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Massage Therapy Research Paper

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Massage therapists understand and promote the connection between the mind and body. The profession is based on understanding what is going on in the body even when their patient may not specify or specify otherwise. They realize how being in touch with the mind and body simultaneously can only lead to optimal health and wellness.

The mind-body connection can be an incredible tool for those in recovery for substance abuse. Many of those dealing with substance abuse cannot recognize or identify the issues that made them turn to substance abuse in the first place. Because massage is not a talk therapy, it can meet addicts wherever they are, even if they don’t have the skills to directly say. Massage therapy takes a person beyond the limits of …show more content…

Massage is beneficial for increasing self-awareness about tension, stress, emotions and habitual response patterns that may aid in prevention of relapses. Over the past while, there has been an increased amount of attention on gender statistics that are associated with substance abuse. Eating disorders are twice as common for women dealing with substance abuse compared to those who are not. Women dealing with substance abuse have also disclosed experiences of sexual and physical abuse in childhood or adulthood. These considerable factors can make someone more vulnerable to relapsing after treatment. Mind-body therapies present women with alternative skills and solutions to deal with common triggers and stressors without turning to drugs.

The study was conducted in Seattle, Washington, where 46 women met the eligibility requirements at a women’s only substance abuse treatment facility. The average age of women involved in the study was 39 years old. The women participating in the study disclosed using alcohol, opiates and multiple addictive substances before treatment. 30 percent of the women enrolled had an eating disorder, and more than 50 percent of the women had some experience of sexual or physical trauma either during adulthood or childhood. Some had gone to treatment previously for substance abuse but many had not thought of massage as a treatment …show more content…

Each participant who was randomly selected for MABT was assigned to one of the four licensed massage therapists who had experience in dealing with mental health issues. The protocol for MABT included asking participants about their emotional and physical well being prior therefore being able to guide the session in the right direction. There was an emphasis on body awareness in relation to experiences with substance abuse and treatment. The massage portion of each session was 45 minutes, which included a fully clothed massaged. Touch was used to teach interoception and self care skills for the body. Participants were assigned inner body awareness homework each week, which was personalized to each

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