Spirituality and Addiction: Healing With Transcendence

When it comes to difficult times, we cannot solely rely on worldly things or ourselves to find that deep-rooted peace that we need. In these moments, a lot of us turn to spirituality to find support and strength that can help uplift the situation.

Although science has been slow to acknowledge the dimension of the human experience, there is a growing body of research that supports the nurturing relationship of spirituality and addiction when it comes to healing.

Research has shown that spirituality positively impacts the outcomes of addiction treatment programs. It has been demonstrated that a belief in God, transcendence, or a higher power is associated with a greater likelihood of recovery and lesser risk of relapsing.

For people who are struggling with addiction, spirituality offers a universal way to find meaning in these challenges and see its purpose in helping them achieve a greater sense of self.

What Is Spirituality?

Spirituality goes beyond the physical aspects of faith. It involves reflecting on how we relate to the world and being spiritually intimate with a higher being. In its essence, it’s about how we detach from our own self, surrender to a higher power, and accept the things that are out of our control. Overall, it enables us to form a deeper connection with nature and achieve personal growth.

What Role Does Spirituality Play in Addiction Recovery?

The practice of spirituality is crucial for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Given that addiction recovery often involves challenging harmful thoughts and beliefs, spirituality opens up new avenues for people to find better ways to cope and move forward with life.

Spiritually-based addiction treatment programs offer guidance and support that enables people struggling with addiction to focus on reconnecting with themselves and with the world around them. It grounds everyone and reawakens a sense of life that was once lost because of addiction.

What Are Some Spirituality Activities for Recovering Addicts?

1. Devotional Activities

These activities involve practices that help people gain a feeling of transcendence and connect to a higher power. This can be done differently by people, and some of the most common devotional activities include:

• Attending religious worships services
• Singing sacred songs
• Reading passages from a holy book
• Praying
• Repeating mantras

For others, it can be simply listening to music or observing an art piece.

2. Meditation

Meditation usually involves deep breaths, focusing on a specific point, aiming to achieve self-regulation and mindfulness. It is a range of practices used to increase one’s awareness, improve relaxation, and develop compassion. Regularly practicing meditative activities helps people remain still, have a clear mind, and achieve high concentration levels. It promotes a state of relaxation where people in recovery can get in touch with their feelings.

3. Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism that is often related to spirituality. Today, western cultures view yoga as a mindfulness practice that involves a collection of stretching and breathing exercises, which promotes a stronger mental, physical, and emotional balance. Studies have shown that those who regularly partake in the activity experience an abundance of biological and psychological health benefits.

4. Gratitude

For this activity, people in recovery take time to pause and be thankful for the positive things that happen in their life. No matter how big or small the reason is for being thankful, every moment counts. Individuals are encouraged to spend at least a few minutes daily to either verbally express their gratitude or write in a gratitude journal. These practices can also extend outside the self in the form of giving letters or cards to people or just simply doing something nice for them.

The outcomes of these spiritual practices yield physical, emotional, and psychological benefits, which include:

• Improved sleep
• Stronger physical health
• Enhanced empathy
• Quality friendships and relationships
• Increased positive emotions

How Does Spirituality Aid in Addiction Recovery?

Spirituality and addiction recovery bring about a lot of great benefits in uplifting and comforting struggling individuals. In times of difficulty, people who practice spirituality find a renewed spirit and eventually improve their physical and mental health.

Below are some of the areas of addiction treatment that spirituality improves:

1. Healing

Spirituality helps people in recovery heal from their past mistakes. Through this type of healing, they learn to forgive, reconnect with others, and feel a sense of belongingness. In the process, these individuals also find healthier ways to heal, like expressing their private thoughts through journaling. At the end of the day, they would review what they wrote and gain a new perspective of their change and growth.

2. Coping Skills

Several studies suggest that spirituality brings about coping skills that help in addiction recovery. In one study, individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders expressed that spirituality became a source of inner strength to help manage their cravings. Moreover, spirituality has been found to aid abstinence after treatment. Spirituality helped these people better cope with the impulses and challenges that accompany the disorders.

3. Meaningful connection

Having a support system makes a huge difference for an individual in recovery. As addiction often pushes people to disconnect from others, spirituality works to help them restore a sense of belongingness, encouraging them to make meaningful connections not only with other people but also with a higher power.

4. Purpose

Addiction causes people to feel lost and purposeless. Spirituality restores this lost sense of purpose by helping recovering addicts find it outside of themselves. Spirituality activities help them feel important and valued.

5. Quality Life

A study that reviewed more than 200 studies discovered that spirituality was linked with reduced psychopathology and improved emotional well-being. Patients who have strong religious faith showed higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

Spiritual Healing at Haven House Recovery Center

At Haven House Recovery Center, we promote these spiritual benefits through our Christ-based approach to addiction recovery. Our spirituality guidance counselors help men dealing with addiction lead a life filled with hope and a deeper sense of self.

Our recovery house for drug rehab around Nashville, TN, offers social, emotional, and spiritual healing. Our team facilitates social activities and work therapies where people can learn new skills and gain a renewed sense of purpose.

If you’re looking for a recovery center in Nashville, head down to Haven House. For inquiries about our program and free assessment, contact us today.