At the age of 16 I figured out the hard way that I had a problem. My parents had enough. I was confronted head on by family, about my addiction to alcohol and cocaine. I foolishly thought I was hiding it well. But that mistake comes with being young, dumb, and addicted to drugs. Fortunately I had parents who cared well enough to keep an eye on me and my friends My parents are also both recovering narcotic users who know the devastating effects of abusing your body and mind for too many years. They did not want the same life for me.
They knew me well enough to know that a standard alcohol and drug rehab would not be enough to tame the demons I was facing. They had each been in and out of several programs with only limited results. After some research they had checked themselves into a rehab center that focused on alternative methods of treatment and have since never looked back. So when it came the soul shattering time in their lives to put their only son into rehab, they had no hesitation about what to do. They enrolled me in a form of nontraditional treatment that focused on holistic healing. In other words, this place focused on me as a whole, as one with the earth and the universe. Sounds like silly hippy stuff right? Well it worked. And it’s been working for 20 plus years.
For anyone who has tried a standard treatment program and failed, I highly recommend looking into an alternative center for recovery. After reasearching on my own, I’ve uncovered many that may be suitable for all walks of life. There are centers strictly for men, women, gay/lesbian/bi/tran, faith-based, and holistic. And since I’ve followed the holistic style of alternative drug rehab, please allow me to tell you a little about it and why it worked for me.
First of all they focus on your diet and what you take into your body. They believe that improving the things you take into the body, the stronger your mind and body will be. By removing additives and empty substances from the diet, the holistic approach intends to move the brain to its highest levels of functioning.
Massage, meditation, and relaxation treatments are also key factors in the holistic approach to treating negative thoughts ofalcohol and drug addiction. We feel that learning to control negative thinking and negative influences, will create a positive and substance free path to follow. Tai Chi and Yoga also play a large role in healing the strength of mind and body in order for it to take care of itself and shut out any dependence on substances.
These are just a few of the things that the holistic approach to alternative drug rehab has to offer. After completing 6 short months in the program, I saw that my life had taken an entirely new direction. I I fell in love with the new way of life and decided that I was going to train to become a holistic drug counselor and help others just like me. Holistic healing had changed my life and made a faithful believer out of me. I urge anyone who may have a problem to seek help. But I want to show that there are alternative treatment programs out there if a 12 step program isn’t working out.
