The And Its Effects On The Community

The 12-step program used by Alcoholics Anonymous is a well-known treatment method that’s used for many types of addiction, not just alcohol. Alcoholics are encouraged to “work” the 12-steps. The first step involves admitting the powerlessness over alcohol. The second step has the alcoholic believe that there is some type of a greater power working that will help aide the alcoholic to reach sobriety, as well as maintain is once reached. This step is an example of the religious influence on the 12-step recovery process.

Thankfully, I've seen most, if not all, of those people fight back from the clutches of addiction and regain a life of sobriety. And they did it by filling their basic human needs. As humans, we all have the same basic wants and desires and understanding how to fill them is crucial to recovery success.

Substance abuse providers that believe spirituality and religion is one in the same, may hold the belief that an individual that is an atheist or agnostic will not have the opportunity to acquire spiritual opportunities when participating in alcohol and addiction programs (Sussman et al., 2013). In addition, these substance abuse providers may believe that when an individual that eliminates alcohol and drug abuse without the intervention of spiritual assistance, such as a Higher Power, they may believe that the individual will not have the capability to achieve and maintain balance within their sobriety and recovery. Sussman et al. (2013) suggests that these substance abuse providers unknowingly engage in a thought process that includes stereotypes. Suggesting that individuals, who engage in spiritual behaviors that do include a Higher Power, are more deserving of achieving sobriety and recovery because they are practicing by being involved with working the 12-step program, thus, making them more righteous in obtaining a blessing from their Higher Power. Noteworthy, the term spirituality is often linked with religion with no specific boundaries out of lack of knowledge. Engaging in a spiritual practice that allows an individual to have a spiritual solution that is higher than them and gives them hope has a significant influence on alcohol and drug abuse. Gedge and Querney (2014) describe discussing spirituality with

3) Get in touch with a higher power: Client may have never gotten in touch with his/her higher power. Addicts have testified to how the belief in a higher than themselves has helped them through the recovery

other addiction treatments, such as Rational Recovery, fail to incorporate spirituality as a vital dimension in recovery due to the misunderstanding between religiosity and spirituality. The science community has always been at odds with religiosity and spirituality throughout history as research has shown. However, as we aim to become a more culturally competent society, looking at research that shows the importance of spiritual principles and practices in addiction recovery, should compel clinicians to incorporate it in other treatment programs besides twelve step programs. The inclusion of spirituality in addiction recovery should not be optional as it is not restricting one to a particular doctrine, but rather freeing an addict to obtain a healthy quality of life which is the ultimate goal. Arnold et. al

There are over 23 million people, 12 and older, living in the United States who are in need of substance abuse treatment (Atkins & Hawdon, 2007). Effective support groups are needed to address an individual’s substance abuse while also take into consideration their beliefs. Atkins and Hawdon (2007) noted despite the popularity and effectiveness of 12-step support groups, a common dominator among individuals who reject them are the concepts surrounding the religious connotation associated with these groups. Without treatment, the effects of substance abuse can be devastating. Significant social and economic ramification such as death and overwhelming financial expenses are two critical outcomes correlated with substance abuse. DeLucia et

Finally, research often associates religion and spirituality with healthy behavioural and lifestyle choices. For example, Koenig (2009) declared that religion often discourages potentially destructive behaviours like substance abuse, resulting in religious individuals performing these behaviours

But the room resembled a church in that instead of a symbol of Christ, like a cross, there was a large desk with the insignia AA hanging from the ceiling and a huge triangle affixed to the front of the desk. There were twelve step books on the black chairs, which reminded me of how bibles are in the pews of churches. There was an agenda of sorts, or announcements, just as they would have in a church. They also took up an offering just as they do in church. There were readings from the twelve step book, and there was a group leader sitting at the desk that guided the meeting just as a pastor would do. There was even mention of God and higher power, but there was one major difference, although they mentioned God, there was no power of God in the meeting. As the attendees began to share their thoughts the first expression was “Hi, I’m Joe and I’m an alcoholic”, this is a contradiction. In my mind it is self-defeating to say you are something you are so desperately trying not to be. It also is denying the power they possess at the same time because the Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”, so if you truly believe you have conquered the addiction it is inconsistent to say I’m an alcoholic. On the other hand, maybe they are saying they haven’t conquered the addiction and they are always one foot into their addiction. Furthermore, I don’t see this as tapping into a higher power because there is no progression if your state of mind is always saying you will always be an alcoholic. Why not say I will overcome my addiction, and I’m a former alcoholic? I understand addiction is a disease. And, the first step is admitting you have a problem, but that is the first step not every step should include this. Most of the people there attended several meetings weekly.

