These assertions may appear to be risky to prove or give someone a false sense of hope. In a similar vein, some people believe that drugs and alcohol make them feel more spiritual. Drugs and alcohol can cause hallucinations, delusions, and a shift in thinking, leading someone to believe that their drug-induced haze was their reality. They could be unclear of what was genuine and what was conjured up by untrustworthy intoxicants.
Before You Continue...
Do you know what is your soul number? Take this quick quiz to find out! Get a personalized numerology report, and discover how you can unlock your fullest spiritual potential. Start the quiz now!
It would be impossible for someone else to make that decision for you because your spiritual experiences are between you and your Higher Power. Addiction to drugs and alcohol, on the other hand, may prevent you from spending quality spiritual time with your Higher Power because your alter ego takes over when you're high. Even if they are unsure of what transpired, someone who utilizes drugs or alcohol may have a supposed “moment of clarity” in which they deciphered meeting their maker. If you use drugs and alcohol to escape your reality, you will almost certainly avoid your Higher Power until you are able to break free from your addiction.
Drug and alcohol abuse can alter one's moral behavior. Addiction to drugs or alcohol may lead to you engaging in unlawful or unethical acts that you would not ordinarily engage in, such as prostitution, theft, or drug sales. There is no doubt that relating to your Higher Power will become difficult if you engage in hazardous activities.
You may have had a belief in your Higher Power since childhood, or you may have only recently begun to believe in it. It's safe to assume that if you're misusing drugs and alcohol, you believe in a Higher Power but aren't putting that trust into action. Trusting in your Higher Power to do the right thing is the foundation of faith. You are putting your faith in drugs and alcohol rather than your Higher Power if you continue to pursue your addiction.
What happens to you when you drink or use, how much you take, and how often you consume drugs and alcohol are the best indicators of whether drugs and alcohol can affect your spirituality. Addiction to drugs and alcohol will most likely keep you from seeing the light of spirituality. It is up to you to make the most of your relationship with your Higher Power, and you are worth it.
What is the spiritual model of addiction?
Substance addiction, according to some thinkers, is a spiritual illness, a disorder that arises from a spiritual hole in one's life or a need for connectedness. Drugs have taken on the role of a counterfeit deity for those who are chemically dependant. As a result, addicts may be unwittingly using drugs to satisfy their spiritual needs. M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Travelled, presents one of the most eloquent depictions of addiction as a spiritual disease:
Humans are estranged from Source, from God, from the moment they are born. Our separation is something we're all aware of, yet some of us are more sensitive to it than others. We sensitive souls experience emptiness, longing, and what many of us call “a hole in my spirit.” We have a feeling that something is missing, but we aren't sure what it is. We yearn for respite from the aching void inside… but we're at a loss as to what will bring us relief.
Spiritual models in Western Judeo-Christian cultures often assume a God with extraordinary abilities. This God is viewed as governing, guiding, directing, or intervening on behalf of humans. Addiction, according to spiritual theories, is caused by a break with God. The assumption that there is a “right” morality based on a specific set of values underpins moral reasons of addiction. Addiction occurs when certain values are violated. It's crucial to remember that moral standards reflect a culture's value system. As a result, the “right” moral code will differ from culture to culture.
According to the spiritual perspective, addiction is caused by a disconnect from God or a Higher Power. People suffer as a result of this estrangement because they do not live according to God's will or instruction. As a result, rehabilitation entails developing or re-creating a relationship with God or another higher power. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step groups are the most well-known examples of the spiritual approach. The 12-steps are practiced by the participants. These 12-steps aid in the restoration of a person's spiritual connection to a higher power. There are also “faith-based” approaches that stem from certain religious beliefs. Prayer, meditation, and spiritual counseling are some of the techniques connected with this concept.
The founders of the 12-step program used a three-pronged approach to rehabilitation: unity (fellowship, traditions, and program principles), service (chairing meetings, qualifying, and setting up the meeting room), and recovery (“working” the 12-step program). Although no religious affiliation or belief is required for 12-step membership, the recovery program is a set of suggested strategies based on a spiritual foundation in which the individual is encouraged to rely on an external power greater than himself/herself (Higher Power that many choose to call God). In fact, one of the first chapters of the Big Book (“We agnostics,” AA World services) specifically addresses this issue, and the few empirical studies of the relationship between religiosity and 12-step participation have found that the extent of religious beliefs does not appear to affect the benefits derived from 12-step participation.
Attending meetings is the most common and well-studied method of 12-step participation. Members gather in a welcoming environment to discuss “their experiences, strength, and hope”; new members acquire hope and coping skills from more experienced “old-timers,” and more seasoned members come to “keep it green” (i.e., to remember their past experiences with drug use by listening to new members). One of the hallmarks of 12-step recovery is fellowship with other recovering people, which recovering people recognize as a significant source of support.
