The Role of Spirituality in Treating Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

Prolonged use and abuse of substances (alcohol, cocaine, and/or opiates) can often negatively affect the mind, body, and spirit of those individuals who use them, and progress into dependence and addiction. In order to effectively intervene, these same domains (mind, body, and spirit) must be addressed during treatment, and be part of the ongoing education and clinical supervision with the staff providing treatment. This article describes the findings of a qualitative Cross-Sectional Survey Design that examines the role and influence of Spirituality on a sample of 50 men and women diagnosed with substance use disorders (addiction), residing in a 30-day residential treatment program. Many treatment programs include information designed to educate individuals on the negative effects of substance use and abuse on the mind, body, and spirit from a variety of perspectives, but provide few practices and little understanding on the spiritual aspects of recovering from substance use disorders. Using an availability sampling method, survey data from 31 residents in treatment for substance use disorders/ addiction was collected. The finding of this study help provide an overview of Spirituality as it relates to the treatment of substance use disorders and addiction, and explain the value of using a Spiritual approach in the treatment of substance use disorders, as reported by the participants of this study.

Assessment of components of crack users’ attention network

“…The importance of considering religious and spiritual dimension in the process of recovery from disease and chemical dependency is proved as complementary resource to the treatment (22)(23) . However, what is questioned with regard to therapeutic farms in the Single Health System, is the financing without criticism and public inspection of institutions that impose a religious belief and a moral-based therapeutic project, leaving behind a universal policy that would benefit this whole population.…”

“…Somehow, therapeutic farms respond, immediately, to family and users' anguishes that don't find, in public services, answers to their problems (23) . As they leave the farm, with a routine built in months of conservative treatment, users largely retake their life histories marked by weak social bonds and vulnerability situations.…”

Formation of spiritual culture and environmentally responsible human behavior

“…But the general situation here obliges in a timely manner to generalize and deepen ideas about the essence of changes in each of the parties, the nature of their interaction in the dynamics and statics of the real life of society and the individual, and on this basis to substantiate ideas, directions and "technologies" of reproduction and development of spiritual foundations in all forms being a person. J. DiReda, J. Gonsalvez considers in turn, when the criteria of spirituality more and more powerfully declare themselves in the changing conditions, the consideration of the spiritual and the problems of its implementation requires a rethinking of methodological, applied, theoretical and methodological issues directly related to the solution of the spiritual means of specific tasks facing society [6].…”

Developing the Spirituality in Recovery Framework: The Function of Spirituality in 12-Step Substance Use Disorder Recovery

“…Some studies have begun to explore the applications, perceptions, and assessments of spirituality in treatment and recovery from SUD (Amato & Szydlowski, 2015; Brown & Peterson, 1991; DiReda & Gonsalvez, 2016; Galanter et al, 2007). The Brown–Peterson Recovery Progress Inventory is a specific metric developed to capture certain “spiritual practices” and their potential impact on recovery (Brown & Peterson, 1991).…”