Posted by Lakeside on 3rd June 2008
Spiritual But Never ‘Religious’
The A.A. Program - Spiritual But Never ‘Religious’
One of the most common misconceptions about Alcoholics Anonymous is that it is a religious organization. New members especially, confronted with A.A.’s emphasis on recovery from alcoholism by spiritual means, often translate “spiritual” as “religious” and shy away from meetings, avoiding what they perceive as a new and frightening set of beliefs.
By the time they walk into their first meeting, many alcoholics have lost what faith they might once have possessed; others have tried religion to stop drinking and failed; still others simply want nothing to do with it.
Yet with rare exceptions, once A.A. members achieve any length of sobriety, they have found a source of strength outside themselves - a Higher Power, by whatever name - and the stumbling block has disappeared.
FAQ - AA - A Newsletter for Professionals Fall 2003; www.aa.org
Regular news updates by RSS feed
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in Alcohol, FAQ’s, Higher Power, Spirituality | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 10th May 2008
Spirituality and Alcoholics Anonymous.
What can be confidently said about AA in general and about the role of spirituality in AA in particular?
- First, there is convincing evidence that alcoholism severity predicts later AA attendance.
- Second, atheists are less likely to attend AA, relative to individuals who already hold spiritual and/or religious beliefs. However, belief in God or a Higher Power before AA attendance does not offer any advantage in AA-related benefits, and atheists, once involved, are at no apparent disadvantage in deriving AA-related benefits.
- Third, the spiritually-based principles of AA appear to be endorsed in AA meetings regardless of the perceived social dynamics or climate of a particular meeting, eg, highly cohesive or aggressive.
- Fourth, significant increases in spiritual and religious beliefs and practices seem to occur among AA-exposed individuals.
- Fifth, in spite of much discussion to the contrary there is little evidence that spirituality directly accounts for later abstinence. We are finding, however, that spirituality has an important indirect effect in predicting later drinking reductions.
Specifically, in the past 20 years a number of effective methods have been developed to facilitate initial AA attendance (AA dropout is high, with some estimates ranging as high as 80%). Interventions that lead to initial increases in spirituality appear to lead to sustained AA affiliation, which, in turn, produces sustained recovery over time.
TSF and Brief-TSF are designed from studies such as this to facilitate AA attendance.
Research; Tonigan JS. Spirituality and alcoholics anonymous. South Med J. 2007 Apr;100(4):437-40.
Subscribe to updates by RSS feed.
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in Alcoholism, Brief-TSF, Demographics, Higher Power, Research, Spirituality, TSF | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 26th April 2008
Six-month changes in spirituality, religiousness, and heavy drinking in a treatment-seeking sample.
OBJECTIVE: This descriptive and exploratory study investigated change in alcoholics’ spirituality and/or religiousness (S/R) from treatment entry to 6 months later and whether those changes were associated with drinking outcomes.
METHOD: Longitudinal survey data were collected from 123 outpatients with alcohol use disorders (66% male; mean age = 39; 83% white) on 10 measures of S/R, covering behaviors, beliefs, and experiences, including the Daily Spiritual Experiences and Purpose in Life scales. Drinking behaviors were assessed with the Timeline Followback interview. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) participation and attendance were also measured.
RESULTS: Over 6 months, there were statistically significant increases in half of the S/R measures, specifically the Daily Spiritual Experiences scale, the Purpose in Life scale, S/R practices scale, Forgiveness scale, and the Positive Religious Coping scale.
There were also clinically and statistically significant decreases in alcohol use.
- Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that increases in Daily Spiritual Experiences and in Purpose in Life scores were associated with increased odds of no heavy drinking at 6 months, even after controlling for AA involvement and gender.
CONCLUSIONS: In the first 6 months of recovery, many dimensions of S/R increased, particularly those associated with behaviors and experiences. Values, beliefs, self-assessed religiousness, perceptions of a Higher Power, and the use of negative religious coping did not change.
