Last Updated on January 3, 2024 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD
There are many aspects of a person’s addiction that are unique unto themselves, such as a spiritual or emotional deficit, history of trauma, self-esteem issues, social dysfunction, outside influences of peers, environment or culture, age, and many other factors. These can often be helped with CBT or other forms of counseling, stress reduction techniques, and other methods of psychological assistance offered at the Alternative to Meds Center.4
However, we have found there are some factors that undeniably intertwine themselves on a biophysical level concerning addiction and dependence that are extremely likely to present anywhere addiction is operational. Addressing these biophysical conditions is fundamental to our success rate, which has been documented for many years by an outside independent review.
In studies done, it has been found that outpatient addiction treatment does help many to begin their steps to sobriety. AA meetings once weekly, or more often, can be very helpful to begin to restructure life around sobriety instead of around drugs or alcohol. For some, it is seemingly enough to make “the decision” and then carry through, and that is the end of the story.
For many more though, relapse is the norm, and even daily meetings will not be enough to reliably achieve and maintain abstinence. One such study estimates that residential treatment helps more than twice the number of participants to remain drug or alcohol-free when followed up after two years.1
We do not seek to medicate or dampen symptoms with additional drugs, or substitute drugs. The center offers a warm social setting in a chemical-free environment, controlled (and specific, exact, correct) nutritional intake,2 a regimen of various treatment protocols that are prescribed and mostly delivered one on one, as well as neurotransmitter repair, and other treatments that are carefully supervised. In this setting, there is the lowest possible chance for outside interference from distractions such as work or family stresses, as well as avoiding some pitfalls like inconsistent diet, sleep, or even abandoning the recovery attempt altogether. Support, comfort, supervision, daily progress meetings are some of the advantages of an inpatient style rehab that features holistic treatment and allows the client to focus as intensively as possible on their recovery goals.
Returning to the aforementioned idea that there are some things that we have found inextricably linked to addiction, we come to one very well documented aspect of addiction, known as “self-medicating.” 3,5 That is, the addicted person’s attempt to correct or change something in their physiology with drugs or alcohol. However, what if their underlying physiology could actually be corrected? It sounds complicated but is a relatively simple concept, once understood, that has proven extremely helpful in correcting addictive behaviors.
Especially because of the holistic approach (as in treating the whole person) at Alternative to Meds Center, an inpatient setting makes it more possible to receive treatment in the most effective ways possible. An important fundamental of Alternative to Med Center’s rehab is the investigative testing and other work that is done to discover certain biophysical underlying conditions preceding or contributing to the addiction. Once discovered, these are remedied using natural methods. This would not be possible in an outpatient treatment program.
Discovering physiological deficits/imbalances and correcting these produces an almost automatic reduction in cravings and other compulsive aspects of addiction in a more direct way than even the most intense application of CBT or other effective talk therapies alone can do. Drugs and alcohol are destructive of natural neurochemistry. Some would say they completely hijack the brain. Others would describe drugs and other addictive substances as the devil incarnate.
However, there is good news to be had. Using precursors to natural neurotransmitters and clearing out heavy metals that compromise neurochemical function and other types of physiological treatments are unmatched for contributing to regaining healthy neurotransmitter function. When psychological AND physiological treatments are combined, the results are extraordinarily effective.
Please contact us to find out more about how our residential program may be the kind of help you or a loved one actually needs to truly overcome addiction. The Alternative to Meds holistic residential treatment rehab is the only addiction treatment center of its kind anywhere in the world and welcomes your call to discuss how such a program could help you or your loved one.
1. HHS Author Manuscript, “Alcoholics Anonymous Effectiveness: Faith Meets Science.” HHS Public Access [INTERNET] 2009 Sep [cited 2020 May 1]
2. Mahboub N, Rizk R, Karavetian M, de Vries N. Nutritional status and eating habits of people who use drugs and/or are undergoing treatment for recovery: a narrative review. Nutr Rev. 2021 May 12;79(6):627-635. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa095. PMID: 32974658; PMCID: PMC8114851. [cited 2024 Jan 3]
3. Khantzian EJ ‘The self-medication hypothesis of addictive disorders- Focus on Heroin and Cocaine Dependence.” American Journal of Psychiatry [published online 1985 Nov] [cited 2024 Jan 3]
4. McHugh R K, et al., “Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders.” PMID 20599130 [Internet] 2010 Sep [cited 2020 Oct 13]
5. Baracaldo-Santamaría D, Trujillo-Moreno MJ, Pérez-Acosta AM, Feliciano-Alfonso JE, Calderon-Ospina CA, Soler F. Definition of self-medication: a scoping review. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2022 Oct 5;13:20420986221127501. doi: 10.1177/20420986221127501. PMID: 36211626; PMCID: PMC9537481. [cited 2024 Jan 3]
Originally Published May 1, 2020 by Diane Ridaeus
Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Diane is an avid supporter and researcher of natural mental health strategies. Diane received her medical writing and science communication certification through Stanford University and has published over 3 million words on the topics of holistic health, addiction, recovery, and alternative medicine. She has proudly worked with the Alternative to Meds Center since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to help the founding members develop this world-class center that has helped so many thousands regain natural mental health.
Can you imagine being free from medications, addictive drugs, and alcohol? This is our goal and we are proving it is possible every day!
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