Biofeedback Therapy during Drug Rehab

For drug rehab patients who suffer severe sickness or physical degradation, biofeedback therapy is often the key to finally getting cravings under control. Drug rehab can be especially difficult for people who abuse heroin, meth, and other physically harmful narcotics, but these treatments can help them repair their damaged bodies. Biofeedback can also be instrumental in helping sick patients properly apply their newfound strategies for dealing with cravings. Because physical stress can contribute to addiction just as much as mental problems, it is crucial that addicts understand the ways they can alleviate it with biofeedback therapy during drug treatment.

The Physical Warning Signs of Drug Cravings

The human body signals cravings in a variety of ways. For instance, people who are hungry typically hear their stomachs rumble and become tired and lethargic. People with low blood sugar may also see their hands shake or feel light-headed. Drug cravings produce similar physical warning signs.

However, people who abuse physically harmful drugs often lose touch with their bodies. The inability to recognize impending drug cravings is one of the reasons why people seem to ignore the physical consequences of continued drug use. Meth addicts will keep getting high, even as they lose their teeth, hair, and nails. Similarly, heroin addicts will continue to inject – even as they develop intense scarring, track marks, and open sores. Ultimately, the severing of the mind-body connection makes it extremely difficult for people to avoid relapse after drug rehab.

Thankfully, medical professionals have developed a variety of ways to monitor drug rehab patients’ vital signs and help them understand their bodily warning signs. They use specialized biofeedback machines to watch for lowered skin temperature, elevated heart rate, rapid perspiration, and other markers of drug cravings. They then subject patients to questioning or other controlled and stressful activities which are likely to produce these cravings. When addicts can clearly see the connection between physical phenomena and their urges to use drugs, they can then take steps to mitigate their cravings and stay sober in real-world situations.

Monitoring Brainwaves to Identify Fight-or-Flight Responses

Doctors have recently developed a new variety of biofeedback treatments which are focused on rehab patients’ brainwaves. During and after detox, people often experience the fight-or-flight response because of the sudden removal of drugs from their bodies. While this response is a healthy reaction to stress for most people, it can cause addicts to quit their rehab programs and quickly return to drug use. These new treatments are designed to identify the fight-or-flight response in patients’ brains and take steps to keep them from leaving early.

So far, these treatments have been wildly successful. Biofeedback machines allow doctors to see these responses occurring before the patients themselves even know they are at risk. Clinical rehab is the only way to achieve lasting sobriety, so keeping addicts on track in their treatment programs is of the utmost importance.

If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction, call the number at the top of your screen now for a powerful, toll-free consultation. Our dedicated addictions specialists are standing by day and night to help you get back on your feet. Take back the life you deserve with a proven drug rehab program.

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