Keeping the Faith: Religion & Recovery

A 2008 poll found that about 92% of Americans believe in God or some sort of Higher Power. Government agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have recognized the value of enlisting the help of pastors, ministers, rabbis, and other religious men and women in the prevention and treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction.

The combination of their support networks, community resources, and clear religious teachings on substance use and abuse has helped to reach vulnerable youth and prevent substance abuse among them, and to aid others in the recovery process. Additionally, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) both include spirituality as a key concept in their recovery processes. But how does having a religious belief system or sense of spirituality contribute to the recovery of alcoholics and addicts?

Religion vs. Spirituality Religion is a set of beliefs that are shared by a group. Religions are distinguished from each other by the differences in these beliefs about divinity and ethics among other topics. In contrast, spirituality is a more general sense of the existence of a power or authority greater than oneself. Spirituality is a unique experience that varies by individual. A person may consider themselves to be religious, spiritual, both, or neither.

How does religion prevent substance abuse? In the Bible, both the New Testament and the Old Testament mention alcohol use and give warnings against abuse to members of both Jewish and Christian religions. Similarly, the Qur’an, the sacred Scripture of Islam, prohibits the consumption of alcohol. Although some religions incorporate moderate amounts of alcohol into their traditions, almost all advise against drunkenness and intoxication. The clear guidelines in combination with a supportive social community are perhaps the reason why members of these religious groups are less likely to develop problems with alcohol than is the general community (2.9% v. 10.1%, respectively – according to a 2005 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health, which defined religiousness as attending 25 or more religious services per year).

How do religion/spirituality help in the recovery process? Research suggests that spirituality can increase the chances of a successful recovery from addiction. It is important for rehab facilities and treatment programs to address all aspects of the recovering addict’s life – physical, social, emotional, mental, and spiritual. In AA and NA, a few of the 12 steps toward recovery involve confession of wrongs to a Higher Power, actively deciding to allow the Higher Power to take control of the situation, and then preparing for that Higher Power to do so. Most religions and groups that encourage spirituality find value in forgiveness, honesty, and respect (Read Choosing to Forgive an Addict). When addiction is most powerful, addicts often lose sight of such values. They label themselves as bad people, which gives them unconscious justification for their behavior (Read How Addicts Think). They intuit that their behavior is problematic, even if they don’t admit it, and hide it from their family with lies. They lose respect for themselves and for others as the substance takes priority. But belief in a Higher Power may help redirect their choices, keeping them accountable on a cosmic scale for how they treat themselves and others.