Overall, 12-step affiliation is a complex process that includes cognitive, behavioral, social, and spiritual elements. It exposes people of comparable standing (peers) to the organization's ideology towards these people and their problems. This exposure is thought to cause social and cognitive changes in members, which alter their behavior and well-being over time.
What does spiritually healthy mean?
Spiritual health, according to the participants, has three dimensions: religious, individualistic, and materialistic.
This component of spiritual health, according to the participants, involves divine unity-based knowledge, attitude, and practice so that one has a dynamic and active interaction with oneself, others, and nature since God is considered in all connections. “Spiritual health implies moving toward God,” one of the attendees noted in this regard.
1) Believing in the meaning and spirituality of one's connections with others, as well as the absence of spiritual diseases such as despondency and a lack of love, happiness, forgiveness, and common sense experiences. “The lowest level of spiritual health means that an individual is free of spiritual ailments and has accepted spirituality,” one participant explained.
2) Having a sound moral character and moral convictions. In the words of one participant, “A person who enjoys spiritual health does not have poor moral features or incorrect views.”
3) Aspects of human health or existence that cannot be described in terms of physical, mental, or social factors. A meaningful life, transcendence, and actualization of many dimensions and capacities of human beings are all examples of spiritual health. Spiritual health brings the physical, psychological, and social aspects of existence into harmony. The following are some of the participants' perspectives on spiritual health:
“Spiritual health encompasses all aspects of health that are not physical, psychological, or social in nature.”
4) Individuals' feelings about a supreme power, themselves, and others; positive feelings; balance; serenity; vigor and empowerment, hope and satisfaction; and decreased undesirable sensations like melancholy, anxiety, and rage. “I believe that having pleasant feelings about spiritual topics is a crucial indicator of spiritual health,” one of the interviewees said.
This dimension is defined as well-wishing, assisting others without expecting anything in return, a sense of closeness and harmony with the universe, and a morally based human connection with himself, others, and nature. “Spiritual wellness is assisting others without expecting anything in return,” one participant remarked of the individualistic side.
Furthermore, participants claimed that spiritual health takes on diverse meanings depending on one's views and viewpoints. “Spiritual health is as varied as people's opinions,” one participant said, “therefore it's impossible to establish a consistent description for spiritual health.”
The three components of spiritual health, according to our findings, are religious, individualistic, and material world-oriented.
According to our findings, religious components such as a sense of connection with God, love of God, prayer, the feeling that God is effective, and God-oriented knowledge, attitude, and action may be the result of human relationship with God. “The most crucial and essential component of spiritual wellness is communion with God,” one of the participants said.
The human connection with himself is the source of the individualistic component. Self-examination, contemplation of life's meaning, hope, self-actualization, moral qualities, peace, personal responsibility, balance, transcendence, values, mysticism, culture, and knowledge, attitude, and behavior in connection to oneself are examples.
“The second component of spiritual wellness is the humans' relationship with themselves,” one participant said.
This relates to people's interactions with one another and with nature. Connection with others fosters a sense of obligation to others, unconditional love, forgiveness, pacifism, social harmony, and knowledge, attitude, and behavior in respect to others.
Humans develop responsibility, affection, knowledge, attitude, and behavior in respect to nature as a result of their relationship to it.
“One component of spiritual health is that man should develop his relationship with people and with nature,” said one attendee.
The measures of spiritual health, according to our participants, include four categories of the connection between humans and God, themselves, others, and nature.
Knowing God, experiencing affection and love for God, pinning one's hopes on God, being grateful for divine blessings, and praying are all characteristics of a relationship with God. One of the participants' perceptions of God reflected these specifications: “Obeying God's commands is the first and most crucial measure of spiritual health.”
Self-esteem, reasoning and thinking, calmness, personal responsibility, satisfaction, vitality, empowerment, hope, a feeling of purpose, self-worth, and self-awareness are all sources of this form of connection.
“The second sign of spiritual health is reason in personal and societal activities,” one of the interviewees said.
Connection with others, the participants believed, could have a positive impact on an individual's behavior and lead to acceptance of social responsibility, respect for others' rights, honesty, compassion, altruism, generosity, optimism, empathy, benevolence, unconditionally helping others, humility, and a lack of jealousy and grudge.
“Human behaviors, such as a sense of obligation toward others, are signs of spiritual health,” one participant said.
Certain actions were thought to be the result of humans' connection with nature by the participants in the study. Recognizing one's responsibilities in interacting with nature, realizing the value of nature interest, and expressing respect for it are examples.
