Many people who battle addiction can be put off by the idea of getting help because they have heard there is a spiritual component to the recovery process and they do not feel they fit within a spiritual framework. This is most likely because many people equate spirituality to religion and misunderstand the true definition of spirituality.
Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling, sense, or belief in something greater than oneself, something more to existing than sensory experience, and that the greater whole we are a part of is cosmic in nature. It means recognizing that our lives have importance beyond our day-to-day existence. It’s part of the human experience to ponder and explore who we are and what our life is about.
How Is Spirituality Used in Addiction Recovery?
Because spirituality is an extremely personal matter, many recovery programs leave the definition of spirituality up to each individual, allowing each person to believe in their own spiritual entity. While some people see their higher power as God, others as nature, others as their ancestors, it can really be any spiritual entity that has personal meaning. This entity could be anything from nature to all living things to the universe as a whole.
Some of the steps in recovery programs that incorporate spirituality include prayer, meditation, and relating to one’s higher power about one’s struggles. These acts help individuals get in touch with their moral compasses and learn how to use them as guides for how to live their lives. Practicing spirituality can also help individuals realize that we all have human weaknesses which can lead to new perspectives on certain problems.
Gaining Gratitude From Spirituality
Gratitude is a common and strong theme in many forms of spirituality and spiritual practices. When individuals follow the guidance of spirituality, they are often encouraged and inspired to be more grateful for people, things, and events in their lives. When individuals gain a sense of gratefulness, they tend to be more successful in recovery and preventing relapse. This is why gratitude has such an important role in the recovery process.
Gratitude has a way of helping people stay focused on the positive and helpful things in life, allowing them to hone in strongly on the recovery process. In addition, gratitude can make an important difference by reminding individuals of the benefits of living a sober life. The more gratitude recovering individuals gain for the good things in life, the less they are drawn to the negative aspects.
Gaining Meaningful Connection From Spirituality
Many people feel lost and lacking in purpose in life during and after addiction. Addiction can bring feelings of isolation and disconnection. Spirituality can help with these feelings by encouraging those in recovery to focus on themselves and step out of their comfort zone to connect with others.
Because community, connection, and a sense of purpose are the foundations on which life in recovery is built, spirituality plays a major role in the process. In recovery, it’s important to discover a sense of being a part of something. Because of the group nature of spiritual practices, they can improve and enhance connectivity with others. This sober community that those in recovery build is key to maintaining sobriety throughout and after treatment.
Gaining Strength From Spirituality
Addiction can be crippling to a person’s sense of strength, but when they tap into spirituality, their focus shifts from their worries to the world around them. Although these practices can be difficult, they can also be comforting and uplifting, giving individuals the strength they need to continue throughout the recovery process.
Practicing spirituality can also provide healing from past mistakes, allowing recovering individuals to practice forgiveness, reconnect with others, and find a sense of belonging. All of this can help those people gain back that sense of strength they may feel they had lost. This strength can lift them through the difficult parts of recovery so that they can keep moving forward.
Why You Should Find Treatment That Incorporates Spirituality
With all the benefits spiritual elements bring to addiction recovery, it’s no wonder why 73% of addiction treatment programs in the United States include a spirituality-based element of some sort. Spirituality has many benefits for a person’s life, especially during addiction recovery. Addiction recovery acts as a leap of faith to challenge harmful thoughts, and spirituality can help replace those thoughts with uplifting, motivating thoughts. It can provide guidance for all-around better ways of living.
In addition, it teaches invaluable lessons like how to respect oneself and others, how to gain new perspectives on problems, and how to receive and give support to others. All of these lessons can be extremely useful during and even after recovery.
A spiritual recovery process from addiction supports the strength needed to work through treatment, embrace recovery, and live a fulfilling sober life. Spirituality has the power to fill in the spaces inside of us that once felt empty before recovery. Bella Monte Recovery Center in Desert Hot Springs, California, encourages and supports the exploration of the mind, body, and spirit connection with the belief that the collective overall health of these three elements creates maximum advantages for wellness and healthiness throughout one’s life. Here at Bella Monte Recovery, we strongly believe that recovery is based on a connection with self and others through a spiritual conduit of some sort, whatever that may look like for you. We let you decide and cater your personalized recovery to your needs. If you need help with addiction, don’t wait to get your recovery journey started. Call 855-808-4213 to learn more.