What are Holistic Views of Mental Health?

What are Holistic Views of Mental Health?

Holistic views of mental health treatments are often something that is not discussed. Not many people know about what it is or the benefits of practising a holistic approach.

Holistic therapy focuses on the social and environmental things that can cause mental illnesses. Additionally, it finds the cause of the mental health issues. This is different to traditional therapy that focuses mainly on fixing symptoms of the problems.

The Facts

Holistic views come mainly from the east. However, it has become a growing form of mental health therapy in the western world. Many studies prove that a holistic approach can have the same effects as medication. Despite this, it is often considered experimental as it has no single set of rules. It can change from person to person. Making it standardised can be difficult.

Types of Holistic Treatment

There are many different forms of holistic therapy. All forms focus on different areas of connecting the mind and body. These forms are:

Integrative Therapy

This approach is to focus on the persons' specific needs. It combines many traditions and techniques. Ensuring the person's best interests are at the front of every progressive decision made.

Mind-Body Therapy

Mind-body is the most common holistic approach. It focuses on the body with the mind and soul as a complete unit. It also uses relaxation techniques and mindful sessions.

Somatic Therapy

Unlike the others, this type of therapy focuses on using a creative outlet to help work through the mental illness. Dance and breathing exercises are often popular choices of expression.

Spiritual Therapy

Spiritual therapy is a particularly holistic view that might not be for everybody. The therapy focuses on using a persons faith and spiritual beliefs and using them to help them through the mental illness.

Holistic Therapy

All holistic views can include many different types of treatment. However, there are several common factors:

Meditation

Meditation helps to combine the spiritual and mental aspects of the body. Holistic views believe that to have good mental health, you must have:
· a healthy body
· clear, relaxed mind
· calm soul
Meditation includes reflection on your life. In addition, on things you are happy and grateful to have. Meditation works to bring the person into the present. Many people don't know how to identify their own emotions. As a result, this can lead to many mental health issues and confusion. Meditation helps show how you feel and recognise that it is ok to have emotions.

Exercise

Holistic views include treating the body and the mind. Exercise is a crucial part of this. Not only to keep the body physically fit and healthy but also to help mentally. Body confidence can automatically help to improve your mindset. Exercise can also help to release the happy hormone into the bloodstream. Having an increase of this hormone in your body naturally reduces the undesired effects of mental health.

Diet

Holistic views are not the only form of treatment that recommends a change in diet. Diet can have a massive impact on someones mental and psychical health. Eating the incorrect amount of any food group can cause an imbalance in the vitamins and minerals in your body. In turn, this can harm your mental and physical health in the long run.

Learn to Breathe

While this sounds simple, learning to breathe is an important skill. When stress and anxiety take over, a persons' breathing often becomes shallow and uneven. Breathing can help somebody slow their heart rate. In turn, this helps blood flow to the brain and can help a person think more rationally.

Aromatherapy

Similar to learning to breathe and relaxation techniques, aromatherapy has proven helpful. Essential oils are known to help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. Scents like lavender, chamomile and rose can all help a persons' mood. In turn, this can help ease the effects of their mental health conditions.

Other Techniques

In addition, including the techniques mentioned above, other types of resources used are:
· Acupuncture
· Hypnosis
· Massage
· Guided imagery
· Yoga

Keep Your Options Open

There are lots of medical reports to support holistic views on mental health and subsequent treatments. However, you should never rely on one source of help. Holistic therapy might work for some people first try. Furthermore, others may need to try several combinations to find one that works for them. In addition, it can take time to find a therapy that works for you. Most importantly, don't give up. When you find a type that works for you, the results for your mental health can be extraordinary.

Being safe

Holistic views can be drastically different from therapist to therapist. Furthermore, it is a unique form of therapy. However, if you choose to follow a holistic approach, there are steps in which you need to take.
Find a therapist
Have an open mind
Be prepared to be uncomfortable
In addition, it is vital to make sure you are safe while following any form of therapy. Most importantly, a persons' mind is a very complex thing. Therefore, attempting to resolve trauma incorrectly can sometimes cause more damage.

Overall Benefits

Holistic views and approaches can have many overall benefits. Promoting better mental and psychical health has many long term effects. Often allowing people to have a better sense of self can help someone understand themselves. In addition, understanding is the key to improving. Traditional therapy can involve using techniques that can be very difficult to replicate. As a result, they need a qualified therapist and can often take time. A holistic approach uses techniques that are easy to copy. In particular, this is helpful for everyday life. Furthermore, practising these techniques in everyday life is essential to improve mental health. Being able to combat the stress, anxiety and pressure of life can be challenging. Therefore, holistic views on mental health help to be able to do this.

Is Holistic Views Therapy Right for Me?

Most importantly, holistic therapy is not suitable for everyone. Regardless of whether you feel like you need help, any form of support is a start. Holistic views is not a quick fix to a mental health issue. Furthermore, it can be an extremely long process. Additionally, it does not deal with the symptoms of a condition, e.g. depression and anxiety. If you need help and fast, always tell a professional. They will be able to guide you to the right kind of help.

Written by Guest Writer

Hattie Bickley