Tai Chi is a type of martial art that revolves around moving the body, controlling one’s breathing, and meditation in motion. Participants engage with a series of gentle movements, that can be performed standing or sitting.
The three main types of Tai Chi are: wu style, sun style, chen style, hao style, and yang style. All of these practices involve meditating, breathwork, and body movement.
However, some combine fast movements with slow movements, some emphasise softness, and some strictly use gentle movements.
There are three guiding principles of Tai Chi:
Though Tai Chi originated in China and is therefore strongly linked to Chinese culture, it is practised all over the world.
Tai Chi’s healing benefits are felt in the United Kingdom, the United States, Mexico, Italy, and many other countries. Interestingly, it is less common in Japan and Korea, where more demanding martial arts thrive.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
For more information, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 140 4690.
Tai Chi is often used for addiction recovery as it has many physical and mental health benefits for people with a substance use disorder.
There are plenty of studies that suggest Tai Chi is beneficial for people with mental health conditions. A 2022 study found that this practice improved anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality (1).
When people with addiction are less anxious and depressed, and are sleeping well, their risk of relapse is much lower.
They may be more motivated to engage in addiction recovery, their moods may stabilise, and they may manage to fight against temptation better than they could if they were struggling with insomnia and high-stress levels.
If a patient at drug and alcohol rehab is practising Tai Chi every day, it can be a great distraction from their concerns about getting sober.
As important as it is to face these concerns in talk therapy, sometimes some physical distraction is necessary before the patient can accept that lifelong sobriety is something they want to pursue.
Tai Chi also has a range of physical health benefits. Perhaps the most beneficial effect of Tai Chi for certain people is that it can reduce pain.
If someone with substance abuse disorder has a painful health condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis or pancreatitis, practising Tai Chi could help them to manage the difficult symptoms of these conditions.
Sometimes, people with chronic pain turn to addictive substances as they cannot find another way to escape the pain they are feeling.
If Tai Chi reduces this pain, they may feel less tempted to keep using drugs or alcohol, and this could be life-changing.
Tai Chi for addiction recovery is successful for many patients. It is proven that Tai Chi can boost the quality of life of older people, so people of this demographic who struggle with drug addiction are likely to find success in Tai Chi treatment (2).
Rehab residents with physical health conditions are also more likely to benefit from Tai Chi. Studies show that patients with fibromyalgia experience fewer symptoms after Tai Chi than after aerobic exercise (3). Moreover, the longer the patient practices Tai Chi, the better the benefits are.
However, just because Tai Chi is great for older adults, and for people with health conditions, we cannot jump to the conclusion that it is an effective form of addiction recovery.
Fortunately, there are separate studies that prove this, so we do know that Tai Chi is often a very successful tool for people with drug or alcohol use disorder.
A 2022 study into drug-dependent women found that drug cravings decrease much faster in patients who engage with Tai Chi (4).
There are many theories that attempt to explain this, but some possible answers are: Tai Chi promotes mindfulness and emotion regulation, it produces dopamine, and it encourages self-belief.
These are often lacking in the life of drug addicts, but the mind-body flow brought by Tai Chi makes them abundant.
When drug addiction patients are detoxing, the withdrawal symptoms can become very difficult to manage.
However, if the cravings are reduced, it is much easier for individuals with drug addiction to make it through the detox phase. Thus, Tai Chi can be used to ease the difficulty of withdrawing from substances.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
For more information, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 140 4690.
One potential downside of Tai Chi is that it requires commitment in order to be successful. Though this is true for every addiction therapy, Tai Chi is often not a weekly practice, but a daily practice.
If people in recovery are not motivated enough to make it a daily habit, they may struggle to experience the benefits.
For some people, mindfulness meditation is not an easy task, and it can even lead to more anxiety.
Recently, there has been more research into the negative effects of long-term meditation, and one study found that 60% of people experience at least one negative symptom, such as anxiety or depression (5).
People with addiction are more likely to struggle with a psychiatric disorder to begin with, and Tai Chi could potentially make co-occurring disorders, or psychological withdrawal symptoms, worse (though this is very unlikely).
When a rehab patient first starts Tai Chi, they may find it slightly painful, as it encourages them to use muscles they do not usually use.
This can be off-putting in the private rehab phase, as they are already dealing with withdrawal symptoms, so they may prefer a therapy that is not physically demanding.
That being said, the pain is usually only minimal; patients may experience tired muscles, but they are unlikely to feel anything more than mild pain or discomfort. What’s more, the pain is only temporary, as the human body adapts to Tai Chi movements very quickly.
Finally, not everyone can engage with all of the Tai Chi movements that a guru is likely to teach.
Although movements can certainly be adapted, we cannot claim that someone with serious mobility issues would feel the same benefits from Tai Chi as someone who is able to embrace every movement.
The same applies to people with a poor fitness level (though this could improve with more Tai Chi).