Increases in day-to-day experiences of spirituality and sense of purpose/meaning in life were associated with absence of heavy drinking at 6 months, regardless of gender and AA involvement.
The results of this descriptive study support the perspective of many clinicians and recovering individuals that changes in alcoholics’ S/R occur in recovery and that such changes are important to sobriety.
Robinson EA, Cranford JA, Webb JR, Brower KJ. Six month changes in spirituality religiousness and heavy drinking in a treatment-seeking sample. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2007 Mar;68(2):282-90.
Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation news feed for regular updates.
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in Adjunctive therapy, Brief-TSF, Higher Power, Research, Spirituality, TSF | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 4th April 2008
Spirituality in Alcoholics Anonymous: A Valuable Adjunct to Psychiatric Services
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is described as a spiritual fellowship by many of its members, but its spiritual orientation needs to be better understood by clinicians and researchers. Spirituality is a latent construct, one that is inferred from multiple component dimensions, such as social psychology, neurophysiology, and treatment outcome research.
Mechanisms related to its role in promotion of recovery in AA are discussed from the perspective of these findings, along with related options for professionally grounded treatment, such as Twelve- Step Facilitation. This discussion illustrates the importance of further research on AA and spirituality and of employing them in the provision of psychiatric services.
Research By Marc Galanter, M.D. Psychiatric Services 57: 307-309, 2006
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in Alcohol, Alcoholism, FAQ’s, Higher Power, Research, Spirituality | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 23rd March 2008
Religiosity and participation in mutual-aid support groups for addiction
Mutual-aid support groups, such as the 12-Step fellowship Alcoholics Anonymous play a vital role in substance abuse treatment in the United States. In 2005, The Walsh Group conducted a national survey of participants in mutual-aid support groups for addiction to identify key differences between participants in various recovery groups. The survey was conducted with the assistance of The Center for Survey Research at the University of Virginia, Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS), SMART Recovery, and Women for Sobriety (WFS). Extensive data was collected from survey respondents on many aspects of recovery. This paper focuses on the impact of survey respondents’ level of religiosity on their recovery and their participation in mutual-aid support groups.
Key findings from the survey on mutual-aid support groups discussed in this paper include:
- Active involvement in groups significantly improves the chances of remaining clean and sober, regardless of the group (SOS, SMART, WFS, 12-step) in which one participates.
- Respondents whose individual beliefs better matched those of their primary support groups showed greater levels of group participation, resulting in better outcomes as measured by increased number of days clean and sober.
- Religious respondents were more likely to actively participate in 12-Step groups and WFS, both of which have spiritual components in their programs.
- Non-religious respondents were significantly less likely to participate in 12-Step groups.
- Respondents with low levels of religiosity were more likely to actively participate in groups with secular programs, such as SOS and SMART Recovery.
These results have important implications for treatment planning and implementation, indicating that matching clients to appropriate support groups according to their individual beliefs can have a positive impact on their program involvement and, ultimately, on their treatment outcomes. When participants in recovery groups feel more comfortable with the philosophies of the groups they attend, they are more likely to become actively involved in these groups, which often results in longer periods of remaining abstinent from the use of alcohol and other drugs.
Research; Randolph G. Atkins, Jr, and James E. Hawdon. Religiosity and participation in mutual-aid support groups for addiction. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Volume 33, Issue 3, October 2007, Pages 321-331
 |
Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
by AA Services
Read more about this title… |
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in 12-Step Groups, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drugs, Higher Power, Mutual-help, Research, Self-help, Spirituality | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 13th February 2008
Future of God in recovery from drug addiction
The purpose of the present paper was to explore the theory, concept and experience of God in relation to recovery from drug addiction from a scientific perspective.
