Healing through the Senses

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the efficacy of aromatherapy used in substance abuse treatment programs for women who typically suffer from many symptoms related to early stages of recovery. The rationale for investigating the efficacy of aromatherapy relates to its potential to mediate the problems generally associated with substance abuse recovery, such as sleep and mood disorders, anxiety, and depression. The extent to which these associated conditions can be mediated is the extent to which this researcher believes the recovery process can be facilitated and the chances for success heightened.

Outline
Introduction
Review and Discussion: Aromatherapy
Definitions and Background
Overview of Olfactory System
Effects of Aromatherapy on Mind/Body
Therapeutic Uses of Essential Oils
Addiction: Definitions and Background
Addiction-Related Depression, Anxiety, Mood Disorders
Human Behavior Considerations
Women and Addiction
Current Research
Application in Women's Groups
Meditation/Chakras
Cautions and Considerations

From the Paper:

"Although people have been using what is considered to be aromatherapy today for several millennia, the distillation of plant essences is credited to Islamic alchemists; however, aromatherapy as it is practiced today has a much more recent history. According to Ba (2003), in 1937, a French perfumery chemist by the name of Renee Gatefosse was the first to coin the term "aromatherapie" to describe the application of volatile oils to produce a therapeutic response to various conditions and diseases typically experienced by humans. While the term may be new, the practice is truly ancient, and Price, Price and Penoel (1999) note that, "Plants and their extracts have been used since time immemorial to relieve pain, aid healing, kill bacteria and thus revitalize and maintain good health" (p. 1). While the word itself was not coined until the last century, the distilled extracts from plants-the essential oils-have been used by humankind for countless years in religious rites, perfumery and hygiene. According to Ba, cedarwood oil is known to have been used by the Egyptians for embalming and for hygienic purposes 5,000 years ago; this oil is most likely the first "distilled" oil to have been produced (although the process used remains open to speculation)."

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