Spirituality In Addiction Recovery
It has been said that addicts who enter into recovery are actually fortunate for they are forced to take a look at themselves and their spirituality. By self-examination, recovering addicts are able to realize that their lack of spirituality is partly the cause of their distress.
It seems that many people are incapable of tolerating themselves because they have a negative feelings about themselves. They start to have a distorted self image which leads them to go to great lengths to escape or deny their identity as they perceive it. All of these things make discovering spirituality impossible.
I have always called it self-inventory when I take stock of where I am in life and how I feel about where I am. Sadly, years started to pile up where I was avoiding performing self-inventory due to fear and disgust. I had neglected my spirit for so long that I was truly afraid of what I would find if I looked. So I didn't look.
A very important component of spirituality is self improvement. But, it is impossible to embark on self improvement without knowing where your starting point is. To get a starting point, you need to do a self-inventory and find out what your assets are and in what areas that you need work.
Like I said, for years I hid from myself and refused to perform a self inventory. There for I never made any self improvements and since self improvement is such a huge component of spirituality I was void of spirituality.
It was not until I entered into addiction recovery that I was forced to take a good look at myself. I can honestly say that I'm thankful for where my recovery has taken me. I have been able to accept the fact that spirituality seems to be more about questions than it is about answers.
Different people have different ideas of what spirituality entails. I can't even begin to explain to you in words what my idea of spirituality is, I just know it when I feel it.
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November 18th, 2007 - 16:32
I had a chunk of clean and sober time before I had headed into a relapse. I had done the “do” things. I went meetings, I had a sponsor, I worked the steps, yet my world was still stripped of colour.
When things went off track I went off to rehab, and through some very extraordinary experiences through the blessing to be able to go to Africa shortly after getting out, I discovered my own spirituality.
Since coming back, I’ve found recovery to be an entirely new experience. I’ve harnessed what has happened through that experience and have gone on to study a non-12 step spiritual system which has brought me closer to the steps.
Now I find the miracles continue.
August 19th, 2009 - 16:33
Thank you for this information. I’m an addict in recovery for4+ years now and I’m doing a presentation on “Spirituality in Recovery”.This stuff really helped me.
November 8th, 2009 - 10:02
Excellent article! Thank you for pointing out the importance of spirituality in conjunction with recovery. Looking at oneself is difficult, however, allowing the spirit within each of us to grow allows for greater success in dealing with addiction. Also,finding a drug rehab will help one find that much needed lihgt that wants to shine in each of us.
December 22nd, 2009 - 11:42
I agree that spirituality is a critical component to addiction recovery, however the “I just know it when I feel it ” is too vague. After a lot of thinking and talking and reading I have come up with the following definition for a class I teach called ” Spirituality in Recovery” “Spirituality is a connection to a positive power greater than yourself”
However one comes to that connection, be it through organized religion or some other way, however one visualizes that positive power to be is up to the individual.
I believe that this one of the beauties of the 12 steps “God as we understood Him”
March 24th, 2010 - 21:51
Thank you!!!! I really need to hear this over & over again….
May 4th, 2010 - 19:38
Thank you very much!!!!!