Spiritual Awakening in Recovery

If you have not had sex, you might understand it intellectually, you may have even watched a movie about it, but the personal experience in unknown–it is alien. But once you have had sex, you now have recognizable benchmarks to identify the experience. The same holds true for identifying what a relationship with God when the spiritual malady is overcome or the Higher Power is like. Finally, someone explained to me that those things are not the insanity that the Big Book talks about; nor are those things why the alcoholic’s life becomes unmanageable. The main purpose and mission of Alcoholics Anonymous members is to stay sober and help others achieve sobriety.

What is Christian Meditation?

Religiousness and spirituality are generally conceptualized as overlapping but distinguishable constructs that share some characteristics but retain non-shared featured (e.g., Miller & Thoresen, 2003; Zinbauer, Pargament, Cole, Rye, Butter, Belavich et al., 1997). For instance, while some religious behaviors (e.g., frequent religious practice, prayer, and church attendance) are correlated with some dimensions of spirituality, many aspects of spirituality are independent of self-reported religious behaviors (Heintz & Baruss, 2001). The 12-step programs, so valuable for assisting people to overcome slavery to addictions, are filled with people who refer to themselves as “recovering Catholics” — people who came to see that unfounded religious guilt was part of their problem. But rather than dealing with their obsessive religiosity, many abandon the faith. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. According to Alcoholics Anonymous, informally known as The Big Book, when someone with alcoholism drinks, they have an abnormal reaction likened to an allergic reaction.

Final Thoughts on Living the Spiritual Life and Recovery

Once a person with AUD takes an alcoholic drink, the body craves more on a physical level. This is why 12-step organizations believe it is not possible to conquer alcoholism using willpower alone. The role of physical dependence and psychological addiction in alcoholism partly explain why those with alcohol use disorder are unable to moderate or discontinue use. To initiate a full and sustained recovery, it is also helpful to address the spiritual role of this disease. There are many persons in recovery who are not interested in discussing or even hearing about spirituality.

Near Death Experiences and Sacred Scripture: The Parallel Messaging

Doing this will allow positive affirmations and healthy coping mechanisms to emerge, paving the way for peace and happiness. Finally, practicing mindfulness in nature can lead to a greater appreciation for everything that exists in our environment. Whether it’s sitting quietly on a bench or practicing yoga on a beach, these moments spent in mindful connection with the earth can create an incredible sense of peace and contentment. What activities or habits have caused harm to my physical health?

• A large body of research has investigated the role of religiousness and spirituality in dealing with stressful situations.
• Spiritual malady can trigger feelings of irritability, restlessness, and discontentedness.
• Developing and maintaining spiritual wellness involves fostering a connection to a higher power or greater sense of purpose.
• Recovering person also express often that lack of a spiritual or religious connection contributed to the escalation of their problem (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 2001).
• Studies have shown that those who give of themselves for the betterment of others tend to experience increased happiness and fulfillment in their own lives.
• The study used a semi-structured instrument; in addition to socio-demographics and background, we used the measures described below.
• This spiritual connection can help in times of crisis, and promotes growth at the personal and communal level.

The quantitative approach and the use of sophisticated statistical techniques applied to the study of recovery, spirituality/religion, and QOL contribute to current knowledge that, for the most part, has been obtained from small-scale qualitative studies. While not all recovering persons embrace spirituality/religiousness, many report that a spiritual or religious connection to the transcendent is part of their recovery. Recovering participants in one study expressed a sense of needing something to depend on that could be trusted and that was there always (Morjaria & Orford, 2002).

Same thing with alcohol; some people can have a couple beers, no problem. But alcoholics have an “allergy” to alcohol, so for them, a couple beers turns into a world of hurt. But for food addicts—because of their body’s “allergy” to sugar or processed foods—one Christmas cookie leads to a dozen.

Organizations We Support: .

To be fashionable and to seem better than I really am is a spiritual illness. Here at California Detox in Laguna Beach, we can help you unpack the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of alcoholism. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Below is an overview of the 12 admissions that support the 12 steps toward recovery. One unique way of fostering spiritual wellness is through building connections with others who share similar values and beliefs. Participating in a spiritual community can provide support, accountability, and opportunities to grow and learn.