As a first step to recover from the addiction, the person must identify he is slave to an addiction and should have a desire to recover from alcohol addiction, drug addiction or addiction to smoking.
Over eating is also a behavioral problem that has far reaching consequences on one's health.
One detrimental factor to free one from addictions is the withdrawal symptoms. The addicts feel they are punished for abandoning the use of drugs, alcohol or cigarette.
Ayurveda approaches this problem systematically and Ayurvedic system of cure from addictions is based on treating the cause instead of symptoms. The alcohol consumption or smoking is only a symptom. Underlying reasons can be stress or mental tension.
The person tries to dissolve his worries in alcohol, but he or she ends up more worried and disheartened.
Ayurveda aims at removing the root cause of the addiction. Ayurveda aims at replacing the addictive behavior with some constructive behavior. For instance, smokers will be given herbal cigarettes, which satisfy their urge to smoke, but removes the toxins added to their body.
This herbal approach is supplemented with counseling, guided meditation, massage therapy, aromatherapy, etc which help in complete recovery of the addiction without withdrawal symptoms.
The inertia or the mental conditioning of the person to give up the habit is the first thing that needs attention.
Ayurveda also recommends personalized treatment programs based on the physical constitution of the person. Physical constitution, called DOSHA in Ayurvedic terms gives clues to effectiveness in recovery from any addictions.
Each type of persons have specific herbal formulations that help in removing toxic wastes accumulated to the body, strengthen internal tissues and easily recover the person from addiction.
The important factor is the mental preparedness of the person to accept he/she has some addictions and honest desire to recover. After getting the person in right mental condition, it is easy to recover from any life-threatening bad habits.