe in treating addictions without the aid of any medication.

Holistic addiction treatments don’t just seek to get a person off of drugs; it seeks to heal the whole person, and get to the root causes of their abuse. For many addicts, addiction is merely a symptom of a deeper problem, and the problem can be different for each person. Holistic treatments help patients identify and overcome the issues that have led to their addictions in order to prevent relapse.

Can It Really Work?

Some people balk at the simple mention of the word “holistic” because, to them, it is synonymous with “unproven.” And while it’s true that there is a shortage of proven statistics on holistic addiction recovery, the majority of that lack of evidence seems to lie in the fact that the studies have simply not be done. Yet, people continue to walk out of holistic treatment centers like EAS every day, and go on to lead happy, sober lives.

As already mentioned, statistics continue to show that traditional and supposedly “proven” methods of treatment aren’t curing America’s opioid addiction. The 12-step, 30-day recovery approach leads to relapse, and an endless cycle of abuse that all too often ends in overdose.

And that’s what sets holistic addiction recovery apart from the crowd of recovery programs. As Elevate Addiction Services CEO Dan Manson said in an interview: “You can be sober and miserable. What we do is help people find their passion for life, so they want to be sober.” Holistic addiction recovery seeks to give people back their joy for life, so that they don’t need to turn to opiates to simulate feelings of happiness. Perhaps this is the small difference that America needs to end this deadly crisis.