Do you think you need to find spirituality in order to recover from addiction?
Adventures In SpaceTime
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 5,827
Spiritual experiences are given respective opportunity from collective individual life choices, and so, any need for such experiences before recovery will likely be required during and after recovery.
Just my thoughts.
Absolutely many can and do recover without prior spiritual experiences. Living a spiritual life is a free choice, and I'll also say, any spiritual living practice which is not free choice, is simply more enslavement to whatever.
No freedom means just another useless wasted day.
Kicking alcohol/drugs is of course a freedom in itself, and for many, that is more than enough, no problemo. Others may feel differently, and they require a wholesale change in their psyche to be free. Still others feel an honest need to be spiritually free as well to be able to enjoy their freedoms...
Its all relative, yeah?
Just my thoughts.
Absolutely many can and do recover without prior spiritual experiences. Living a spiritual life is a free choice, and I'll also say, any spiritual living practice which is not free choice, is simply more enslavement to whatever.
No freedom means just another useless wasted day.
Kicking alcohol/drugs is of course a freedom in itself, and for many, that is more than enough, no problemo. Others may feel differently, and they require a wholesale change in their psyche to be free. Still others feel an honest need to be spiritually free as well to be able to enjoy their freedoms...
Its all relative, yeah?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 590
That's an extremely difficult question to answer as the word spirituality has about as many different meanings as there are people in the world. I think the only one who can answer it correctly is the one who is recovering.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,044
I agree with all of the above posts. I have always gone to church, and while I don't agree with everything they say, I take messages that help me. I also thing yoga and meditation can be helpful.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: fort wayne, IN.
Posts: 1,085
Good question. For me, alcoholism is powerful. It feels like it has a life of it's own, a life bigger than mine. Maybe to be free from it requires a power equal to it. A power that is bigger than something I can truly understand or articulate.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Starting over all over again
Posts: 4,426
I find that I need to separate the concepts of "Higher Power" from "Higher Path" from "spirituality".
I need a "Higher Power" to keep me from drinking because all the other "powers" I tried did not work. In my case, my addiction is a chemical thing. Like tossing a match on gasoline. All my will power did _nothing_ to stop the fire once the "match" made contact. I need something more powerful than me to keep that gas from exploding.
I need a "Higher Path" to give purpose to my life. Just living for my own entertainment gets very dull, very quickly. After I get bored I get irritable, then I'm restless, then I'm discontent, and then getting drunk starts to sound interesting.
"Spirituality" is just the specific actions I take in my daily life to keep me on that "Higher Path" and "connected" to that Higher Power.
The caveat is that I am a dumpster wino. My attempts at directing my own life with myself as my "higher power" resulted in my living in a dumpster, digging around for beer cans that might still have a few drops of life left in them. Which means that a "Higher Path", from my where I come from, is not all that much higher than a dumpster. It just has to be "higher" than what I am able to do by myself.
As to what other people do with their own lives, I cannot comment. My "success" at guiding my own life has taught me that I have no credentials with which to comment on anybody else's life. I have found that the 12 steps work just fine for me, and I have seen that there's a wide variety of other methods that work just as well for other people. I have learned to just shut up and listen to other people's views and whadya know, there's always something useful for me in somebody else's perspective on the world.
Mike
I need a "Higher Power" to keep me from drinking because all the other "powers" I tried did not work. In my case, my addiction is a chemical thing. Like tossing a match on gasoline. All my will power did _nothing_ to stop the fire once the "match" made contact. I need something more powerful than me to keep that gas from exploding.
I need a "Higher Path" to give purpose to my life. Just living for my own entertainment gets very dull, very quickly. After I get bored I get irritable, then I'm restless, then I'm discontent, and then getting drunk starts to sound interesting.
"Spirituality" is just the specific actions I take in my daily life to keep me on that "Higher Path" and "connected" to that Higher Power.
The caveat is that I am a dumpster wino. My attempts at directing my own life with myself as my "higher power" resulted in my living in a dumpster, digging around for beer cans that might still have a few drops of life left in them. Which means that a "Higher Path", from my where I come from, is not all that much higher than a dumpster. It just has to be "higher" than what I am able to do by myself.
As to what other people do with their own lives, I cannot comment. My "success" at guiding my own life has taught me that I have no credentials with which to comment on anybody else's life. I have found that the 12 steps work just fine for me, and I have seen that there's a wide variety of other methods that work just as well for other people. I have learned to just shut up and listen to other people's views and whadya know, there's always something useful for me in somebody else's perspective on the world.
Mike
Member of SMART Recovery
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,722
I don't believe there is any one thing that is universally needed to recover from addiction. There are simply too many philosophies, approaches--and definitions both of "spirituality" and "recovery" to make such blanket statements.
What I have found for myself is that I most definitely do not benefit from tethering my decision to abstain from alcohol to amorphous concepts such as "spiritual fitness". My decision to abstain (which I made over 14 years ago) is a very simple, black and white, permanent thing: drinking simply isn't an option, now or ever.
