What Is Integrative Medicine?

When you start searching for the right drug and alcohol rehab for your needs, you come across many new terms. One of these terms is integrative medicine. What is integrative medicine and how will it help you stop abusing drugs or alcohol?

What Is Integrative Medicine?

So what is integrative medicine in terms of ending your alcohol or drug use? Integrative medicine (IM) includes methods for improving your whole being and lifestyle. IM involves deep trust between you and your therapist, using multiple types of therapy for long-lasting wellness. In other words, your IM rehab program involves an individual treatment plan with a mix of holistic, medical, physical and mental health therapies. What is integrative medicine as compared to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)? CAM includes health practices not usually used by doctors. However, over time, proven success using CAM helps these methods become part of conventional medicine. Because CAM can become medical methods after proven success, many people no longer use the term alternative. In many cases, the term integrative replaces alternative. Integrative means multiple different methods used together, instead of just focusing on traditional medicine. An easy way to understand what integrative medicine includes is to define the methods in relation to medical school simply. Integrative medicine includes methods not yet taught to new doctors in medical school. However, tomorrow’s medical students may learn the techniques proven to work. IM does not replace medical treatment but instead adds to it.

Types of Integrative Medicine

What is integrative medicine and what types are there? IM methods help people with chronic pain, fatigue, cancer, and other conditions. They also work to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. The same is true for people ending alcohol and drug abuse. Furthermore, using IM methods helps you avoid relapse and deal with symptoms like cravings, anxiety, depression, and stress. Types of integrative medicine include:

• Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Hyperbaric oxygen chambers
• Massage
• Reiki
• Yoga
• Spiritual and emotional wellness activities

These methods alone do not cure your drug or alcohol addiction. Instead, the practices benefit you along with evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT.

An Integrative Approach to Addiction Treatment in Utah

Finally, finding an IM approach to drug and alcohol rehab is not easy. You must cut through the fluff of rehab services to find a select few programs using quality IM therapies. These IM programs must also include a balance of evidence-based methods and medical care. For a quality IM rehab treatment, look for a program that includes:

• Residential and outpatient treatment
• Holistic and medical detox
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• CBT and DBT therapies
• Individual, group and family therapies
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction program
• Reiki, yoga, massage, wellness activities

You can find all of these methods at Ardu Recovery in Provo, Utah. Ardu means “to rise up” in Irish Gaelic. Of course, rising up forms the basis of all of Ardu Recovery’s programs, where you gain the strength and courage to rise up against issues in your life. What is integrative medicine? Finally, find your answer with us. Contact Ardu Recovery Center now at 801-810-1234 to learn more about what is integrative medicine and how it will change your life.