March 21, 2008, Newsletter Issue #175: Faith-based Model

Tip of the Week

The most common faith-based recovery programs are aimed at Christians, but Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Pagan, and other faiths support recovery groups for their members on one level or another.

In faith-based treatment, the power of a supreme being is directly invoked to inspire the addict in continued abstinence and to grant her the personal fortitude required to avoird relapsing.

The most effective such programs are inspired by the faith and motivation of their organizers, but draw their treatment models from current scientific information, treating addictions as diseases rather than sins, and adding behavioral and medical treatment to faith-based counseling, which is seldom effective on its own. In addition, many addicts who are not religious are turned off by programs that seem to be pushing a particular spiritual viewpoint.

While 12-step groups are open to people of all faiths, and to many of no particular faith, members of some religions find they get more effective support from people on the same spiritual path. Some churches, temples, and spiritual organizations also offer their own recovery groups, mostly adapted from the standard 12-step model.

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