Below, we provide answers to common questions about Tai Chi in the addiction treatment process:
Qi is the name of the energy in our body. When Tai Chi gurus speak of increasing Qi flow, they are referring to the practice of engaging the mind and body in order to generate energy.
You may have heard of Qi in relation to Qigong, which is very similar to Tai Chi. Qigong exercises tend to be less complex than Tai Chi, so they are ideal for people with mobility problems, or people who cannot dedicate much time to Tai Chi.
Yes, you can start Tai Chi for the first time at an inpatient rehab. Most patients will be new to Tai Chi, so you will not be expected to know anything about the practice. If you engage with regular sessions, you will learn the movements very quickly.
Even if you don’t go to residential rehab, you can still start Tai Chi for the first time at an outpatient group, or with a private group. Make sure the Tai Chi therapist is experienced and has the right qualifications, otherwise, you may not feel any benefits from the sessions.
No, not everyone who goes to drug and alcohol rehab will practise Tai Chi. Some rehab facilities do not offer Tai Chi as a treatment, in which case none of the patients will do Tai Chi during the 28-day treatment programme.
In the treatment centres that provide Tai Chi, there will usually be a choice for patients to get involved, so not all patients will engage with this practice.
This will be down to personal preference and individual needs, so there will be a wide range of substance abuse types among Tai Chi participants, e.g., opioid use disorder, heroin dependence, amphetamine-type stimulant dependence, etc.
No, there is not a specific rehab facility for people who are interested in Tai Chi addiction recovery. However, there will be treatment centres that specialise in Tai Chi, which means their treatment plans will be focused on this practice alongside other successful treatments.
Self-defence is certainly a key part of Tai Chi for many people. As Tai Chi is a martial art, it involves defensive movements that can be applied in an attempt to combat violence.
However, the vast majority of people in long-term recovery do not use Tai Chi as a type of self-defence.
It is possible to practise Tai Chi every day without dwelling on self-defence techniques, as this treatment is purely a way to stay physically and mentally fit for many.
You should not try to incorporate self-defence into Tai Chi without consulting a professional. Even Tai Chi gurus are not necessarily trained in the self-defence element, so make sure you find someone with the appropriate qualifications.
Yes, Tai Chi can be used as a complementary therapy (6). In other words, it can be offered alongside other therapies in order to increase the effectiveness of the therapy programme. Tai Chi is often mixed with evidence-based treatments, as they offer different benefits that can be equally valuable.
This does not take away from the value of Tai Chi in terms of improving the physical and psychological functioning of individuals with drug addiction.
If someone is diagnosed with high blood pressure, and they are prescribed medication to treat this, exercise intervention and healthy eating are still deemed valuable for the patient, and the same applies to Tai Chi for addiction recovery.
Tai Chi is sometimes presented as an alternative therapy, as it does not require the patient to take medication for their substance abuse. If this works, it is often preferable, as drugs come with side effects, and there is a risk of the individual becoming addicted to the prescribed drug.
However, Tai Chi does not have to replace medication as a tool for treating drug or alcohol dependency. Many patients with drug addiction take medication for their problem, as well as going to regular Tai Chi sessions.
Though Chinese medicine is not always favourable towards Western medicine, it is wise for patients to take lessons from both treatments, as they have unique assets.
If you do Tai Chi at rehab, it will usually be offered as part of a 28-day treatment plan. However, the aftercare plan may allow you to continue with Tai Chi at the rehab centre or elsewhere.
Unlike some other therapies, there is no general timeframe given for Tai Chi, because you could practise it for the rest of your life. Not only is it practical to do so (as you can engage with it in your home), but it is recommended as a means of keeping your relapse risk low.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
For more information, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 140 4690.
Get in touch with us if you would like to go to drug and alcohol rehab for Tai Chi. We can find a rehab facility that offers high-quality Tai Chi, with everything you need to achieve a harmonious flow, including qualified therapists and safe guidelines.
Please remember that the main focus of abstinence-based rehab is sobriety, and Tai Chi is just one element of treatment that allows sobriety to be maintained.
This means you will be expected to engage with other forms of treatment, potentially including a drug or alcohol detox, drama therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, trauma therapy, group therapy, motivational interviewing, and family therapy.
Our addiction experts are waiting to find the perfect treatment centre for you, so call us immediately on 0800 140 4690 if you want to recover from drug or alcohol addiction.
[1] The Impact of Qigong and Tai Chi Exercise on Drug Addiction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8957847/
[2] Effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise on overall quality of life and its physical and psychological components among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7485323/
[3] Effect of Tai Chi versus aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia: comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k851
[4] A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Effect of Tai Chi on the Drug Craving in Women https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-022-00917-8
[5] Has the science of mindfulness lost its mind? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5353526/
[6] Tai Chi as an Alternative and Complimentary Therapy for Anxiety: A Systematic Review https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2156587214561327
