Addiction can manifest in many forms, such as alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and food, but your desire for your substance of choice often masks other needs. You may be feeling stressed, depressed or sad and indulging in your addiction can temporarily numb painful feelings, but it will do nothing to help long term.
Natural Aids
Sedative and antidepressant oils have been found most useful in helping people overcome addiction, while detoxifying oils help your body during the process of withdrawal. It is also important to remember that the body will need a plentiful supply of vitamins and minerals from dietary sources, when overcoming addiction.
Blending Oils to Help Overcome Addiction
All of these blends should be make using 35ml base oil and are suitable for use in a bath, perfume or room spray.
Top Note
Middle Note
Base Note
Overcoming drug or alcohol addiction
3 drops clary sage
2 drops juniper
2 drops chamomile
2 drops frankincense
1 drop ylang ylang
Overcoming alcohol addiction
3 drops fennel
3 drops melissa
2 drops frankincense
2 drops jasmine
Overcoming caffeine or nicotine addiction
3 drops bergamot
2 drops clary sage
3 drops lavender
2 drops neroli
Overcoming food addiction
4 drops clary sage
2 drops rose
4 drops ylang ylang
Using Smell to Treat Addiction
First take control of your addiction by making the decision to give it up, then allow essential oils to ease your way through the withdrawal.
Addiction to Drugs
pharmaceutical drugs like tranquillisers are as potentially addictive as illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine. These substances often generate a physical addiction, and take a lot of willpower to overcome.
In such cases it is important that you GP refers you to a trained counsellor to work through your addiction. However, using oils can help take the edge off the unpleasant symptoms experienced during withdrawal.
Hot and cold compresses and steam inhalation are both techniques that can be used to good effect when overcoming drug addiction.
Use these with your 'overcoming drug or alcohol addiction' blend.
Addiction to Alcohol
Far more people are addicted to alcohol than you might think. Alcohol is a social drug, and it is very easy to slip into a pattern of behaviour where you are consuming alcoholic drinks on a daily basis. From there, is it easy to find yourself not wanting to be without a drink - addicted to alcohol. The effects of this are emotionally, physically and socially damaging, and can also affect your work performance.
The 'overcoming alcohol addiction' blend contains essential oils that help to both detoxify the body and sooth the emotions. Use it in the bath, on pulse points, in a vaporiser or oil burner, and add a few drops to your pillow at bedtime.
Caffeine and Nicotine
Drinking more than five to six cups of tea or coffee on a daily basis could be a sign that you are addicted to caffeine. This type of addiction has a tendency to creep up on you as you unconsciously brew extra cups and eventually feel like you cannot get through the day without caffeine. Nicotine has a similar action, as it is a social drug and the number of cigarettes you smoke each day can rise without you even noticing it.
Kicking the habit of daily addiction is hard work. Applying the 'overcoming caffeine or nicotine addiction' blend to the pulse points will help you to give up for good.
Addiction to Food
The 'right body shape' may be defined by many factors, such as changing social attitudes, cultural perceptions and personal preconceptions. Some people are more susceptible to social conditioning than others and can experience a lot of distress over their body image, while others can appreciate the diversity of the human form.
Insecurity about the way you look can lead to a cycle of yo-yo dieting or comfort or binge eating to bring temporary relief. There are oils you can burn in your kitchen or living room to soothe you whenever you feel an urge to snack coming on.