Sunday, July 6, 2008

Descending into ADDICTION as a Spiritual Disease

Descending into ADDICTION as a Spiritual Disease

Below is a description of how a person descends into alcoholism.

1. Drug/Alcohol sedates value system, which gets indifferent, confused

2. Grandiosity, perfectionism, pride

3. Intolerance of others, suspicion, disgust, argues

4. Religion getting sick, rigid, arrogant, unrealistic, disenchantment with childish idea of God

5. Loses interest in life, "Blues"

6. Guilt feelings, not "at ease" with God

7. Stops daily prayer, attends church out of habit or pretense

8. "Nobodiness" -- feels estranged, alienated, lonely

9. Immaturity, some irresponsibility

10. Life has no meaning

11. Anxiety, indefinable fears

12. Resentments: Angry with God, hostile to mention of religion, projects fear into concept of God as a tyrant

13. Moral deterioration: Dishonest, selfish

14. Loss of faith: Consciously rejects God, unconsciously longs for Him, a "sick love" relation

15. Remorse: Depression, suicidal thoughts, impaired thinking

16. Vague spiritual desires

17. Gropes for spiritual meaning

HITS BOTTOM (USES DRUGS/ALCOHOL TO COPE WITH PROBLEMS OF USING

Ascending Aspects of Alcoholism Recovery

ADMISSION THAT HELP IS NEEDED (ALLOWS TREATMENT TO MOVE FORWARD

This is a list of how a person can ASCEND into alcoholism recovery.

1. In spiritual fog

2. Honest desire for help

3. Vague notion of Higher Power

4. New faith: "Came to believe"

5. Hope dawns: Can be restored to sanity

6. Thirst for God examined (hard struggle for some)

7. Second BOTTOM: Existential crisis

8. Acceptance (surrender, turnabout)

9. Conversion: "Let go and let God"

10. Trust: "Thy will be done"

11. Appreciates possibility of new way of life

12. Patience: "One day at a time"

13. Forgiveness: Not "Why did I?" but "forgive me"

14. Reconciliation: personal relationship "at ease" with God just

15. Humbly asks God to remove shortcomings

16. False ego deflated

17. Return of self-esteem (God not a rescuer)

18. Honesty: Makes amends

19. Promptly admits when wrong

20. Courage. Optimism, new freedom

21. Rebirth of ideals

22. Appreciation of spiritual values

23. Gratitude

24. Increased tolerance of others

25. Serenity, peace of soul, joy

26. Prayer and meditation

27. Growth in proper concept of God

28. Deeper relation to God as a loving God

29. Unselfish: Goes to others because God loves them

30. "Weller than Well" -- higher than believed possible

Alcoholism Recovery Successful!

Ned Wicker is the Addictions Recovery Chaplain at Waukesha Memorial Hospital Lawrence Center He author's a website for alcoholism support:
This article was taken in part from the original source at:
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ned_Wicker