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Spirituality and Drug Addiction Recovery

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Spirituality and Drug Addiction Recovery Spirituality, Substance Use and Recovery Presenter Dr. Tracy Nichols DISCLAIMER In compliance with ACCME guidelines, the following speakers have no financial or other relationships with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial services(s) discussed in this educational activity. Domestic ATTCs’ Mission Established in 1993 by SAMHSA, the domestic ATTCs: Accelerate the adoption and implementation of evidence‐based and promising addiction treatment and recovery-oriented practices and services; Heighten the awareness, knowledge, and skills of the workforce that addresses the needs of people with substance use and/or other behavioral health disorders; and Foster regional and national alliances among culturally diverse practitioners, researchers, policy makers, funders, and the recovery community. Spirituality, Substance Use and Recovery Presenter Dr. Tracy Nichols OBJECTIVES Learn the benefits of Spirituality in recovery. Learn how to implement Spirituality through recovery. Learn different ways of embracing Spirituality. Learn how to connect to your higher power within you. "The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the INNER ATTITUDES OF THEIR MINDS, can change the OUTER ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES." - William James What is Spirituality? What is Substance Use? Spirituality is the experience and Addiction is characterized by inability to integration of meaning and consistently abstain, impairment in purpose in life through behavioral control, craving, diminished connectedness with self, others, recognition of significant problems with art, music, literature, nature or a one’s behaviors and interpersonal power greater than oneself relationships, and a dysfunctional (Burkhart and Solari-Twadell). emotional response. Three dimensional cognitive– What is Recovery? behavioral process-relationship Recovery is a process of change through with self, others, and a higher which individuals improve their health power (Brown, Peterson, & and wellness, live a self-directed life, Cunningham,1988). and strive to reach their full potential. FEATURES OF SPIRITUALITY FEATURES OF SUBSTANCE USE ❖ Fear ❖ Hope ❖ Secrets and Hiding ❖ Meaningful connection ❖ Self-ridicule ❖ Meaning and purpose ❖ Shame (action against morals) ❖ Forgiveness/Acceptance ❖ Barriers to intimacy (self, others and ❖ Sense of belonging Spirit) ❖ Relationships/Community ❖ Disconnection/Isolation WHY SPIRITUALITY IS IMPORTANT IN DRUG SUBSTANCE RECOVERY? • Addiction takes away our ability to be spiritual. • It disconnects us from our spirituality • It does not let people connect with powers, people, and things outside of ourselves. To fully recover from our addiction we must reconnect to our spirituality, our search for purpose in our life, and connections beyond ourselves. FACTS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE Americans over the age of 12 have an addiction. People with addictions have a dependence on both alcohol and illicit drugs. People with an addiction have a mental illness. Of those with an addiction began drinking, smoking or using illicit drugs before the age of 18. BENEFITS OF SPIRITUALITY IN RECOVERY Researchers have well established that spirituality and religious involvement play a role in reducing substance abuse. It can give: ▪ A more optimistic, hopeful outlook on life ▪ An increased sense of social support ▪ Less anxiety ▪ Greater resilience to stress ▪ Helps the participants gain better coping skills, which in turn helps them to remain sober ▪ Provides them with strength to remain abstinent. ▪ Helps protect program participants from feelings of panic that may accompany sobriety BENEFITS OF SPIRITUALITY IN RECOVERY While early stages of SUBSTANCE USE treatment consist of abstaining from substances and fixing the damage caused by substance abuse, once a participant is sober, they may experience anxiety and wonder what to do next, now that they’ve reached their initial recovery goals. Spirituality can help individuals navigate their new lives, creating a framework to guide them down the path of recovery. Remission rates associated with five different measures of spirituality IMPLEMENTING SPIRITUALITY THROUGH RECOVERY Peers can help strengthen Go outside as much as Support and Community resolve and reinforce possible belief systems Spend more time with Observe your thoughts Peers can act as a protective loving and encouraging about the people around buffer against the urge to family and friends you abuse substances. Reduce distractions Look at art, listen to Drug addiction education (Phone, TV, Internet, music, sing and dance and counseling News) Participate in recovery Be intentional about Find ways to “be” without community Play prayer and meditation having to “do” something IMPLEMENT SPIRITUALITY THROUGH RECOVERY Relapse prevention Helping others Helping others Relapsetraining prevention and Detox and guided overcome addiction overcome addiction trainingtechniques and techniques withdrawal process Right Livelihood 12 Step Approach