Besides
belief in a highly transformative spiritual rebirth through the encounter of
the Holy Spirit (spirit of Jesus), conservative Christianity majorly promotes
and encourages self-control amongst its believers. It is prudent to note that
most addictions arise when victims give up on pursuing particular religious,
spiritual, moral and social values that once held them in check and
accountable. Every human being has some unique crave in the heart which when
not put under control amount to self-destruction to the being in long run.
The
writer of one of the epistles in the Christian holy book had this to say, “….I
will not be mastered by anything" (I Corinthians 6:12). This sturdy phrase
was adapted from one of the Christian recovery messages, “Your real problem is
not an incurable illness, but sin. And Jesus came to deal with sin (I
Corinthians 5:11). You need to be spiritually reborn and baptized with the Holy
Spirit. You need to change your life patterns.”
Research
has shown that being a part of a faith-based community, participating in
religious activities, or associating with a network of individuals who share
similar beliefs increases self-esteem, wellbeing, and a feeling of belonging.
Spiritual
beliefs and practices impacts addiction in three potential ways:
- A member of a certain religion
may be less likely to engage in illicit behavior or drug use if that
religion prohibits it
- Participation in a religious or
like-minded community may fill social voids, providing both a sense of
belonging and acceptance
- Connection or closeness to a higher power provides a feeling of optimism for the future, as well as strength to resist hard to crack behaviors and substance use
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