Greetings, if you are reading this then there is a great chance that you or someone you know and love is currently suffering from an addiction or has in the past. Addiction is a disease that takes until there is nothing left. Many people suffer alone and silently until they succumb and we have yet another tragedy in the community, another statistic in the world. Every year hundreds of thousands of people die because of a substance use disorder or comorbid conditions.
For example, it is reported that about 6% of American adults have an alcohol use disorder, but only about 7% of them ever receive treatment of any kind. Think about how many people are either in denial about their condition or simply refuse to get help because they are ashamed or are too afraid to make a change. If you’ve ever suffered from an addiction, you know it can be an incredibly isolating experience in which you are eventually removed from society, from friends and family, and even from yourself. When you’ve hit that bottom, something like faith is so necessary to help you get out.
What Is Faith Exactly?
When the term faith is used, it carries with it religious overtones and many people would also recall ideas or concepts about religion. However, faith is not exclusive to religion. Faith is more like trust and commitment put together in one package.
When you have faith in something, it can be a powerful and reassuring feeling that is difficult for negative feelings to take over. It means that regardless of what happens, you have confidence that it will work out—that your faith will lead you to your desired outcome.
Why is Faith Important in Addiction Recovery?
Consider the aforementioned situation. When you’ve hit your personal rock bottom, you can be completely overwhelmed by the negative emotions that you are experiencing. Everything carries momentum, and when you’ve been stuck in a bad rut for too long you forget what it’s like to feel optimistic.
Why does this matter?
Because for any addiction treatment program to work, the person undergoing it has to believe it will. No one can make you get sober and stay sober. Unfortunately, that is the reality. Many people enter drug and alcohol detox and get sober, only to leave treatment and immediately relapse. Over and over again.
The James Club is a Faith-Based Program
We’re big on faith at The James Club, whether you’re religious or not. We genuinely think everyone can find something that they believe in deeply and use that as their guiding light. For some people it is religion and the lessons found therein, for others, it can be their family or children that gives their lives meaning.
Whatever that thing is for you, we urge you to keep it close to your heart. Following a 12-step program in conjunction with this is a powerful way to fight addiction and regain a sense of control over your life.
The idea of faith in addiction recovery is not new—that is to say that it is has been well observed through the test of time. Alcoholics Anonymous is a household name. AA was founded by Bill Wilson in 1935 when talking to another alcoholic about alcoholism and how to stop drinking. This culminated in the publishing of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism, suggested a 12-step program that asked members to acknowledge that they were powerless over alcohol. It is otherwise known as “The Big Book”.
In a time where sheer willpower was valued, having an addiction or some such problem was considered a moral or character flaw (studies on the genetic/physiological susceptibility addicts possess shed new light on this). The Big Book states that not only are alcoholics powerless over alcohol but that they should also seek help from a higher power.
This idea would go on to be the framework of hundreds of recovery programs in the years to come—including The James Club, which proudly utilizes the framework of the 12-step program as a starting point to helping people overcome their addictions.
What Does Faith or Spirituality Provide Daily?
They say your relationship with God or your spiritual understanding is a daily practice. It is something you do every day—whether that be prayer, meditation, or some kind of exercise that forms the bedrock of your day, your week, and your year.
People who have a daily religious or spiritual practice are said to have a higher tolerance to stress. This leads to greater optimism that things can and will work out eventually, and also—the most important thing, a sense that they are in fact not alone.
One of the worst aspects of addiction is that it separates you from everything you love, and then in that isolation is where you hit rock bottom. Faith directly counters that feeling by allowing you to feel part of the larger picture. Seeing the bigger picture allows you to look outside of yourself and let go of self-pity or feelings of self-loathing which often keep people mired in addiction through a vicious cycle.
One of the ways The James Club helps facilitate this is through our emphasis on community work. Giving back to the community through volunteer efforts not only feels good, but it has a profoundly redemptive quality to it that has helped hundreds of people stay sober and in recovery.
Faith-Based Addiction Recovery in Broward County
The James Club has been helping people all over South Florida in the Ft. Lauderdale area get on their feet and maintain recovery.
We are a faith-based program and organization that is tolerant and accepting of multiple faiths. Our goal is to treat addiction and reduce overdose deaths in our community through time-tested methods of battling addiction. We have a strong sense of community and when you stay with us at The James Club, you’ll be a part of a family that works to make sure everyone succeeds.
If you or a loved one is suffering from a substance use disorder and are looking for an organization that provides structured sober living, contact The James Club today.