The opinions of the participants on the distinctions between spiritual health and spirituality can be classified into two groups:
1) The majority of our participants thought spiritual health and spirituality were distinct because: a) spirituality is a state of being, whereas spiritual health is a state of having; b) spirituality is a general concept, whereas spiritual health is a specific concept; c) spirituality is a subjective issue, whereas spiritual health is objective; d) spirituality is a comprehensive issue, whereas spiritual health is a subset of spirituality; e) spirituality is potential, but spiritual health
“If you want to define spiritual health in medical literature, it is completely different from spirituality in the sense of value-judgment,” one participant stated.
2) Some people believe that spiritual health and spirituality are related in some way, and that the former is a manifestation (product) of the latter.
“If we define spirituality as whatever drives humanity to perfection and happiness, then those who are more spiritual will be healthier,” one of the participants said.
Spiritual wellness, according to our participants, comprises six distinct characteristics:
1) It has a variety of definitions.
2) It has an impact on one's physical, emotional, and social well-being.
3) It is chosen over other health-related factors.
4) It can be approached from a religious or existential standpoint.
5) It manifests itself in people's actions.
6) It is a changeable state that can be advanced.
According to some participants, the following statements also embody the aspects of spiritual health:
“Spiritual health can have an impact on other elements of health, such as physical, mental, and social well-being.”
“There are two paths to spiritual health: one is religious, and the other is existential.”
How do drugs affect the reward system?
Despite the fact that each drug has a different mechanism of action, they all improve reward circuit activation by enhancing dopamine transmission. Since of the way our brains are wired, and because these medicines trigger a specific reward circuit in the brain, they can be overused.
What alcohol does to your soul?
Most individuals never examine or grasp the spiritual consequences of consuming alcohol, despite the fact that it is widely produced, promoted, legal, and consumed by a large number of people all over the world. The beginning of the universe, from which it derives….
The word “alcohol” is derived from the Arabic word “al-kuhl,” which means “BODY EATING SPIRIT” and is the source of the English word “ghoul.” Among the people of the Middle East, a “An evil monster known as a “ghoul” is said to eat human bodies, either stolen corpses or children.
The words “alembic” and “alcohol,” both metaphors for aqua vitae or “life water” and “spirit,” are frequently used to refer to a distilled liquid derived from mystical Middle Eastern alchemy explorations.
According to Jason Christoff, a writer, “Alcohol is employed in alchemy to extract an entity's soul essence.” As a result, it's used in the extraction of essential oil essences and the sterilization of medical tools. By ingesting alcohol, the body effectively removes the soul's essence, making the body more vulnerable to nearby entities, the majority of which are of low frequency. That is why people who drink too much alcohol frequently pass out and have no recollection of what happened. When a decent soul goes because the living conditions are too filthy and stressful to bear, this occurs.
A dark entity takes the body for a joy ride around the block, frequently in a hedonistic and self-serving illogical rampage, while the good soul remains tethered to a tether. Our bodies serve as vehicles for our spirits. If one departs, another can provide transportation. When someone gets dark as a result of drinking alcohol or polluting their bodies in various ways, their body is frequently possessed by another spirit.
Does drinking affect spirituality?
According to the findings, people who drank the non-alcohol beverage saw less violence as their spirituality grew. Surprisingly, when spirituality increased in those who received the alcoholic beverage, aggression increased as well.
Is spirituality a component of biopsychosocial wellness?
In health sciences, the biopsychosocial model is a modern humanistic and holistic view of the human being. Many experts now believe that the biopsychosocial model should also incorporate the spiritual dimension. However, “spiritual” is a broad and nebulous term that can relate to a variety of things. This paper will look at the spiritual dimension in all of its forms, including the relationship between spirituality and health, spiritualreligious coping, the physician's spirituality and how it affects his or her practice, spiritual support for inpatients, spiritual complementary therapies, and spiritual anomalous phenomena. Each sentence from the Physician's Pledge on the Declaration of Geneva (World Medical Association) was “translated” into its spiritual counterpart in this study to see if physicians would be prepared to adopt them all in practice. Medical practice is characterized by ongoing modifications of applied principles, but a true paradigm shift can only occur when the human spiritual dimension is completely comprehended and integrated into health treatment. Then you'll be able to avoid prejudices and accurately utilize the term “biopsychosocialspiritual paradigm.” The conceptions of health, disease, treatments, and cure would be transformed dramatically if this new perspective of the human person were applied honestly and profoundly.
What does God say about addiction?
This verse talks about temptations, which could include addiction. The last sentence of this verse is the most important thing for addicts and their loved ones to remember:
“However, when you are tempted, He will offer a way out so that you can persevere.”
