The Role of Massage Therapy in Substance Abuse Recovery
Emotional dissociation and isolation are common among recovering addicts. Even for people who aren’t recovering from substance abuse, if they have distress or sadness, it can be difficult to pinpoint the source of this until their condition is addressed in therapy by a professional. Addiction is a serious, chronic disease that can impact a person’s health, family, career, financial security, and peace of mind. Fortunately, there are numerous medically-led and holistic treatment approaches that facilities like our Palm Beach rehab utilize to support patients in recovery. Today, we’re looking into the benefits of massage therapy for substance abuse and how it can support long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
How Massage Therapy Works
In massage therapy, a trained and certified medical professional (massage therapist) manipulates the soft tissues of your body, including the muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, and skin. Massage therapists use varying degrees of pressure and movement to do this.
Massage is generally considered a part of holistic treatment, and more and more medical centers are offering massage therapy as a treatment alongside standard modalities. Massage therapy is used for a wide range of problems, including pain and anxiety for people with chronic illnesses like cancer as well as to reduce the psychological effects of stress.
Massage therapy can also help people with conditions like stress-related tension, cancer-related fatigue, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, low back pain, mental illness, and substance use disorders, to name a few.
There are also seven types of massage therapy:
- Deep tissue massage: This kind is aimed at particularly troubling spots throughout the body, such as knotted areas between muscle fibers. Deep tissue massages are slow, firm, more intense strokes or friction designed to strongly but not painfully workout the body.
- Lymphatic drainage massage: Our bodies tend to build up toxins and unwanted waste. The lymphatic drainage massage works out areas of the body to help flush out these toxins. This process can help eliminate unwanted waste and strengthen the immune system.
- Reflexology: This massage technique is aimed at restoring natural energy levels in the body through gentle-to-firm pressure on different pressure points of the feet and hands.
- Shiatsu massage: Arguably one of the most well-known types of massages, Shiatsu massage is a centuries-old Japanese technique that means “finger pressure massage.” The goal of this massage is to apply pressure to specific points of the body to alleviate pain and loosen muscles. This kind of massage therapy is also known to improve blood circulation, sleep, posture, and back pain.
- Sports massage: As you may have guessed, sports massage is aimed toward sports and athletics. Not just limited to athletes, sports massage is used to help people recover from sports injuries more quickly, correct imbalances, or reduce muscle pain from repetitive movements.
- Swedish massage: Another popular massage technique, Swedish massage therapy is known for soft, long, kneading strokes combined with shorter, rhythmic tapping strokes. Massage chairs also apply light to medium pressure and are ideal for those simply looking to release tension from the body. The five major types of strokes used in Swedish massage are effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and vibration.
- Thai massage: Last but not least, Thai massage dates back 2,500 years, and its roots actually began in India. Also referred to as “assisted yoga” for its active type of massage, Thai massage is known for deep stretching. In addition to alleviating pain, this form of massage therapy is beneficial for people looking to improve blood flow, increase flexibility, and boost energy levels.
Benefits of Massage Therapy Programs for Addiction
Our luxury drug and alcohol rehab in Palm Beach utilizes massage therapy as one of our supplement treatments for addiction. Massage therapy utilizes various bodywork techniques ranging from soft and gentle to firm and intense to alleviate both the physical and psychological symptoms that sometimes prolong recovery.
A massage therapist will knead and press a patient’s muscles and trigger points, depending on the type of massage used. The type of massage technique utilized in treatment depends on the patient’s needs and can range from Swedish massage to reflexology.
When clients undergo massage therapy, they stimulate their muscles as well as their skin, which happens to be the body’s largest sensory organ. This stimulation sends signals to the central nervous system, releasing chemicals like dopamine to produce a safe sense of pleasure and reward. According to research, this mind-body connection offered by massage therapy for substance abuse helps create self-awareness and prevent relapse.1
Furthermore, it’s no surprise that many addicts come into rehab under some degree of physical and emotional stress. Not only is rehab itself a new experience, but the idea of being away from drugs and alcohol after being dependent for so long can induce anxiety. When paired with our luxury detox program and other forms of medically-assisted treatment, massage therapy offers various benefits for addiction recovery, including:
- Alleviating pain and muscle tension
- Alleviating soreness
- Alleviating tightness in the body
- Decreasing blood pressure
- Decreasing injury recovery time
- Decreasing stress hormone levels
- Improving immune function
- Improving posture
- Improving sleep
- Increasing blood circulation and flow throughout the body
- Promoting relaxation
- Providing a natural and holistic form of recovery
- Reducing agitation and anxiety
- Reducing stress
- Releasing dopamine
- Removing toxic waste from the body
- Slowing heart rate
Finding Massage Therapy for Substance Abuse
As we previously mentioned, our luxury drug and alcohol rehab in South Florida offers massage therapy for addiction, among various other holistic treatment programs to address drug and alcohol use from a natural standpoint. While some clients may require medically-assisted care to help them safely recover from the effects of drugs and alcohol, our addiction wellness center offers a wide range of options to ensure that clients in all stages of recovery can be helped.
For more information about our addiction treatment in Palm Beach and how massage therapy can help you, call Seaside Palm Beach at 561-677-9374 or send us your contact information and we’ll reach out to you.
Source:
- NIH – Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy as an Adjunct to Women’s Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Pilot Feasibility Study
