Faith and Recovery - San Diego Addiction Treatment Center

What Is Christian-Based Treatment?

The defining characteristic of Christian-centered treatment options is that the methods and approaches are based on, or influenced by, Christian teachings. This means that they encourage spiritual reflection as part of rehabilitation and counseling, and use Christian scripture (as found in the Bible) to guide and direct patients through detoxification, as well as individual, group, or family counseling. Such programs often use testaments and testimonies of Christian tenets of God’s love and acceptance as sources of strength and inspiration for recovering individuals.

The journal Substance Abuse explains that faith-based drug treatment programs, driven by the Christian belief system that considers addiction to be an attempt to fill a spiritual void, present recovery in the context of being “saved” by God, establishing (or re-establishing) a long-term relationship with Him, and base their overall treatment activities on a model driven by Christian theology.^{^[1]}

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The History of Faith in Recovery

The intersection between the Christian faith and substance abuse treatment goes back a long way. Carl Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist who founded the field of analytical psychiatry, crafted the ideas of extraversion and introversion, psyche and self – concepts that have become standards in psychology today. In addition to his work in psychiatry, Jung also studied world religions, developing the idea that a person’s life was dependent upon spiritual wellbeing.^{^[2]}

Jung impressed this perspective onto an alcoholic patient of his, telling the man that the only assured way of beating the disease (since all other approaches had failed) was to find a spiritual experience. That conversation eventually made its way to the ears of Bill Wilson, the man who would combine his desperate desire to quit drinking with his newfound Christian faith to develop Alcoholics Anonymous. Indeed, Jung wrote to Wilson directly to explain that spiritualism was what was needed to overcome alcoholism.

Convinced of the effectiveness in using the Christian perspective to help alcoholics control their impulses, Wilson infused every level of Alcoholics Anonymous with appropriate symbolism. Even the iconic 12 Steps of AA derived its number from the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ.^{^[3]} Half of the 12 Steps mention God (or, for the benefit of secular or agnostic members, a “higher power”).^{^[4]}

Twelve-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous have come under criticism and scrutiny for their lack of transparency and eschewment of standardized scientific practices, but the core ideas of peer support, mutual help, and accountability are still supported. Recent Developments in Alcoholism called such groups “an ideal recovery resource.” The Alcohol Research & Health Journal states that 12-Step groups are “the most commonly sought source of help” for drug addiction. Refuting criticism published in The Atlantic, a Scientific American blog defends AA by explaining that it is still superior to other forms of substance abuse aftercare ^{^[5]}^{, ^[6], ^[7]}

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Faith-Based Rehab Success Rates: ‘Off the Charts’

Faith-based recovery has been gaining popularity in recent years, but how effective is this approach to treatment? The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services reported in 2008 that there were 527 faith-based rehabilitation centers in the United States. Since the staff of such treatment centers tend to be “unlicensed and nonprofessional,” as the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment noted, and treatment does not always adhere to standardized scientific methodologies, there exists a dearth of systematic empirical research into the effectiveness of faith-based programs.

Nonetheless, the directors of those programs focus less on the figures and data of their facilities’ success rates and more on their effectiveness. Speaking to The Fix, one director claims his program is “off the charts” successful; another says that both secular and religious treatment programs think very highly of his operation. A third director says 70-80 percent of the graduates of his program did not relapse within the past year; and another pointed at a two-year, in-house study that found 48 percent of its graduates maintained their sobriety after finishing their treatment.^{^[18]}
faith and relapse rate

Powerlessness and Submission

Using religion in substance abuse recovery can be a controversial topic, for the same reasons that 12-Step programs are criticized. Data is not very forthcoming, and the stress on spiritual, religious, or otherwise metaphysical treatment methods can be at odds with the established science of traditional approaches. A training and supervising analyst emeritus with the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute told Radio Boston that 12-Step programs have a success rate of just 5-10 percent.

What works about the 12-Step approach, he says, is the system of support and fellowship it encourages. Some individuals can make psychological use of the concept of the higher power, and for those who are so inclined, thinking of that higher power as the Christian God might be the lifeline they need to pull themselves through treatment.

In the same way that Step 1 of the 12 Steps calls for alcoholics to admit their powerlessness over alcohol, or their addiction, the idea of submitting to God is a key precept in Christianity; the Apostle Paul calls for believers to “submit [themselves] to one another out of reverence for Christ.” The thought of “submitting” may be an uncomfortable one to a lot of people, writes the author of the Christianity Today article that mentions that verse; ironically, he echoes the analyst of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society, who says that AA’s stress on having its members acknowledge their powerlessness is why a lot of people are turned off by it.^{^[19]}^{, ^[20]}

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Components of a Faith-Based Program

Faith-based recovery services are offered in a variety of settings, from inpatient residential treatment centers and hospitals to outpatient treatment centers, churches, and correctional facilities. Many of these programs do not require that clients identify with the organization’s religious affiliation, only that they respect its beliefs and remain open to the possibility of change. Some programs do require that participants attend religious meetings, meditation sessions, or worship services as part of their treatment plan.