What I HAVE found is that having a functional life following my addiction requires me to live in a way that's consistent with my values. That's fairly straightforward now, but required a good bit of work in the beginning when I wasn't quite sure what my values actually were! I have experienced this process as a spiritual one, but I would never presume to tell someone else they must see it that way in their own lives.
What I have found for myself is that I most definitely do not benefit from tethering my decision to abstain from alcohol to amorphous concepts such as "spiritual fitness". My decision to abstain (which I made over 14 years ago) is a very simple, black and white, permanent thing: drinking simply isn't an option, now or ever.
What I HAVE found is that having a functional life following my addiction requires me to live in a way that's consistent with my values. That's fairly straightforward now, but required a good bit of work in the beginning when I wasn't quite sure what my values actually were! I have experienced this process as a spiritual one, but I would never presume to tell someone else they must see it that way in their own lives.
Not Alone
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: South East UK
Posts: 1,513
I'm going to be a bit biased here. As a member of a 12 step fellowship I believe that I need some type of higher being to keep me clean and sober. I exhausted all other alternatives and had nothing to lose so I got willing to believe. Spirituality and believing in a being that will help you are two different things in my opinion. I live a spiritual life, I pray to a spiritual being, and since I have been doing that my life has improved for the better. Just having some kind of element of faith took so much weight off my shoulders.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Somewhere in the sands of time
Posts: 1,462
I say for myself, most definetly! I find that in my experience, people with no spiritual foundation are hard to for me to connect with. I don't think they are bad people, I just have a deep rooted belief that there is life beyond this and I will be reunited with my loved ones and God at some point, hopefully not anytime soon!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,641
Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?
I myself feel that as I was drinking, anything good and hopeful fell by the wayside.
Even my job as a nurse was seen as me being this "woe is me! Look at all I do for others!"
But deep down, I was selfish, greedy and self-pitying and miserable.
I started by just STOPPING! Whatever it took. Meetings, withdrawal, misery. Emotions were off the charts.
I have changed my outlook, my expectations of others (huge), tackled my fears (huge), I do my job with a different attitude now.
I try and visit my old fogie annoying relatives, I help newcomers or those struggling. I was too much into helping others and it was an ego thing. I didn't seek help for myself, but was helping those I deemed "worse" than me. I had to have a look at that.
I pray on my knees morning and night.
I have a little chat with myself and anyone else who might be listening!
Have I had a spiritual experience?
I don't know.
I do know, I am living a higher standard of living.
I am trying to be better, in all my affairs.
Each crisis and hardship I overcome, leaves me in a better place.
Lastly, a little joke;
Paddy was on his death-bed.
The priest was called.
"Paddy", the priest said solemnly," Do you accept God as your saviour and that Jesus died on the cross for your sins?"
Paddy, "I do, Father".
Priest, "And do you renounce satan and all his minions?"
Paddy, "No Father".
Priest, confused, "Why not Paddy? What are you thinking?"
Paddy, "Father, I am in no position now to be making enemies."
I myself feel that as I was drinking, anything good and hopeful fell by the wayside.
Even my job as a nurse was seen as me being this "woe is me! Look at all I do for others!"
But deep down, I was selfish, greedy and self-pitying and miserable.
I started by just STOPPING! Whatever it took. Meetings, withdrawal, misery. Emotions were off the charts.
I have changed my outlook, my expectations of others (huge), tackled my fears (huge), I do my job with a different attitude now.
I try and visit my old fogie annoying relatives, I help newcomers or those struggling. I was too much into helping others and it was an ego thing. I didn't seek help for myself, but was helping those I deemed "worse" than me. I had to have a look at that.
I pray on my knees morning and night.
I have a little chat with myself and anyone else who might be listening!
Have I had a spiritual experience?
I don't know.
I do know, I am living a higher standard of living.
I am trying to be better, in all my affairs.
Each crisis and hardship I overcome, leaves me in a better place.
Lastly, a little joke;
Paddy was on his death-bed.
The priest was called.
"Paddy", the priest said solemnly," Do you accept God as your saviour and that Jesus died on the cross for your sins?"
Paddy, "I do, Father".
Priest, "And do you renounce satan and all his minions?"
Paddy, "No Father".
Priest, confused, "Why not Paddy? What are you thinking?"
Paddy, "Father, I am in no position now to be making enemies."
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,550
In my own personal experience, it's been the other way around. That is after an extended period of sobriety I believe I am now able to get in touch with my real self, and in touch with whatever "reality" is. There are lots of different views on what is "spiritual" and to debate all that seems pointless. Maybe it would just be better to say that I feel more at peace, both with myself and with others. I have my self respect back. I don't go to church or meditate but I do like to look at the trees and the flowers and listen to some of the music I love. And I look in my dog's eyes and see that there is a little creature who cares, really cares. Is that spiritual? Well I'll settle for that whatever it is.
W.
W.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Posts: 384
I guess for me , I required surrender and then a set of principles to mend the mangled mess I made from using.
Others seem to be able to stop using be all sorts of means with or without spirituality.
I wasn't really able to do that for any length of time and I am still pretty new in sobriety but I guess I wanted more than just to be sober. My existence was just that , an existence, and not so much a life let alone a fulfilling and contented life.
