How Ayurveda Helps In Alcohol Rehabilitation?

Tuesday 8 October 2019

How Ayurveda Helps In Alcohol Rehabilitation?

Alcoholism is undoubtedly the bane of contemporary society. It not just wrecks the health and productivity of the individual but also extracts a huge economic cost from the nation. Dependency on alcohol throws the social and work life of an individual out of gear and adversely affects his or her mental health.

The underlying reason for alcohol dependency is the inability to handle stress. When alcohol consumption is considered as an escape route from the rigours of life, the person's physical and psychological deterioration begins.

As the intake of alcohol increases several of the organs are compromised as the toxins within the intoxicant take effect. It destabilizes the functioning of vital organs like the liver, heart , pancreases and the gut.

Ayurveda has identified alcohol as a toxin that upsets the equilibrium of the bio-elements , Doshas, within the human body. It primarily upsets the balance of Pitha, which is a combination of fire and water as against other "Doshas" that are made up of different combinations of the five basic elements.

Ayurveda tries to address the root cause of this imbalance which in the case of alcohol addiction is often the underlying mental and physiological stress. Alcohol is considered as a quick fix to conceal this stress and have a temporary respite from thoughts that unsettle the mind and the body. However the patient doesn't realize that it's a futile attempt at attaining peace of mind.

One of the primary steps undertaken is to purge the body of all toxins. For which it's important to assess in detail all aspects of the patient's lifestyle including diet intake, sleep pattern, emotional condition and the physical state. Once having understood the extent of toxins present in the system, a comprehensive package that includes panchakarma, meditation and herbal medication is prescribed.

While Panchakarma expels the toxins from the system, herbal medication rejuvenates the mind and the body and meditation helps in attaining greater focus and control over the mind. This holistic treatment effectively brings about complete relaxation to the body and the soul, restores the balance of the life forces within and thus eliminates the root cause behind the craving for intoxicants in the system.