Full Answer
How do atheists and agnostics recover from addiction?
Your Path to Sobriety. Joining a 12 Step group is not the only way to achieve sobriety. You might go to rehab, for example. Rehab is not necessarily spiritual in nature. While some are faith-based, others are secular. You might attend inpatient rehab, in which you’d live at the facility for a period of 1 to 3 months.
Does religion improve recovery from addiction?
Oct 29, 2021 · a 4.8-star Google rating Location and contact information: 8213 Cessna Dr. Spring Hill, FL 34606 (866) 244-9556 9. Turning Point Centers, Kaysville, Utah This atheist rehab facility offers medical detox, residential treatment, outpatient treatment, dual diagnosis treatment, and day treatment for alcohol and drug use.
Is there an AA for atheists and agnostics?
Feb 27, 2020 · Here are 4 ways atheists and agnostics recover from addiction. 1. AA for Agnostics. There is a sect of Alcoholics Anonymous specifically for agnostics, freethinkers, and atheists. They even published a book called The History of Agnostics in AA. AA Agnostica and Secular AA are two groups promoting the religion-free version of AA.
Do 12-step programs embrace spirituality and religion?
Aug 31, 2018 · Can you think of a time in your life when you have been truly happy? A time when you've felt like you were going to burst because you were exploding with so much joy and happiness? That's how I feel when I think about my Savior, Jesus Christ. That's how I feel when I share my knowledge and testimony that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us.
What are the abilities of an atheist in drug rehab?
Atheists are able to utilize the enhanced personal skills learned in drug rehab to adhere to sobriety. This is done in one’s own power, and without reverence to a higher being for the hard work that has been put into such a life-changing process.
What is the importance of vulnerability in rehabilitation?
And as you move forward, it is essential that you feel as if you can let your guard down in order to rid yourself of the burden of addiction. The last thing you want to do is feel as if you are fighting to be understood during a program that is to be a welcoming and healing environment.
Do You Need a Higher Power?
In the mid-1930s, the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous wrote the 12 Steps, a series of actions that they believed would help alcoholics achieve sobriety. The steps include admitting that one has a problem with alcohol, making amends for past mistakes, and seeking to help other alcoholics.
Your Path to Sobriety
Joining a 12 Step group is not the only way to achieve sobriety. You might go to rehab, for example. Rehab is not necessarily spiritual in nature. While some are faith-based, others are secular. You might attend inpatient rehab, in which you’d live at the facility for a period of 1 to 3 months.
What Atheists and Religious People Have in Common
No matter your religion or lack thereof, some things will ring true for everybody who struggles with a drug or alcohol addiction.
Need Help?
Rehab Info is here to serve people of all religious beliefs, even if you have no religious beliefs at all. You may feel that you don’t have enough options as an atheist, or you may feel that you have so many options you couldn’t possibly know where to start.
What do atheists find comfort in?
When faced with the death of a loved one , or other traumatic experience , many atheists find comfort in reason and knowledge that this is the way life is and has always been without needing to understand that it was the purpose or path that a higher being or god was intending.
What are the spiritual practices of an atheist?
Atheists may have specified spiritual practices in which they participate such as meditation, yoga or personal rituals such as consuming specific foods or drinks. They often will find strength in their beliefs in people, science and facts that enable them to overcome adversity and find reason in the way of the world.
What is the best treatment for substance abuse?
Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most popular treatments that is available for substance abusers. This therapy works two-fold by firstly analyzing the individuals approach to life, behaviors, thoughts and environment and identifying the triggers and issues that have contributed to the addiction.
What does it mean to not adhere to a belief system?
Not adhering to a specified belief system does not mean that a person has no morals and will develop an addiction easier than others. Drug and alcohol abuse is a disease that can affect anyone regardless of age, religion, socio-economic status, employment or marital status.
Why is spirituality important?
Spirituality can play an important role in guiding people and bringing inner peace, self awareness and a purpose in life. When a person has a sense of spirituality, they can be less selfish, experience life satisfaction, peace and become more altruistic.
What is the definition of atheism?
Atheism Defined. Atheism is the rejection of deities or Gods and denies, including in some cases spirits and the supernatural. Often, atheists are considered to be people who place their faith in science, reason and facts that are supported with substantial, proven evidence. Many people believe that atheists do not represent or involve themselves ...
Do atheists believe in spirituality?
Many people believe that atheists do not represent or involve themselves in spirituality however this is not always the truth. Spirituality and belief in a specified religion are considered to be two separate things. Atheists face the challenge of substance abuse as often as those who do have a faith in a religion.
Why is it hard to interpret the evidence for spiritual recovery?
However, the evidence is hard to interpret because the methodology used in many of the studies is poor. People who incorporate their religion into recovery ...
How effective is substance abuse treatment?
Effective treatment for substance abuse addresses the multiple needs of the person and not just their use of drugs or alcohol. A crucial component to a successful treatment outcome is to remain in treatment for a sufficient length of time.