Examination of a diverse literature was undertaken, including five key threads:
- the universality of the experience of God;
- the induction of spiritual experiences of God through hallucinogenic drugs;
- the nature of drug addiction from an evolutionary neurobiological perspective;
- the 12 Step movement as the prototype for the place of God in recovery from drug addiction; and
- identified ingredients for successful recovery from addiction.
The diverse threads of literature examined can be integrated around the concept of higher power as an important factor in recovery from drug addiction.
Higher power can be manifested in individuals in diverse ways:
- religious,
- ethnic,
- spiritual including the use of entheogens [a psychoactive plant or substance, esp. when taken for spiritual or religious purposes], as well as
- cognitive behavioural development,
But a common final pathway for all is the strengthening of executive functions (the brain’s ‘higher power’).
Practical implications for assisting people with drug addiction to achieve recovery through their own experience of God/development of higher power are outlined.
Research report; John D. Sellman; Michael P. Baker; Simon J. Adamson; Lloyd G. Geering. Future of God in recovery from drug addiction. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 41, Issue 10 October 2007 , pages 800 - 808
 |
Spiritual Connections: How to Find Spirituality Throughout All the Relationships in Your Life
by Sylvia Browne
Read more about this title… |
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in 12-Step Groups, Addiction, Contrast to other models, Higher Power, Research, Spirituality, Theory | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 12th January 2008
Although the idea of "illness" helped many early and later members of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) to understand their alcoholism, Alcoholics Anonymous neither originated nor promulgated the disease concept of alcoholism.
The main contribution of A.A. in this area was the broadening of the extant concept to one of " threefold" malady [Spiritual, mental and physical], with an emphasis on "the spiritual."
Examining the political and medical historical contexts of the time as well as A.A. literature shed light on the culture’s changing understanding of alcoholism in the second half of the twentieth century.
Given the issues and prejudices involved, it is unlikely that the question of the historical relationship between A.A. and the disease concept of alcoholism will ever be definitely resolved. But this does not mean that study of the topic is useless.
AA members have had a large role in spreading and popularizing that understanding.
The closest that AA doctrine comes to defining alcoholism is "an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer."
Research report; Kurtz, E. Alcoholics Anonymous and the disease concept of alcoholism. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 20(3-4):5-40, 2002. (170428)
Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in Alcohol, Alcoholism, Contrast to other models, Disease of addiction, Higher Power, History, Research | No Comments »
Posted by Lakeside on 23rd December 2007
We have chosen the following message to convey the spirit of this season as a message of hope to all alcoholics / addicts and co-dependents.
Bill and Lois’ Christmas Message, 1944
- From Bill Wilson – co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous; and
- Lois Wilson – co-founder of Al-anon.
Bill and Lois Wilson
TO ALL MEMBERS
Greetings On Our 10th Christmas 1944
Yes, it’s in the air! The spirit of Christmas once more warms this poor distraught world.
Over the whole globe millions are looking forward to that one day when strife can be forgotten, when it will be remembered that all human beings, even the least are loved by God, when men will hope for the coming of the Prince of Peace as they never hoped before.
But there is another world which is not poor. Neither is it distraught.
It is the world of Alcoholics Anonymous, where thousands dwell happily and secure. Secure because each of us, in his own way, knows a greater power who is love, who is just, and who can be trusted.
Nor can men and women of AA ever forget that only through suffering did they find enough humility to enter the portals of that New World.
How privileged we are to understand so well the divine paradox
- that strength rises from weakness,
- that humiliation goes before resurrection;
- that pain is not only the price but the very touchstone of spiritual rebirth.
Knowing it’s full worth and purpose, we can no longer fear adversity, we have found prosperity where there was poverty, peace and joy have sprung out of the very midst of chaos.
Great indeed, our blessings!
And so — Merry Christmas to you all — from the Trustees, from Bobbie and from Lois and me.
Bill Wilson
Subscribe to Brief-TSF.com by Email
Posted in Al-anon, Higher Power, Spirituality | No Comments »
12-Step Recovery Theory And Application