Alcohol addiction, known as alcoholism, is a disease that affects different kinds of people, regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Millions of Americans struggle with this disease. Symptoms of the disease can include increased frequency and quantity of use, high tolerance, drinking at inappropriate times, and hiding alcohol or while drinking. Alcohol addiction can even result in other health complications, such as heart or liver disease, ulcers, diabetes complications, and an increased risk of cancer.

Treatment options for alcohol addiction can include inpatient or outpatient rehab, various forms of therapy, counseling, and in some cases special drugs that can help people overcome their substance abuse.

There are also some effective natural treatments that can treat and manage this condition:

1. Meditation

Overcoming alcohol addiction takes a strong mind. American culture is deeply rooted in alcohol and this love of alcohol will eventually show up at most parties, outings, or visits with friends and family. Alcohol is readily available, whether at the corner store or gas station. The point is that alcohol is everywhere and a person’s mind must be strong to stay away from it. Meditation can help people to focus their thoughts onto other things besides alcohol and getting drunk. There are different forms of meditation that can be used to naturally treat this issue.

2. Yoga

Yoga is an eastern practice that has religious roots. Many Americans like to utilize the non-religious aspect of yoga for their health. It can be used as a remedy for healing the mind. Yoga, like meditation, helps to focus the mind. However, unlike meditation, yoga requires physical activity to connect the mind with the body. When a person desires an alcoholic drink, they can apply a yoga routine to curb their cravings. The techniques in yoga will help a person to stretch, relax, refocus, and tone their body. All of these attributes can help to keep a person from going back to the bottle.

3. Light therapy for alcohol addiction

Light therapy is not a common type of therapy process and is used to treat insomnia. This type of therapy is often used for people going through alcohol addiction rehabilitation. Alcohol withdrawal can lead to poor-quality sleep and those living with addiction are at a higher risk of developing sleep disorders, like insomnia. Light therapy works by exposing patients to bright lights during waking hours and by the time they’re ready for bed, it’s easier to fall asleep. This type of therapy also works for treating depression and other problems that people develop from alcohol withdrawal.

4. Acupuncture for relieving alcohol addiction

Acupuncture is another eastern practice that has been used for thousands of years in China and other East Asian cultures. The whole purpose of acupuncture is to restore balance to a person’s body when they have been abusing alcohol. This process uses needles inserted into key areas of a person’s torso and are left there for short periods of time. This process supposedly acts as an alcohol detox and it also helps to realign a person’s mental energy. Acupuncture processes have been used for some alcohol addicted patients in the past and have shown to be effective.