The alcoholic who evolves spiritually receives inner wisdom – an intuition and understanding – a noetic mindset that goes beyond the traditional five senses. They also experience an ineffable quality from becoming spiritual – one where their feelings go beyond mere words. On page 62 the text explains that “Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.” This “SELFISHNESS-self-centeredness” (or the “ego”, as some people refer to it) drives https://ecosoberhouse.com/ us to respond to life situations with the above “symptoms” as well as disorders and addictions other than alcoholism. For a long time I thought my life was unmanageable because of all the crazy insane things I did while drinking — like the car accidents, hurting people when I didn’t mean to, failed relationships, loss of jobs, family dysfunction, jails, asylums, etc. I am not a representative of AA and I do not speak on behalf of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.
- Thankfully, the “spiritual malady” is no longer a “missing piece” of Step One for me.
- It is very difficult for me to come to terms with my spiritual illness because of my great pride, disguised by my material successes and my intellectual power.
- These are questions that everyone has to answer for themselves.
- At times, I express my personal opinions about issues that have directly affected my journey.
- Although the disease has biological, behavioral, and psychological roots, treating those aspects, without including the spiritual component, is like sticking a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
Addiction is a spiritual disease because it represents an individual’s attempt to disconnect from reality and any sense of spirituality. Simply put, they feel a terrible loneliness at their very soul or center of being. However, this does not mean, necessarily, they’ve abandoned their faith. This resistance to anything spiritual is the biggest obstacle some addicts confront.
The Missing Piece: The Spiritual Malady
To conclude, it’s not my body — my allergic reaction to alcohol — that’s going to take me back to drinking. It’s really not my mind — the mental obsession — that is the underlying root of what will take me back to drinking. It’s the “spiritual malady”, as manifested by my EGO (selfishness-self-centeredness), that can eventually lead me back to drinking or sometimes even suicide.
- The spiritual malady is the result of my being out of order with my higher power who I choose to call God.
- Selfishness and self -centeredness is the root of my trouble.
- These expressions that help people recovering from addiction regain a spiritual footing once again.
- The specific directions in the first 102 pages of the book Alcoholic Anonymous.
My troubles are of my own making and arise out my living a life run on self-will. I must be God centered instead of self centered and God directed rather than self directed . The specific directions in the first 102 pages of the book Alcoholic Anonymous. Doing so will give you a better idea of how a spiritual malady affects an alcoholic.
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What can the idea of a spiritual illness mean to an agnostic?
If you are seeking drug and alcohol related addiction rehab for yourself or a loved one, the YourFirstStep.org hotline is a confidential and convenient solution. For instance, when breaking free of their negative thoughts, they may come to realize a newfound appreciation of things before unseen – such as the beauty of a sunset or the feeling of freshness of a morning spring rain. Alcoholics Anonymous often makes reference to the publication of WIlliam James, “The Varieties of Religious Experiences,” which was published in 1902. Almost everyone who evolves spiritually has certain key characteristics, according to the book. Below is an overview of the 12 admissions that support the 12 steps toward recovery. Also, they cannot fathom how other people manage to deal with crises in life – even when they have it worse.
It simply means we are spiritually blocked off from the Power of God, which enables us to remain sober, happy, joyous, and free. Thankfully, the “spiritual malady” is no longer a “missing piece” of Step One for me. It is a reality of my powerlessness and unmanageability and enables me to see why I so desperately need to seek a Power Greater than myself. And unless this malady is recognized, and a course of action (the Twelve Steps) is taken to enable God to remove it, the root of our alcoholic illness can lie dormant and burn us when we least expect it.
How to Understand How an Addict May Suffer Spiritually
These feelings can become unmanageable – more on the unmanageability of life for alcoholics below. On page 62 the text explains that “Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.” This “SELFISHNESS-self-centeredness” (or the “ego”, spiritual malady as some people refer to it) drives us to respond to life situations with the above “symptoms” as well as disorders and addictions other than alcoholism. The spiritual malady is the result of my being out of order with my higher power who I choose to call God.
Intelligence is not incompatible with humility, provided I place humility first. To seek prestige and wealth is the ultimate goal for many in the modern world. To be fashionable and to seem better than I really am is a spiritual illness. Addicts and alcoholics may rid themselves of their drug or alcohol dependency by completing the Twelve Step process. This will allow them to undergo the required shift in thought that will free them from their addiction. As a result of this thought process, the spiritual illness they’re up against is at the core of their addiction.
Final Thoughts on Living the Spiritual Life and Recovery
An old medical book in the hospital library explained that bromine was used for tremors, a common manifestation of hyperthyroidism, but was replaced by barbiturates after their discovery. To recognize and to admit my weaknesses is the beginning of good spiritual health. It is a sign of spiritual health to be able to ask God every day to enlighten me, to recognize His will, and to have the strength to execute it. My spiritual health is excellent when I realize that the better I get, the more I discover how much help I need from others. The 164 and More book is sold on this website at the Publisher List Price of $20.00 plus postage. The book may also be sold by Intergroup/Central Offices or recovery book stores at List Price
or slightly higher.
There are many persons in recovery who are not interested in discussing or even hearing about spirituality. In fact, they may tense up when they hear words like “God” and “spirituality.” This reaction may cause them to remember a past negative experience – an episode in their life that may cause them to recall a traumatic event they’d sooner rather forget. Is describing, essentially is referring to a stark void in our lives that we constantly attempt to fill with outside things such as drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, or anything we can think to try to feel better. It is the emptiness we feel on such a deep level that we turn to self-medication in order to alleviate the sadness and despair that go hand in hand with.
