Integrating Spirituality into Addiction Treatment

By Meghan Vivo

Overcoming a physical dependence on drugs or alcohol is just the first of many steps toward recovery. Psychological dependence is even more complex and long-lasting, and requires a holistic approach to addiction treatment that incorporates mind, body, and spirit.

Spiritual, Not Religious

When people think of spirituality, they often associate it with religion – Sunday morning church services, large family meals on religious holidays, and other formal traditions. Although churches and religious organizations can be wonderful places for recovering addicts to receive ongoing support and encouragement, developing a spiritual connection goes much deeper.

Spirituality can simply be described as developing a connection to yourself and the world around you. A spiritual connection encourages recovering addicts and alcoholics to step outside themselves and ask for help from a higher power. Individuals in recovery must acknowledge that their addictive behaviors have not brought them gratification or fulfillment, and take responsibility for the pain they have caused to themselves and others. Rather than blaming problems on outside sources such as family, work, or other stressors, they must work to improve their own mind, body, and spirit.

Individuals with a healthy spiritual life are better able to focus on their personal goals, confident in what’s important to them and unfazed by everything else. Because they have developed a deep connection with a higher power, they no longer feel alone or at odds with the world and are capable of building meaningful relationships with others.

Perhaps most importantly, those with a strong spiritual foundation tend to focus their energy outward rather than inward. Rather than dwelling on the past or feeling sorry for oneself, these individuals focus on helping others through community service, volunteer outreach projects, AA/NA mentorship, or other outlets. Giving back feels good, which in turn cements the recovering individual’s commitment to sobriety.

Spirituality Aids in Addiction Recovery

Many addicts and alcoholics say they use drugs or alcohol to fill a void in their lives. A spiritual connection is a healthy way to fill this void, bringing greater depth, meaning, and joy into the lives of substance abusers, gradually replacing the temporary high of drugs or alcohol with the long-lasting sense of peace that accompanies a life of purpose.

Although no one factor can guarantee long-term recovery, spirituality has proven to aid in the process of overcoming addiction. Studies suggest that people with a spiritual belief system are less depressed, less anxious, and less suicidal than non-spiritual people, and that they are better able to cope with stressful and traumatic events. Those who incorporate spirituality into their daily lives through meditation, prayer, and other spiritual practices report having a more positive outlook and an overall sense of satisfaction with life.

In a study of 237 recovering substance abusers, Pardini and colleagues (2002) found that higher levels of spirituality predicted a more optimistic life orientation, greater perceived social support, higher resilience to stress, and lower levels of anxiety. Studies have also shown that spiritual practices such as yoga, prayer, and meditation positively impact physiological processes in the brain and promote overall health (van Wormer & Davis, 2003; Shafer & Greenfield, 2000; Canda & Furman, 1999; O’Connell & Alexander, 1994; Dossey, 1993).

Spirituality is not only beneficial for adults, but also youth. Studies of adolescents and young adults also emphasize the importance of spirituality in addiction treatment, suggesting that teens who have an active spiritual life are half as likely to become alcoholics or drug addicts or even try illegal drugs that those who have no religious beliefs or training.

Surrendering to a Higher Power

Noted psychiatrist Carl Jung was among the first to recognize the importance of spiritual awakenings in treating addictive behaviors, believing that the path to recovery required healing of the inner self. The founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Bill Wilson, who was an alcoholic himself, has said that he stopped drinking when he had a spiritual experience.

Decades later, the 12-Step model of AA has proven to be one of the most effective addiction treatment approaches. Steps two and three of the 12-Step program focus on connecting with a power greater than oneself, emphasizing concepts like humility, forgiveness, acceptance, and service to others.

Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the spiritual principles emphasized in the 12 Steps. For example, Miller (1998) found that substance abusers who practice the 12 Steps are more likely to remain abstinent than those treated with other types of therapy. Five years later, Kaskutas, et. al. (2003), found that individuals who reported a spiritual awakening as a result of their AA involvement were nearly four times more likely to be abstinent three years post-treatment than individuals who did not experience a spiritual awakening.

Finding Holistic Substance Abuse Treatment

Many addiction experts believe that spirituality is what is missing at a number of substance abuse treatment centers. This is not the case at Four Circles Recovery Center, a wilderness therapy program in North Carolina for young adults struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.

Clients at Four Circles are not asked to find God or religion, but they are asked to think about their lives and where their choices are taking them; to do some soul-searching and see if a spiritual connection may be a helpful component of substance abuse treatment.

Based on the 12-Step philosophy, Four Circles uses spirituality to help young people step outside themselves, look at life on a broader scale, and ask the big questions. When clients are on wilderness expeditions, surrounded by stunning vistas and inspiring landscapes, it’s easier to get in touch with the larger meaning and purpose of their lives.

Because addiction is a disease that impacts every area of a person’s life, one of the goals of treatment at Four Circles is to help clients achieve recovery and find a healthy balance in mind, body, and spirit. Spirituality is a fundamental component of the Four Circles holistic substance abuse treatment program, represented as one of the “four circles” of recovery, along with the mental, physical, and emotional aspects of treatment.

Although Four Circles does not endorse any particular religion or belief system, the staff of addiction experts helps each individual connect with their own belief system, whatever it may be, in a natural setting that is both awe-inspiring and humbling. Wilderness therapy presents a rare opportunity for young people to immerse themselves in a peaceful, serene setting and find time for spiritual practice.

In addition to wilderness therapy, clients at Four Circles participate in meditation, journaling, spirituality groups with other individuals in recovery, and spiritually enhancing rites of passage such as a sweat lodge and four-day solo “vision quests” in the field.

If you or a loved one is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse and has been searching for answers in all the wrong places, visit Four Circles today to learn more about holistic addiction treatment.

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Integrating Spirituality into Addiction Treatment