It assures addicts that there is always a route out of their addiction. Never give up, even if everything looks hopeless. Addicts can overcome the drug's allure.
Let Us Help
Rehab is one of God's options for getting out of trouble. Good Landing Recovery is here to help your loved one regain control of their lives. We help our patients overcome addiction by combining biblical principles with tried-and-true treatment methods. If you or a loved one requires assistance, please contact us right away. It's never too late to make a change.
How does the Bible define addiction?
An alcohol use disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM), occurs when recurrent alcohol consumption results in clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home. Rather of having two distinct categories for alcohol abuse disorder and alcoholism, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is now classified using 11 criteria that reflect drinking patterns. Based on the criteria, a person will be classified as having none, mild, moderate, or severe alcohol use disorder.
Addiction is defined differently in the Bible, and it has to do with our relationship with God. Addiction is defined as a persistent, predictable, or repetitive pursuit of something other than God in order to meet a certain need, notwithstanding the inadequacy of the coping method and the negative consequences that result.
What are 4 examples of spiritual health?
The qualities that are most important to you are your own values. Consider what you admire about yourself and the individuals you admire.
List your top five values, along with why they are important to you and how you implement them into your life. Kindness, honesty, security, ambition, and community may be important to one person. It might be cheerfulness, empathy, loyalty, adventure, and learning for another.
Start a Yoga Practice
You can attempt a variety of yoga activities, but the majority of them incorporate breathing exercises, meditation, and physical activity.
Yoga is a tried-and-true method of improving your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Yoga can improve your strength and flexibility while also reducing tension, despair, and anxiety symptoms.
Meditate
Meditating, like yoga, has physical, emotional, and spiritual health benefits. Meditating for as little as five minutes a day can help with stress, sadness, and anxiety symptoms, as well as promote mindfulness and possibly alleviate physical ailments such as headaches, high blood pressure, and sleeplessness.
A guided meditation software like Calm or Headspace, both of which have free trials, can be beneficial.
Keep a Journal
Create a specific type of notebook, such as a thankfulness journal, or write whatever you're feeling at the time.
Journaling can aid in the processing of emotions, increasing self-awareness, achieving goals, and reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. Journaling is cathartic and allows you to reflect on your life events and feelings in a private, nonjudgmental environment.
Try Googling “journaling prompts for spiritual growth” to get started. Journaling prompts are questions or activities that you can use as thought openers to help you become more self-aware. According to research, concentrating on appreciation can help you:
Practice Mindfulness
When you're attentive, you concentrate on the current moment rather than the past or future. Breathing exercises, praying, or repeating a mantra are all options. Mindfulness has physical, mental, and spiritual advantages that are similar to yoga, meditation, and journaling.
Spend Time in Nature
Spending time in nature, whether hiking, walking, kayaking, or biking, can improve your spiritual health. Nature can help you relax, be happier, improve your attention, strengthen your immune system, and even boost your creativity.
Digital Detox
How much time do you spend on your phone, at your computer, or watching TV? There are a slew of mental health benefits to going on a digital detox, like being able to focus on the present without being distracted and falling asleep more easily at night if you don't use technology immediately before bed.
Try disconnecting from electronics for a day or simply a few hours to focus on yourself and interact with friends, family, and your partner.
Step Away From Social Media
It may be beneficial to take a vacation from social media if you find yourself feeling sad, angry, resentful, jealous, or any other negative emotions after browsing through your Instagram account.
While social media can be a useful tool for keeping in touch with friends and family and for making new connections, it can also be a source of social comparison for many people. Keep in mind that social media is nothing more than a highlight reel of other people's life.
Volunteer in Your Community
Find a cause that you care about and ways to contribute. For example, you could foster a puppy or cat, volunteer at a food bank, or mentor or tutor a kid.
Joining a volunteer organization can help you grow your community and meet people who share your interests. Volunteering benefits others and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Do a Good Deed
Even modest gestures, such as paying for the person in line behind you's coffee, can raise your mood.
Consider how you may support a friend, family member, coworker, or someone else in your life with tiny deeds. You may volunteer at a local retirement home, clean up a park, write a letter of gratitude to a loved one, or donate to a non-profit that shares your interests and values.
Develop Hobbies
Discover activities that you enjoy, such as painting, athletics, cooking, gardening, photography, or working out.
Hobbies provide you with delight as well as a sense of purpose. Here are some things to think about if you're not sure what you want to do for a hobby:
Some hobbies can be done alone, while others can be done with friends and family or to meet new people.
After you've tried a few of these 12 activities, figure out which ones work best for you and include them into your daily, weekly, or monthly routine. The more constant you are with your spiritual endeavors, just like with exercising or eating a nutritious diet as part of preventive care, the more positive outcomes you'll see.