Fighting Drug Addiction with Religion
A great deal of drug addiction treatment research is focused upon different ways to fight off relapse during and after drug rehab. Therapeutic treatments, talk and behavior therapy, support groups, individualized therapy, exercise, meditation, medical treatment… all these and more add up to a well rounded holistic drug treatment program. Religious focus during treatment can come in the form of a spiritual focus or a guideline for living based on a specific religion. Either way, those who respond to these programs, respond well.
12 Step Treatment and Religion
The second step in the 12 step treatment program aimed at eradicating active drug and alcohol use and addiction speaks for itself: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
This Power is generally defined as God, but many keep it vague. They choose a Higher Power to give up control to based on any number of things. Some who are raised in Christianity, Judaism or Hinduism opt for God simply because God is powerful in these religions. Others choose the Earth or evoke the Goddess in favor of a more maternal power. Still others have a comical take and assign their Higher Power the name of a favorite childhood super hero or fictional character. The point is not the name but the idea that you are no longer in control of your life; that when you took over control, you ended up “hitting bottom” due to drug addiction. The hope is that your Higher Power wants you to be healthy and sane and so giving up control to this entity rather than trying to take over is helpful in the beginning stages of recovery.
Drug Addiction Recovery and Moral Treatment of Self and Others
The religious aspect of 12 steps and traditional treatment generally goes beyond the Higher Power and includes a focus on giving back. Volunteering your time and energy to help others is advised, as is working your way through the steps so that you can become a sponsor and help someone else work their way through the steps.
The idea is to focus on something beside yourself. The act of living with a focus on other people’s needs gets you out of your own head and allows you to build self esteem by making choices that are meaningful to others. When you realize that you are valuable to others, you begin to treat yourself and your body more valuably, making you stronger against the temptation of relapse.
Religion and Life After Drug Rehab: A Guideline for Living
One of the benefits of drug rehab is that there are people there beside you to help you make each and every decision. From what to eat to when you eat it, how to spend your free time, what to focus on during treatment, and how to fight off relapse when you return home, you have a team of people by your side to assist you every step of the way. When it’s time to go home, however, many feel lost without that same level of guidance. Religious principles and a continued focus on growing in your faith can provide extended support and guidance to help you stay focused on your new life without drugs and alcohol.
