Should Addiction Treatment Services Require a Higher Power?

Great blog to distinguish the broad nature of spirituality! – T Brown

Many people believe that addiction treatment services require belief in a higher spiritual being.

In fact, many believe that without the aid of a higher power, recovery from addiction is next to impossible.

However, what if your loved one or patient is an atheist, or doesn’t believe in a higher power? Does this mean that they are doomed, and that they cannot be helped to recovery?

If you need answers to these questions, then you’re in the right place. Let’s deep dive into the reality of recovery from addiction and addiction treatment services and where belief in a higher power joins the equation.

Belief in a higher power for addiction treatment services, is it religion?

The first thing that comes to the minds of many when they think about a higher power, is religion. It’s easy to see why this is so, when 8 in 10 people worldwide identify with a religion.

Even if the addicted person isn’t religious, it’s highly likely that many members of their family are. After all, addiction affects everyone.

Belief in a higher power doesn’t have anything to do with religion. Instead, it is closely intertwined with spirituality.

Spirituality refers to the morals and values that an individual chooses to live by. They may or may not include the belief in or worship of a divine being.

With nearly 500 million people identifying as atheists (nearly 7% of the global adult population), religion is not a necessity to spirituality, or belief in a higher power. There are many addiction treatment services that hinge on religion or spirituality. Within these programs, faith is used to motivate participants to change their lives for the better and the assistance of a higher power is viewed as an incentive for their progress.

But still, if your loved one or patient isn’t religious, and doesn’t identify as spiritual, there is still hope for them.

True recovery starts from within

An undeniable fact is that for an individual to recover from their addiction, they have to make the resolve within themselves. Whether this resolve is rooted in faith, religion, belief in a higher divine power, or their own indomitable will, and values – it doesn’t matter.

The support of their family, coupled with their own motivation to change, work hand in hand with addiction treatment services.

Your loved one or patient’s higher power can be their value system or sense of right and wrong. All that really matters is that they have enough inner motivation to stick through the recovery process when it gets tough.

The turning point in any recovering addict’s life (whether they are religious or not) is a change in their perspective and inner dialogue. This change in perspective can be had without involvement in religion or faith in an unseen God. Instead, any set of values that helps to change their thinking and alter their belief system can be used to change the way they view the world.

So, what treatment options are available for non-religious alcoholics and drug addicts who don’t identify as spiritual?

Scientific and psychological advancements have revealed many paths to recovery

Advancements in the field of science and psychology have revealed many paths to recovery for alcoholics and drug addicts who are unwilling or uncomfortable with faith-based procedures. This has made waves in the field of addiction treatment services.

One such advancement in the field of psychology is Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) which is geared towards individuals addicted to alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine. This treatment works by appealing to an individual’s core beliefs and motivating them to change for the better based on their skills, goals, and abilities.

By solidifying these core beliefs within them, they are motivated to put in the sufficient work to break free from their addiction rapidly. MET is used to instill the drive within individuals that they’ll need to keep on the road to sobriety long after treatment.

This is just one of the many recovery treatments available to your loved one or patient who is non-religious and doesn’t identify as spiritual. Another treatment that is sometimes used is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

This treatment involves appraising the addict’s mental state, as well as thinking patterns, behaviors, beliefs and values. Afterward, the results are examined to see where they are lacking, and what aspects have contributed to their alcoholism or drug addiction.

Then, remedial work is done to introduce more positive thinking patterns and behaviors which will help them to cope with and eventually conquer their addiction.

It’s a common misconception that the path to recovery involves invoking faith in a higher divine power, or association with a religion. Would you like to help your loved one or a patient break free from the chokehold of addiction without using faith-based treatments?

Midwest Recovery Centers is here to help your loved one or patient

Helping an individual suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction is already such a delicate situation, that the strain of choosing from many different programs that may not be the best fit for them can be overwhelming.

That’s where we come in, at Midwest Recovery Centers.

We’re an extended care treatment facility, located in Kansas City, Missouri. We provide the highest quality addiction treatment services to all our patients, within the walls of our safe, state of the art facility.

We do not use faith-based programs to aid in recovery. In fact, our primary method is the use of therapeutic programs. Additionally, we offer a supportive, nurturing community and a 12 step program that focuses on accountability, respect, and recovery.

Our main goal is to help everyone who comes through our doors achieve long-term sobriety. Do our addiction treatment services sound like they’ll interest you, your loved one, or one of your patients?

If so, we’re eager to hear from you! Fill out the Contact Us form on our website to discuss your options and how we can help you.

We want to hear from you!

Reviewed and Assessed by
Taylor Brown, B.A.Com., MAADC II
Tim Coleman, M. of Ed.