1. Non-Christians lean towards the perspective that what you do does not matter as long as it does not hurt others. We've all heard it, "Why does it matter? Who are they hurting?" For them, addiction is addiction until someone is being hurt. However, by this point the "hurt" has already taken a deep root, and the addictive behavior is merely an outward reflection of the inter-turmoil-it is only the tip of the iceberg.

Certain things begin to take place within one’s self and the effects are far reaching. What is most important during a spiritual awakening is surrendering. When doing this, you are acknowledging the fact that you do not have it under control, you are struggling, and you are in need of help. It is at this crossroad that many times people choose to figure life out on their own, however the ones who seek help are more likely to recover. In one account, a woman was begged by her son to seek help. It was only a few hours later her son was found dead, and as she asked God why, she came to the conclusion that God had to take her son in order for her to see the destructive path she was on. A huge part of this process, and substance abuse counseling itself is, the individual being honest, being truthful to the therapist and more importantly truthful to themselves. Through complete change that this process demands, many women are reunited with their spouses and apologies and amends can finally be made to those who were affected by the choices made by these individuals. What I like most is, how the accounts have reports of women no longer feeling guilt or shame, but the feelings of joy and peace even when things aren’t going right, the feeling of empowerment finally overshadows the bad. In the article Wright (2016), One unnamed participant stated “Now that I have come to know God…it doesn’t matter what adversities come your way you can still find joy…He will give me the strength to go on, the hope. And the faith to believe that he is there with me. That he hasn’t forsaken me.” (P.

I will start this ARDQ by stating how troubled I am by the fake it till you make you it philosophy in religion and other self-help groups. I have stated this before in class, but the problem is religion is never wrong. If you haven’t attained inner peace or developed a proper relationship with God, it is your fault, never religions. If you are interested in reading more about this, I highly recommend Lance Dodes recent book The Sober Truth: Debunking the Bad Science Behind 12-Step Programs and the Rehab Industry.

According to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the transtheoretical model of change, “for most people with substance abuse problems, recurrence of substance use is the rule not the exception” (Enhancing Motivation for Change, 1999, p. xvii). Relapse can and most likely will occur in recovery, and should be recognized as well as anticipated by substance abuse recovery counselors. The significant challenges to counselors are bringing a client successfully and securely through a relapse and eventually preventing relapse from occurring at all. For many, helping a client find faith in a higher power is an essential piece of the puzzle for overcoming addiction.

According to AA, alcoholics will never be able to drink in a safe way, like it is demonstrated in the popular AA saying “One drink, one drunk”. The disease model implies that “alcoholics experience intense cravings over which they have no control; even one drink will awaken this craving” (Alternatives to Twelve-Step Programs). To control these cravings AA developed a twelve step model, which includes firstly, that members need to admit their powerlessness over alcohol and, as a consequence to that they have to develop a strong believe in a higher power.(Alternatives to twelve step models) As we can see clearly spirituality plays a significant role in AA treatment.

Disease of the human spirit does fit within the bio/psycho/social models. The spiritual model of addiction indicates that substance use and abuse is the result of a spiritual weakness within the person. Every addiction is a disease of the spirit (Doweiko, 2015). People that have a deeper involvement with the church have a decreased risk of developing an addiction. Spiritual development includes the acknowledgment of the pain and suffering

For example, William James studied religious experience and suggested that the spiritual process works to curtail people's negative behaviors (James, 1936). For James, spirituality helps individuals recognize their own earthly suffering as either a consequence of individual pathology or addictive behavior, or both. When people begin to criticize or consciously reject problematic individual behaviors as a permanent way of being, then they become open to the possibility of rising to a higher awareness. This higher awareness of his or her own behavior is then integrated as a part of the person's psychology. James was already considering the role religion plays in a person's consciousness early in the twentieth century.