The opioid epidemic is hitting pandemic rates. In the last year alone there has been approximately a 25% increase in overdose deaths. That is thousands of people dying from preventable circumstances.
To help combat the problem, countless addiction treatment facilities have been put into place. In fact, the rise in drug use and treatment has led recovery endeavors to become a 35 billion dollar industry. Within the industry there are a number of methods utilized.
Traditional Treatment
The most common treatment method is a traditional program. This usually incorporates Alcoholic Anonymous’s 12 step recovery, or some version of it.
Other traditional programs utilize a mix of counseling and prescription drugs, such as methadone, buprenorphine, naloxone, or clonidine, to help patients deal with detox symptoms.
Although these powerful drugs work, they are, as their names suggest, far from natural. Like opiates, the chemicals in these drugs are derived from nature. They are then manipulated and manufactured in labs to serve their intended purpose. In highly concentrated amounts, they can have unintended side effects.
Treating a drug addiction with another drug is viewed by some as replacing one problem with another. Additionally, whether they actually cure patients or simply temporarily put off relapse is another controversy.
Yet, both opioids which cause addiction and those used to treat addiction all share the same source: something natural. They are all psychoactive drugs derived from plants and then refined, processed and manufactured.
This begs the question: Can natural plants help with addiction?
Holistic Treatment
Anti-venom is created using venom as a base. It takes something natural and uses its own power against it.
Likewise, some treatment programs suggest using other natural substances that contain strong psychoactive properties to cure addiction. This theory, although not well known, is becoming more prevalent.
Enter holistic medicine. This type of medicine is defined as a form of healing that considers the whole person, including their body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Holistic treatment centers aim to not only treat addiction, but to cure it at its root.
One up-and-coming holistic treatment does just that. It is initiated with Ibogaine detox. This substance is sourced from the roots of the Iboga tree., which is a family of perennial African shrubs that contain psychoactive substances. These substances can cause visions, hallucinations, and deep introspection when harvested and consumed.
These qualities are what make it a candidate for recovery. Ibogaine treatment helps with the withdrawal symptoms when treating addiction. In monitored and professionally crafted experiences at treatment centers, the introspection opens patients up to treating their whole selves. It is claimed to not only treat their physical symptoms, but their minds as well.
Growing problems need creative solutions and holistic recovery programs offer an opportunity to get to the root of the current opiate epidemic.
