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Massage Therapy Benefits for Drug & Alcohol Addiction

The National Institute of Drug Addiction reports that substance abuse (alcohol and drugs) costs the United States approximately $484 billion a year for intervention, prevention, cost of crime, treatment, lost wages, and social programs. It is a problem that does not seem to be decreasing with the use of traditional methods alone. There are alternative treatments, such as massage therapy, that may be an effective addition as a tool in the struggle out of addiction.

  1. Pain

    • One of the reasons individuals attempting to quit using drugs and alcohol relapse is because they are in pain. Withdrawal is at best uncomfortable and at worst, especially with opiates, painful to the point of wanting to die to escape. Massage therapy is used as treatment for many chronic pain issues and could thus be used also for the pain of withdrawal or the longer term pain of post acute withdrawal (PAWS). PAWS is the pain of a body learning to function without the drug and occurs for a significant period of time after the acute period is over.

    Increased Immune Response

    • Drugs and alcohol decrease a body's ability to respond when threatened by viruses and bacteria. That is why addicted people often get sick with colds and flu. During the time that an individual is attempting to quit, they continue to get sick quicker and easier until their immune system is built back up. Massage therapy can help with this. The Touch Research Institute in Miami, Fla., has found that massage encourages an increased immune response.

    Depression and Anxiety

    • An individual attempting to stop using may struggle with depression and/or anxiety. This may be an underlying issue that caused them to self-medicate to begin with, or it may be related to PAWS. In addition, people who are addicted no longer have their number one "coping" strategy to rely on and may not yet have other coping skills in place. Massage therapy has shown to help decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

    Cravings

    • Cravings can be so strong that to not give in requires so much energy and strength that giving in seems easier. Massage therapy was shown by research at the Touch Research Institute to help reduce cravings.

    Doing something good for yourself

    • If there was no other benefit, massage substitutes a positive way to feel better and take care of yourself. It is a way to practice the lifestyle change away from self destruction toward self-care.

    Time frame

    • Massage therapy needs to be a regular part of an individual's treatment. Though even one visit can help, weekly massage will give the maximum benefit with the most obvious positive results.

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