Carrying the message to others suffering Selfless Service Develop Compassion from addiction THE 12 STEP APPROACH TO SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol— Admission of powerlessness is the first step in that our lives had become liberation. unmanageable.” “Come to believe that a What can we believe in? Power greater than 2 Importance of an open mind. ourselves could restore us Turning our will over to a Higher Power. to sanity.” “Made a decision to turn How shall we let God into our lives? our will and our lives over Willingness is the key. 3 to the care of God, as we Sustained and personal exertion necessary to understand Him.” conform to God's will “Made a searching and How instincts can exceed their proper function? fearless moral inventory of Step four is an effort to discover our liabilities. 4 ourselves.” “Admitted to God, to Confession is an ancient discipline. Without ourselves, and to another fearless admission of defects, few could stay human being the exact sober. 5 nature of our wrongs.” We’re entirely ready to Step Six necessary to spiritual growth. have God remove all Recognition of difference between striving for these defects of 6 objective—and perfection. character.” Humbly asked Him to Step Seven is change in attitude which permits 7 remove our shortcomings. us to move out of ourselves toward God. “Made a list of all persons Step Eight is the beginning of the end of we had harmed, and isolation. became willing to make 8 amends to them all. “Made direct amends to such people wherever Readiness to take consequences of our past possible, except when to and to take responsibility for well-being of others 9 do so would injure them or is the spirit of Step Nine. others.” “Continued to take personal inventory and Self-searching becomes a regular habit. 10 when we were wrong Self restraint first objective. promptly admitted it.” “Sought through prayer and meditation to Meditation has no boundaries. improve our conscious Meditation and prayer to the main channels contact with God as we 11 to Higher Power. understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we try to carry What is spiritual awakening? A new state of 12 this message to alcoholics, consciousness and being is received as a free and to practice these gift. principles in all our affairs.” . This Step Makes You DIFFERENT WAYS OF EMBRACING SPIRITUALITY 1. RECOGNIZE YOUR CREATOR. Humble. 2.SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT MORE LOVE INTO THE WORLD. Loving And Lovable 3.RECOGNIZE YOUR MISTAKES. Responsible 4. SET ASIDE TIME EACH DAY TO SPEND Strong IN SPIRITUAL REFLECTION AND CONTEMPLATION. 5. FORGIVE ANYONE YOU HAVE NOT FORGIVEN. Kind 6. BECOME MORE ACCEPTING. Gracious. 7. TRY TO SEE THE GOOD IN OTHERS Positive. 8. TAKE STOCK OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOR Grow. 9.USE EACH INTERACTION TO BE THE BEST, MOST A Conduit Of God's Love POWERFUL VERSION OF YOURSELF . DIFFERENT WAYS OF EMBRACING SPIRITUALITY PROPHETIC HOLINESS HUMILITY COURAGE ACTION Humility is recognition Prophetic courage Spirituality transforms us Spirituality is not to see our self, as we is our affirmation to by allowing us to “spiritualism,” a system declare what’s right. participate in that which are, visitors in this life, of belief that diminishes It is the strength, is holy. When we and, as guests, to the significance of our the confidence to connect to God, the recognize the responsibility to make a persevere granted to us growth of our True Self opportunity and gifts the difference; rather, it is by our beliefs. leads us to fulfillment surround us—simply to behavior promoting to It draws out clarity about through awareness and be thankful for Power the Spirit. Faith the things that we conviction. In holiness we everything and and belief must be lived; believe. It permits us to participate in the Good, everyone. By feeling otherwise it is poetry define ourselves in the the Truth, the Absolute; thankful for the gift of and philosophy. face of opposition, not to we take part in the life and the Spirituality devoid of be subdued by forces awesome mystery of life’s opportunities it brings, action is like medicine in that might lead us to Force. Holiness is distinct we show that we know a bottle: to be of use, it compromise our from simple good feelings life is not only about must be Truth. Courage points and virtues; in holiness, us. We are not weak or embodied. Spirituality us to our goal and to the as a contract with God, passive but aware, as action is a conviction revolutionary, we are transformed by appreciative, and that connects physical transformative participation in His sensitive to all that life to the light of God. surrounds us. challenges of our beliefs. Presence. HOW TO CONNECT TO YOUR HIGHER POWER WITHIN YOU The following 3 concepts will help you get success in grasping the 12 step approach ACCEPTANCE SURRENDER ACTIVE Realizing that INVOLVEMENT substance use is a Giving up control to a chronic disease and that higher power and Being fully engaged willpower alone will not accepting the support of in each group be enough to overcome other recovering addicts meeting and any it.
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