A spiritually oriented rehab center should include the same core components as any other comprehensive treatment program, including:

Detox services
Individual therapy
Peer support groups
Twelve-step meetings and facilitation classes
Family and marriage counseling
Experiential therapies (art, music, or equine therapy)
Trauma and grief therapies

In order to motivate clients to change and to teach them the coping skills they need to manage life in recovery, these programs should offer research-based therapeutic modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). These therapies can be applied in tandem with religious teachings and practices to achieve the following goals:

Identify and change the destructive thought patterns that led to addictive behavior
Discover internal sources of motivation to overcome addiction
Learn new coping strategies to deal with the stresses of life
Build strong, trusting relationships with their loved ones and peers
Restore a sense of self-worth

Spiritual beliefs can provide a foundation of inner strength, which leads to a sense of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the conviction that one can handle the challenges of daily life, such as dealing with strong emotions, substance abuse triggers, or occupational stress. A study published in Substance Abuse & Misuse stated that 75 percent of participants in a faith-based rehab program found that religious faith and spirituality were useful components of their recovery.[21] In particular, the participants reported that their spiritual beliefs helped them manage drug and alcohol cravings and gave them a greater sense of self-efficacy, or the ability to cope with the challenges of sobriety.

Another study suggests that a faith-based approach to recovery may increase retention rates in rehab programs. This study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, followed a group of participants to discover the factors that motivated some of them to stay in treatment, while others dropped out before completing the program. Out of the 264 participants (42.7 percent) who remained in treatment, a significant number reported that they stayed because the program had given them the means to forgive themselves and others for the results of substance abuse.[22] The concept of forgiveness, a key tenet of Christianity and other religious traditions, allows rehab clients to overcome feelings of guilt and resentment, and to create strong, loving relationships with themselves and others.

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Faith-Based Aftercare and Transitional Housing

After completing a rehab program, clients can continue to draw spiritual support through aftercare programs, participation in religious groups, faith-based volunteer organizations, and faith-based transitional housing opportunities. Christian sober living homes have become a popular housing alternative for individuals who are searching for a safe, drug-free housing opportunity after leaving a residential treatment facility. In a sober living home, residents are expected to follow the rules of the community, such as abstaining from drugs and alcohol, performing chores, and attending house meetings and worship services. In exchange for observing these rules, they have the opportunity to practice their coping skills in a community setting without worrying about the distractions or triggers of mainstream life.

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Faith and Hope in Recovery

To echo the analyst’s point, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration calls community (“relationships and social networks” based on love, acceptance, forgiveness, and belonging) one of the four major dimensions that support recovery (the other three being health, home, and purpose).^{^[23]} Furthermore, SAMHSA says that hope – the belief that the challenges of substance abuse can be overcome – is the foundation of recovery; and perhaps not unrelated, that “hope” is one of the three theological virtues laid out in the First Book of Corinthians: “And now, these three remain: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.”

Faith-based programs may drive away people who cannot accept that recovery and relationship with God are the same thing; but speaking to The Fix, a four-time veteran of rehab said that secular treatment programs offer only temporary solutions – ones that leave people always trying to stay a step ahead of their problems. With Christian treatment, on the other hand, “you’re running [toward] something.”

love

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Resources on Faith-Based Recovery

Alcoholics Victorious (AV): Based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholics Victorious was founded in 1948 to provide support for alcoholics seeking recovery founded on Christian principles. AV groups meet around the country at churches, missions, Veterans Administration hospitals, and Salvation Army rehab centers. The AV website provides materials on Christian recovery, information about AV support groups, and other resources to help individuals seeking substance abuse treatment based on the Christian gospel.
Celebrate Recovery: This Christ-centered recovery program offers spiritual support and substance abuse recovery through its own version of the 12 Steps, along with Eight Recovery Principles based on Biblical teachings. Celebrate Recovery holds meetings around the world in a support group format similar to Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-Step fellowships.
Christians in Recovery (CIR): CIR is an online community that provides outreach and support to people seeking faith-based help with addiction. Its website includes access to a live chat helpline, online discussion forums, newsletters, articles, and blogs. Access to local support groups, workshops, and classes is also provided through this comprehensive site.
National Association for Christian Recovery (NACR): The NACR is a not-for-profit religious organization dedicated to the growth and support of Christian-based recovery groups. Among its services, NACR conducts workshops and conferences, and provides educational materials to recovery organizations or churches seeking to integrate recovery services with the message of the Christianity. The NACR website includes an extensive collection of articles on faith and recovery issues, as well as access to videos, books, and other materials on this subject.
Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Programs: The Salvation Army operates one of the largest Christian-based recovery services in the country through its Adult Rehabilitation Centers and Harbor Lights programs. These programs are open to individuals from all walks of life who require help meeting their physical, spiritual, or psychosocial needs. Recovery services include individual therapy, residential housing, work therapy, peer support groups, and leisure activities. All programs are supported by direct donations from the public through the Salvation Army Thrift Stores and other private contributions.
“So Help Me God: Substance Abuse, Religion and Spirituality”: A Report from Casa Columbia: This report from Casa Columbia, part of Columbia University, provides an in-depth look at the relationship between addiction, religion, and spirituality. The authors conducted extensive research, including literature reviews, database analyses, and surveys, to determine the role of religion and spiritual practice in substance abuse treatment. They concluded that religion and spirituality have great potential in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, and that members of the clergy, as well as medical professionals, should be trained in the use of spirituality as a tool for recovery.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI): This government program encompasses a group of organizations that foster the relationship between spirituality and substance abuse treatment. FBCI is an interdenominational effort that supports addiction treatment, mental health care, and substance abuse prevention at the local, state, and national levels.