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Addiction
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Addiction is a treatable chronic condition that involves using substances or engaging in compulsive behaviors despite negative consequences.
Symptoms:
Inability to Stop: May want to quit using substances or stop compulsive behaviors but is unable to even after multiple attempts.
Increased Tolerance: May need more of a substance or may need to engage more in a compulsive behavior to feel the same effects that had been previously experienced.
Intense Focus on the Substance or Behavior: May spend more time craving a substance or thinking about engaging in a behavior. Many describe this intense focus as “consuming their life.”
Lack of Control: May feel overwhelmed and powerless in trying to overcome their addiction, often increasing feelings of sadness and guilt.
Personal Problems and Health Issues: May start negatively impacting all areas of their life including their physical health, mental health, relationships, and career.
Withdrawal: When trying to quit substance use or addictive behavior, may experience physical symptoms such as shaking, sweating, or vomiting or emotional symptoms such as anxiousness or irritability.
Risk Factors:
Addiction is a complex condition that is often a combination of many factors. It is considered a brain disorder because of the chemical changes that occur in the brain.
Genetics: Around half (40-60%) of a person’s overall risk to developing an addiction stems from their genetic make-up. Individuals who have a family history of addiction are more at risk to developing an addiction than those with no family history of addiction.
Mental Health Conditions: Individuals suffering from mental illness are often more likely to use substances or unhealthy pleasure seeking behaviors to self-medicate.
Environmental Factors: Those who have experienced significant amounts of trauma are more at risk to developing an addiction. Additionally, those who have easy access to substances have an increased risk of developing an addiction.
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- The Catholic Church recognizes the complex nature of addiction. Addiction is not viewed as a moral failing, but rather a condition to be treated.
- We are called to practice the virtue of temperance and to honor God with our bodies. When we recognize that our ability to properly honor God is being compromised by an addiction, we are called to seek out help and support. It takes the virtue of humility to admit that we are in need of healing from an addiction.
- The Church encourages all those struggling with addiction to frequent the sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament provides necessary graces to help one overcome sinful patterns and behaviors. Regular prayer is also important because it strengthens one’s relationship with God.
- The Church encourages individuals struggling with addiction to seek psychological support in addition to spiritual support. This type of support can include meeting with a counselor or attending a 12-step program.
- The Church recognizes the importance of addressing all aspects of the human person and understands that addiction extends beyond just a condition involving one’s spiritual life.
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- Addiction is not an indication of moral weakness. It is an opportunity to surrender to God.
- Jesus looks at you with compassion, not condemnation.
- Your addictive tendencies do not define you. You are a beloved child of God.
- Where you are weakest, Christ is strongest. He desires to help you.
- The sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Holy Communion, are powerful supernatural sources of healing.
- You are not alone in your struggles. There are people who love and care for you.
- Addiction is treatable. Living a life of freedom is possible.
- When there are setbacks, you can always start again. God’s mercy is never-ending.
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Step One: Admit our Powerlessness
- We admitted we were powerless over the effects of sin in our lives, that without the grace of an active spiritual life, our lives are unmanageable.
- “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” - Rom. 7:18
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”- Phil. 2:13
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — which is your spiritual worship.”- Rom. 12:1
- Made a searching and fearless inventory of our lives.
- “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”- Lam. 3:40
- Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”- James 5:16A
- We were entirely ready to have God remove our defects.
- “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”- James 4:10
- Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
- “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”- John 1:9
- Made a list of all those we have harmed and become willing to make amends to them all.
- “Do to others as you would have them do to you." - Luke 6:31
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- “Therefore if you are offering a gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”- Matt. 5:23-24
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
- “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.”- 1 Cor. 10:12
- Sought through prayer and meditation to increase our conscious contact with God, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”- Col. 3:16A
- Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
- “Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”- Gal. 6:1
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ContactMental health Ministry
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Laura Sokuplaura.sokupmadisondiocese.orgMental Health Program Coordinator
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