I guess I signed up for what Robby called the wholesale change in my psyche and so far it sure feels better than the old one so I will go with it.
Others seem to be able to stop using be all sorts of means with or without spirituality.
I wasn't really able to do that for any length of time and I am still pretty new in sobriety but I guess I wanted more than just to be sober. My existence was just that , an existence, and not so much a life let alone a fulfilling and contented life.
I guess I signed up for what Robby called the wholesale change in my psyche and so far it sure feels better than the old one so I will go with it.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 9
I couldn't have said it better!!!!!!
Originally Posted by escapist 
Good question. For me, alcoholism is powerful. It feels like it has a life of it's own, a life bigger than mine. Maybe to be free from it requires a power equal to it. A power that is bigger than something I can truly understand or articulate.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: The Trenches, Texas
Posts: 778
I thought a lot of things throughout my recovery, most have not mattered when you have a mind as sick as mine. What my experience has shown thus far was what I needed to find was a power by which I could live life. I saw I never had any power.
All through my childhood I would wonder what's wrong with me. Wonder when the mothership is coming back to pick me up? Does everyone else feel as disconnected as me? Why do I feel so inadequate with everything I do? Why am I always afraid? etc...etc...etc...
Turns out all of that is because I am pretty darn inadequate. My inadequacies bring me to the table. That rigorous honesty with myself regarding my shortcomings. The amount of direction in life I lack.
Turns out lack of power was my problem. I didn't have the needed power to pull off a satisfactory life. I couldn't manage it. I tried to wrest satisfaction but the burden of that, the load of it, was just more than I could bear. Like plugging a 110 volt blender into a 220 volt socket. The load is too much. It doesn't have the capacity. Much like I don't have the capacity to handle my life and all of it's affairs.
I tried to debate it. I didn't want spirituality to be the answer. I had good insurance. Treatment centers sounded great and they failed. Therapy sounded great and after a time my therapist suggested he could no longer be of service to me. He didn't want my money. He suggested I seek a spiritual solution. That wasn't comforting. Turns out the place he sent me had that same story in their text book. An early member spent a year in therapy with Dr. Carl Jung. After a year with Dr. Jung the guy was drunk before he made it back to the boat to travel back to the states. That was me.
The more time I spend in recovery. The more alcoholics I get to work with...the more I see how correct Einstein was. Einstein said, "the greatest optical illusion of mankind is that more than one of us exists." We are all the same buddy. I was sitting across from a newcomer last night doing some step work. He was identical to a guy I sponsored about 2 years ago. Same voice, same everything. Then he told enough of his story, employment history, drug use, etc...he told my story. He didn't know it until I shared mine with him. I got to see him wake up a little last night. Maybe he will continue the exercise I left him with and wake a little more, maybe not. Some do, some don't.
I like to overcomplicate and overanalyze things...the bottom line was I needed a power in my life to do some things I could never quite seem to do. I found it and I give it away freely to those that would have it. The strange paradox is the more of it I give away the more that comes back to me. Today I am a rich man.
All through my childhood I would wonder what's wrong with me. Wonder when the mothership is coming back to pick me up? Does everyone else feel as disconnected as me? Why do I feel so inadequate with everything I do? Why am I always afraid? etc...etc...etc...
Turns out all of that is because I am pretty darn inadequate. My inadequacies bring me to the table. That rigorous honesty with myself regarding my shortcomings. The amount of direction in life I lack.
Turns out lack of power was my problem. I didn't have the needed power to pull off a satisfactory life. I couldn't manage it. I tried to wrest satisfaction but the burden of that, the load of it, was just more than I could bear. Like plugging a 110 volt blender into a 220 volt socket. The load is too much. It doesn't have the capacity. Much like I don't have the capacity to handle my life and all of it's affairs.
I tried to debate it. I didn't want spirituality to be the answer. I had good insurance. Treatment centers sounded great and they failed. Therapy sounded great and after a time my therapist suggested he could no longer be of service to me. He didn't want my money. He suggested I seek a spiritual solution. That wasn't comforting. Turns out the place he sent me had that same story in their text book. An early member spent a year in therapy with Dr. Carl Jung. After a year with Dr. Jung the guy was drunk before he made it back to the boat to travel back to the states. That was me.
The more time I spend in recovery. The more alcoholics I get to work with...the more I see how correct Einstein was. Einstein said, "the greatest optical illusion of mankind is that more than one of us exists." We are all the same buddy. I was sitting across from a newcomer last night doing some step work. He was identical to a guy I sponsored about 2 years ago. Same voice, same everything. Then he told enough of his story, employment history, drug use, etc...he told my story. He didn't know it until I shared mine with him. I got to see him wake up a little last night. Maybe he will continue the exercise I left him with and wake a little more, maybe not. Some do, some don't.
I like to overcomplicate and overanalyze things...the bottom line was I needed a power in my life to do some things I could never quite seem to do. I found it and I give it away freely to those that would have it. The strange paradox is the more of it I give away the more that comes back to me. Today I am a rich man.
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