When you are in treatment for addiction, there are many different tools that you can use to help you to reconnect with your body and achieve and maintain sobriety. The more tools you have, the more likely your sobriety will be successful. One of the tools you may have never considered could be quite literally right beneath your nose in the form of essential oils. So what are essential oils, and how can they serve to help you in treatment for addiction?
A History of Healing
Essential oils have been used for centuries throughout the world for healing. Aromatic oils were first documented for healing in ancient China, India, and Greece. Additionally, many of these different oils, plant extracts, and ointments were used in Ancient Egypt for various medicinal purposes. Some of these essential oils, such as lavender, peppermint, and myrrh, are still used today for health benefits and healing.
Western doctors are still unlikely to prescribe essential oils in the manner they do pharmaceuticals, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not oversee the production of the oils. As a result, the conditions essential oils can effectively treat should always be approached with some caution as the FDA does not verify them. However, the popularity of essential oils for general wellness shows that there is indeed value to them, and a dip into their waters may very well be worth the health benefits.
Soothing Help for Anxiety
One area where some scientific research verifies the popular claims surrounding essential oils is their effects on people with anxiety disorders. According to a 2017 study, Lavender oil, in particular, works as a calming agent for those with anxiety and without the sedative qualities of many of the prescription medications used to treat anxiety. Lavender oil is also deemed safe, does not cause dependency or withdrawal, and is highly tolerable.
Anxiety is very common following the cessation of substance abuse. The use of lavender oil to soothe the anxiety would be an ideal form of treatment because it is safe, effective, non-habit-forming, and does not cause withdrawal. While more research is needed to qualify essential oils as an evidence-based therapy, there is research to reinforce what patients already claim—that lavender oil is beneficial in calming anxiety.
A Tool for Relaxation
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils in various methods, such as in diffusers, candles, massages, baths, or other distribution mechanisms to improve the health of the mind, body, and spirit. Aromatherapy can be a perfect tool for relaxation, and relaxation is a skill that is very important during recovery.
Whether you believe it is the essential oils themselves or the types of activities involved when you are enjoying them, the result is the same—they offer a very peaceful and relaxing experience for your body and your mind as you inhale and enjoy the various scents.
Powerful Relapse Prevention Properties
One of the most potent properties that essential oils offer in recovery is their ability to help with relapse prevention. When you are in the process of addiction recovery, there will still be urges and cravings that may feel overwhelming. They threaten to take away your sobriety in a single moment.
Relapse prevention tools are crucial for precisely these moments, and it is essential to have a wide array of tools available. One type of relapse prevention tool uses sensory experiences to distract from the cravings, urges, and negative thoughts. Essential oils are very powerful because they can distract and maintain your attention away from the urges and cravings and create a soothing, healing diversion. Combined with other forms of sensory distraction, like yoga, which involves breathing and movement, they can make a very successful relapse prevention tool.
A Complementary Therapy
Essential oils can be used as a complementary therapy to evidence-based practices such as yoga to help heal trauma and PTSD. Using the oils as olfactory inclusion helps create a peaceful, calm environment and lets you focus on your breathing and stay grounded during your experience.
Another benefit of using essential oils during yoga is that they help you focus on the sensations in your body, be present, and use your senses. This ability to remain mentally and physically grounded is vital for women coming out of addiction or who have experienced trauma, as they have often become very disconnected from thief bodies. Using essential oils as olfactory inclusion is just another way that they can help you in recovery as your body heals from addiction.
Essential oils have been used in healing for centuries and are still very relevant today. In recovery, they are used in many different ways, including relaxation, anxiety, relapse prevention, and olfactory inclusion. The Ho Tai Way – Recovery For Women uses essential oils and other complementary therapies along with evidence-based practices to give you as many tools as possible for your healing process. Our Costa Mesa, California, residential treatment center offers detox and residential treatment for women with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. Our calm, peaceful facility is a safe refuge for you to heal and find your way again. We utilize the four main principles of Ho Tai – Prosperity, Wealth, Joy, and Abundance, as seen through the lens of recovery, to show you that you are worthy and teach you how to receive the gifts of healing. Contact The Ho Tai Way at (714) 581-3974 today to begin your healing journey.
