Hawaii Island Recovery Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) in Substance Abuse Treatment
Recovery from substance use disorder is possible with holistic treatment and support. To learn more, call Hawaii Island Recovery today at (866) 390-5070.
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a therapeutic modality used in various mental health care settings. It was created in the 1990s by Gary Craig and involves tapping a series of points in a specific sequence on the body while focusing on issues they desire to alleviate and experience freedom from, such as substance abuse disorder and related mental illness concerns.
What Is the Emotional Freedom Technique?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a healing modality and type of therapy that can either be used with a therapist during therapy sessions or as a self-healing method to help individuals reach their goals in their substance use and mental illness recovery journey. While EFT is not used as a sole method of treatment, it is can be used as a complement to other modalities in treating substance use disorder (SUD), such as alongside other therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Experiential Programming.
When practiced consistently, EFT can help alleviate many symptoms related to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Stress
- Chronic Pain
- Other mental illnesses and issues related to substance use disorder
EFT can be self-administered; however, it is important to first meet with a trained professional who is skilled in using EFT to learn how to use it before you begin practicing yourself, as well as to ensure that how you are using it aligns with your goals in recovery. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we integrate the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) into many individuals’ treatment plans to approach recovery from an evidence-based and holistic perspective at our drug and alcohol treatment center.
How EFT Works
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) works through tapping a series of points on your body. Most of these meridian points are located above the head or below the neck. Similar to acupuncture, EFT works through tapping these meridian points on the body in a very specific sequence. The goal is to unblock any blocked or imbalanced energy that is causing the individual emotional distress. This distress could be stemming from a variety of different concerns, such as anxiety, worry, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), limiting beliefs, and negative self-talk that may be preventing an individual from healing and recovery.
Using the Emotional Freedom Technique occurs through a series of specific steps. This series of steps are:
- Identifying the Issue: This is the process of becoming curious about what problem it is that a person wishes to resolve, then ranking the intensity that this concern causes them on a scale of one to ten.
- Creation of an Affirming Statement: This statement acknowledges the issue and conveys self-acceptance in the pursuit of healing. For instance, this statement could sound like, “Even though I feel this anxiety, I completely and wholeheartedly love and accept myself.”
- Tapping of the Sequence of Meridian Points on the Body: This process can be done by a therapist or individual who knows how to do so properly. This process is repeated until a relief in symptoms is felt and a decrease in their initial ranking occurs.
Benefits of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
There are many benefits of EFT supported by research. Although these benefits look and feel different for everyone, some of them include:
- Reduction in symptoms related to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health conditions
- Feeling as if a weight has been lifted off one’s shoulders
- Mental clarity
- Calmness
- Increase in self-confidence and self-esteem
- Decrease in worry
- Release of limiting beliefs
- Increase in energy as energetic blocks and imbalances are cleared
Many individuals experience a relief of symptoms immediately. It may take several rounds of using this technique for some. For others, it may take a couple of weeks before they begin noticing significant changes in the way they think and feel.
Substance Abuse Recovery at Hawaii Island Recovery
Most substance use disorder treatment programs begin with supervised medical detox, in which individuals withdraw from any substances that are in their system. Undergoing the detox process in a drug rehab setting with trained professionals will help support individuals during this often difficult and uncomfortable process, ensuring that the individual and those around them are safe and well-taken care of. Drug withdrawal is an intense process and is typically accompanied by distressing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, chills, and involuntary shaking. Because of this, having professional support during this initial phase of treatment is essential.
Once medically supervised detox is over, many individuals enter residential treatment at the same facility in which they underwent medical detox. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we offer medically supervised detox that is typically followed by entering our residential treatment program. Before individuals begin their treatment plan, they first meet with a treatment team member to create a program that is customized to where they are at in their recovery, their needs, and the goals they have in their healing journey.
Drug Rehab in Hawaii
Substance use disorder and mental illness don’t disappear after residential treatment, which is why many individuals choose to enter lower levels of care, such as outpatient and aftercare programming. In these stages of treatment, individuals are supported as they reintegrate into their lives and continue to have avenues of treatment and support in ways that make sense for them. Without aftercare and outpatient support, treatment is often not as effective or sustainable in the long term, which increases the risk of relapse.
In choosing Hawaii Island Recovery for your substance use disorder recovery needs, you are not only choosing to experience healing and freedom but also to do so in a safe and secure drug and alcohol treatment center on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Recovery from substance abuse disorder is possible with holistic treatment plans that use therapeutic modalities such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). To learn more about how you can begin treatment, call Hawaii Island Recovery, a Hawaii sober living and recovery center located on the Big Island, at (866) 390-5070.
