Open Door Retreat

A past issue of Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, talks about how massage therapy can be used as a component to helping alcohol addiction. Massage is among the list of essential activities at the Open Door relapse prevention center for many of these very same reasons.

The article stated that the physical, emotional and spiritual components of recovery all benefit from the healing power of therapeutic touch.

The Touch Research Institute in Miami, Florida has performed scientific research documenting the physiological effects of massage on the body. They found that massage:

• decreased pain
• diminished autoimmune response
• enhanced immune response
• increased alertness and performance

These results appear to be related to massage’s ability to reduce cortisol, a stress hormone. Several of the Touch Research Institute’s studies positively document the ability of massage to decrease anxiety, depression, agitation, and cravings.

On a physical level, the circulation that occurs with massage is extremely helpful during the detoxification process. Therapeutic massage’s invigoration of blood and lymphatic fluid allows for a more efficient exchange of oxygen rich nutrition into the body’s tissues, and the delivery of toxic waste products out of the body’s tissues.

On an emotional level, part of an addict’s recovery process is learning to identify and manage the triggers that cause them to desire escape. Regular massage sessions can aid the client’s awareness of his or her body — including where and when tension exists.

On a spiritual level, the deep relaxation of a massage can provide a place for the patient to connect with themselves. A recovering addict has a whole new world opened to them when they acknowledge that they can be feel good and be substance-free.

Massage has the unique ability to affect our entire body – from the spiritual plane all the way up to and including our chemical composition. That is why we at Open Door feel it is important to integrate massage therapy into our addiction recovery programs.