So, if you are struggling with a spiritual malady, remember that you are not alone, and that with the right mindset and approach, you can find your way back to a state of wholeness and purpose. Spirituality in addiction recovery involves exploring and reconnecting with one’s sense of self, purpose, and connection to something greater than oneself. It can involve practices such as meditation, prayer, mindfulness, or participation in support groups that emphasize spiritual growth and healing. The way humans think is on a spectrum of self-centeredness and god-centeredness. When dealing with the disease of alcoholism we are selfish and self-centered beings.
What About God?
- Today’s guide explores the spiritual malady meaning in the context of 12-step recovery groups like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous).
- Thankfully, the “spiritual malady” is no longer a “missing piece” of Step One for me.
- Find out how to recognize, understand, and treat this common condition.
- The summation of physical threats, spiritual threats, shadow threats, and existential threat is our total threat load.
- We can experience emotional attacks, assaults, accidents, or abuse that affect our physiology similar to a physical threat or injury.
However, you choose to interact with that higher power is also up to you. Whether you seek to engage in formal prayer, informal mental conversations, or merely by doing good and putting positive energy into the universe, there is no right or wrong way to pray to your higher power. Once you open up to this idea and implement that spiritual connection, you will experience your long-awaited spiritual awakening, the answer to that pesky spiritual malady we suffer from as alcoholics. Although spiritual awakenings are often part of the recovery process, obviously they are far from unique to people in recovery. Such awakenings need not involve religion or “finding God.” In a general sense the experience relates to recognizing and beginning to internalize a connection with that which is beyond self. They may anticipate a sensational event that will forever change their lives, permanently elevating them above the routine din of the daily grind, and giving them the secret to ongoing happiness.
Signs and Symptoms of Spiritual Malady
What is important though is that we strive to be a little better every single day and never give up on our spiritual journey in recovery. Our spiritual malady never just goes away and stays away on its own, it requires a constant spiritual connectivity and effort on our parts in our programs to keep it and the subsequent alcohol and drug abuse at bay. So long as we make an active effort to address our spiritual malady every day, we will find relief from it, one day at a time. You are merely instructed to be open to the idea that you are not the end all be all, that there exists out in the universe something that is greater or more powerful than yourself.
Cultivating a Healthy Spiritual Life to Prevent Spiritual Maladies
As a result of this thought process, the spiritual illness they’re up against is at the core of their addiction. Addiction is a spiritual disease because it represents an individual’s attempt to disconnect from reality and any sense of spirituality. Simply put, they feel a terrible loneliness at their very soul or center of being. However, this does not mean, necessarily, they’ve abandoned their faith. This resistance to anything spiritual is the biggest obstacle some addicts confront.
Understanding the ‘Three-Fold Illness’
Have you physically or emotionally mistreated a family member? As much as it depends on us, we need to live at peace with our families. If that just isn’t possible, or if you don’t feel safe there, let Celebrate Recovery be your family. Not just emotionally, but invite us over for Christmas, cook us a nice meal. But seriously, that’s the kind of deep relationships you can build here in CR; as deep as family. Now, many people find the idea of spirituality in recovery offputting.
Final Thoughts on Living the Spiritual Life and Recovery
This spiritual malady, or spiritual disconnection, is the driving force behind our addiction and self-destructive behaviors. Without addressing this spiritual malady, we have absolutely no hope for intrinsic change or recovery. It is this notion that the fellowship of AA was founded upon, and how millions of recovered alcoholics equate their success in overcoming a seemingly hopeless situation. The only solution to a spiritual malady is a spiritual awakening. Only once we open the spiritual channels and begin to accept a Higher Power into our lives can we hope to find a solution to our alcoholic condition. Recognizing and addressing spiritual malady is essential to one’s overall well-being.
- By acknowledging and addressing our spiritual maladies, we embark on a journey of healing, growth, and self-discovery.
- These core beliefs make it harder for us to connect with a god of our understanding.
- Fortunately, it was caught early enough that I had a chance to try and manage it with lifestyle changes.
All treatment calls are accepted by drug and alcohol centers advertising with the Call Affiliate LLC network. These traits defy written or verbal description, as they convey an innate understanding of the cosmos and are also transient, meaning the experiences do not last forever. Also, they are passive, in the sense that people do not have an influence over the phenomenon. Alcoholics Anonymous often makes reference to the publication of WIlliam James, “The Varieties of Religious Experiences,” which was published in 1902. Almost everyone who evolves spiritually has certain key characteristics, according to the book. Also, they cannot fathom how other people manage to deal with crises in life – even when they have it worse.
A Spiritual Remedy for a Spiritual Condition
To do this, members must rely on their support system which includes other members, sponsors, and meetings. When people become too self-reliant, they often start to think that they don’t need AA anymore. They may start to skip meetings, distance themselves from their https://ecosoberhouse.com/ support system, and eventually relapse. The spiritual aspects of recovery and the ‘God word’ can be an obstacle for many new folks trying to get sober. Hopefully the ideas included in this short writing show that there are many ways to approach these topics.
When left unresolved, a spiritual malady will continue to lead to restlessness, irritability, and discontentment. It can also lead to other problems, such as alcohol abuse or other addictions. If you are struggling with alcoholism or any other addiction, it is important to seek help from AA or another 12-step program. An inventory is just spiritual malady a list—in our case a list of people and events that have contributed to our issue. A really effective tool for building that list is to ask ourselves questions. If we’re serious about our recovery, if we really want to experience freedom from these behaviors that keep us in bondage, we have to be rigorously honest with our answers.
