Alternatives to Prescription Treatment for Opiate Withdrawal

Many of the treatments for opiate withdrawal are through the use of medications. These medications have a myriad of side effects and some are addictive and contain opiates themselves. This makes them an uneasy choice for those who are concerned with being dependent on yet another substance. Fortunately, there are alternatives to prescription opiate withdrawal treatment.

Meditation Therapy

Meditation is an accepted practice in many treatment centers. The ancient art of meditation has been used for thousands of years to change a person’s habits, behaviors, and cravings. There are three main types of meditation:

Guided meditation – this type of meditation is done during therapy. The therapist guides you through the relaxation and mind clearing techniques and then targets specific issues.
Individual meditation – once you master the art of clearing your mind, you can meditation on your own any time and in any place.
Group meditation – this is a very particular type of meditation. It is usually practiced with several people who already know the basics of individual meditation and one guide.

All types of meditation are known to be helpful with addiction issues.

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Sweat Lodges

Although not common practice, it is thought that a sweat lodge can help you overcome your addiction and withdrawal. Sweating rids your body of the toxins. Since during withdrawal the point is to rid your body of the opiates, the intense sweating during a sweat lodge session can be beneficial. Alternative treatment centers are now offering sweat lodges as an alternative to traditional cold turkey withdrawal.

Herbal Therapies

Passion flower is often used as a calming agent in herbal opiate withdrawal treatment.

Many types of herbs are beneficial for opiate withdrawal. These herbs help with the withdrawal symptoms. A few beneficial herbs often used in herbal opiate withdrawal treatment are:

Valerian – relaxes the mind and body and is often used for anxiety.
Dandelion flower and root – helps support liver function during the worst of withdrawal.
Passion flower – often used with valerian as a sedative and a calming agent.

As herbal remedies are studied they are becoming more a more popular treatment for opiate addiction and withdrawal.

Acupuncture

According to the National Library of Medicine, acupuncture is considered viable treatment for opiate withdrawal with positive results in seven out of ten trials studied. Acupuncture is the treatment of an illness by inserting needles into various keep points or nodes around the body to accomplish physiological results.

Counseling

Counseling is one of the core components of any addiction program. Counseling comes in two forms:

Individual counseling – one on one with a therapist. This helps you to discover the cause of the addiction as well as deal with the problems it creates.
Group counseling – counseling with a therapist and a group of individuals who share the addiction. This helps you to hear other stories, share, and learn from the others and receive advice from those who are there with you.

Addiction counseling is a staple of addiction withdrawal treatment.