Massages are commonly thought of as a way to unwind and treat yourself to some peaceful, restorative self-care time. In recovery, therapeutic massages are used for so much more than just relaxing and act as an intricate part of the recovery process. There are many different types of massage that may benefit you in your early days of recovery like shiatsu, reflexology, acupressure, and Thai massage. Each type of massage serves the body differently, but all of them accomplish the beneficial effects detailed below.
Detox
The initial phase for recovering from substance abuse looks quite similar for everyone, and it involves detoxing from the substances they were addicted to. Massage is a complementary therapy used to flush the lymphatic system of the residual toxins left over in the body from substance abuse. The squeezing, pulling, and pressing motions used through massage all promote blood flow and circulation to drain toxins and stuck lymph for promoting healing and cleansing. Another added benefit of utilizing massages during detox is that it can reduce a person’s dependency on detox medication.
Serotonin/Dopamine Release
Massages do a great job of naturally bringing about the feel-good chemicals of serotonin and dopamine, which during the early days of recovery can alleviate the intensity of withdrawals. These neurotransmitters that massage therapy promote are the same ones that are released while using drugs and will help ease the transition away from substance use on your body.
Stress Reduction
There is no doubt that confronting a drug and/or alcohol addiction can be an extremely stressful time in a person’s life. Getting a massage can be an incredible way to release the tightness that stress creates in the body during tough times, and getting rid of the excess stress will help prevent stress from being a possible trigger for relapse.Â
With the many benefits that massage therapy brings, it is an amazing tool to utilize during the detox phase of recovery. Finding a comprehensive, holistic treatment program as we offer at Avalon Malibu will better help you to find lasting recovery. Avalon Malibu is a California state-licensed mental health and substance abuse recovery treatment center offering a variety of clinical recovery treatments and complementary holistic therapies to suit your many needs in recovery. With our team of caring professionals, Avalon Malibu will help to find the right treatment for you. For more information about our treatment programs, contact us at (844) 857-5992.
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