As a new and highly effective form of alternative therapy in many areas, float therapy shows benefits in a variety of fields. One of these that’s on the rise in recent years is addiction, and while there is still more information needed here in a few areas (addiction is a broad topic), the evidence we have shows clear connections between float therapy and quality addiction treatment.
At Body Balance Massage & Float, we’re happy to offer both massage therapy and a variety of float therapy services to a variety of individuals, including those struggling with addiction and the related anxiety or stress that tends to come with this disease. Here’s a primer on how float therapy both is similar to and differs from traditional forms of addiction treatment, some data behind float therapy for addiction, and how we assist those with this pursuit in mind.
Addiction is what’s known as a non-biased disease. This means that it will affect anyone from a variety of life situations – and not only will it impact these people, it will impact those closest to them in many cases as well.
Traditionally, treatments for addiction are well-known: A combination of medication, therapy and/or rehabilitation. The goal of these treatments, at least from a broad standpoint, is to change patterns and behaviors over time, changing the way individuals respond to their stresses and the crutches that they’ve created for themselves in the form of addiction. But as it turns out, float therapy has a major impact down these same lines as well.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBS), floatation therapy may be a viable resource for those struggling with addiction. Specifically looking at the REST program (restricted environmental stimulation therapy, which is similar to many float therapy themes that might go by slightly different terms), here’s how this experience may assist with treating addiction:
As the above data touched on, much of addiction comes down to how individuals respond during times of stress or anxiety. Many addictions build over time through compulsive responses to this stress, where eventually individuals come to believe that their addiction is the only way they can find comfort during these periods.
Along with other methods, float therapy helps remove these compulsions and disrupt these habits – while also relieving the initial stress that leads to them to begin with. Those who float will develop a greater ability to deal with stress in healthy ways rather than gravitating back toward bad habits, and over time this will grow into a positive cycle where not only is the stress that leads to addictive behavior reduced, so is the behavior itself.
For more on the benefits of float therapy for those dealing with addiction, or to learn about any of our float therapy or massage therapy services, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage & Float today.