What is a smart recovery?
Some of the major organizations that offer nonreligious environments that are appropriate for atheist or agnostic individuals include the following: Smart Management and Recovery Training ( SMART recovery) is a nonspiritual, nonreligious approach to empowering people to achieve successful recovery from substance abuse.
What is medical detox?
Medically assisted detoxification (medical detox) is only the first step in recovery. If individuals only receive medical detox services, there is little change in their substance abuse behavior. Individuals require long-term treatment programs after medical detox.
Do people with religious beliefs have a lower rate of substance abuse?
Individuals who have committed spiritual or religious beliefs appear to have lower rates of substance abuse than those who do not. There does appear to be evidence that individuals in recovery who have spiritual and religious convictions may have better overall outcomes than those who don’t.
Do you have to be voluntary to get treatment for substance use disorder?
Substance use disorder treatment does not have to be voluntary in order for it to be effective. Individuals who are coerced into treatment have similar outcomes to individuals who volunteered to enter treatment. Those in substance use disorder treatment programs should be continuously monitored for drug and alcohol use.
Is Alcoholics Anonymous a 12-Step program?
Moreover, most of the research that is available regarding 12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous does not suggest that these programs are any more successful than recovery programs that have no religious or spiritual component to them.
How many patients are allowed at a time at a rehab facility?
Only seven patients are allowed at a time because of their low client-to-staff ratio. Transpersonal therapies, dual-diagnosis treatment, CBT, brain mapping, and psychiatric evaluations are provided in residential rehab programs. They also offer gourmet meals and snacks prepared by a chef.
How to treat drug addiction?
Research has shown that the best way to treat drug and alcohol addiction is to attend some type of drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. Since many of these facilities offer 12-step programs that are based on developing a closer relationship with God, this can be a deterrent to addicted individuals who are atheists.
How long is Beach House rehab?
The Beach House Rehabilitation Center starts its patients out in a detoxification program before they are moved into a 35-day inpatient rehab program. Residential treatment also includes dual-diagnosis treatment if needed.
What is the treatment for detox?
After detox, patients receive individual and group therapy sessions and other holistic forms of treatment, such as yoga. Their intensive treatment process works best for those who have tried repeatedly to stop using drugs and alcohol with no success.
Is Alo House a rehab?
Alo House Recovery Center is a non-religious alcohol and drug rehab center monitored by LifeScript, accredited by the Joint Commission, and licensed by the California Department of Healthcare Services. Their intensive outpatient treatment program begins with medical detoxification.
Is the Sanctuary at Sedona a detox facility?
They offer a 30-day, non-religious inpatient addiction treatment program. While there is no on -site detox program, they can refer and transport patients to one that is near their location.
Is 12-step rehab optional?
While they offer 12-step programs, they are strictly optional because this non-religious rehab facility prefers to tailor its drug rehab programs to each person’s individual needs . EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy, medication management, and motivational interviewing are all available.
What is the idea behind Alcoholics Anonymous?
The thinking in Alcoholics Anonymous is that addiction is a spiritual problem that needs to be solved through the 12 steps and belief in a higher power. In fact, in the Big Book, there is a chapter dedicated to agnostics and atheists that claims by the time the book is read the person reading it will become a believer.
What is smart recovery?
SMART recovery is self-management for addiction recovery that includes face-to-face, as well as online meetings. Members learn recovery methods based on the latest scientific research and through self-empowering science-based mutual help groups. SMART’s 4-point program includes: building and maintaining motivation, coping with urges, managing thoughts, feelings and behaviors, and living a balanced life. Their program is based on self-reliance, self-empowerment, and self-directed change, and avoids talk about religion or a God of any kind. The techniques and information for SMART Recovery are constantly evolving with the times as new scientific information becomes available.
Do AA groups recite prayers?
Secular AA groups do not recite prayers at the beginning or end of their meetings, nor do they suggest that a belief in God is required to get sober or maintain sobriety – a key difference from traditional AA.
Is there an agnostic sect in AA?
There is a sect of Alcoholics Anonymous specifically for agnostics, freethinkers, and atheists. They even published a book called The History of Agnostics in AA. AA Agnostica and Secular AA are two groups promoting the religion-free version of AA. Secular AA groups do not recite prayers at the beginning or end of their meetings, nor do they suggest that a belief in God is required to get sober or maintain sobriety – a key difference from traditional AA. Readings at these types of meetings include traditional AA literature as well as a copy of the secular version of the 12 steps. Secular AA still maintains the principles of the 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and they encourage members to share their experience with AA as a whole through the General Service structure. They provide an international service network for the Agnostic, Atheist, and Freethinking in AA.
Spiritual, not Religious
When I looked at the 12 Steps, as many people have, they recoil from them as they see the words ‘God’ and ‘Higher Power’ used in a fair few of them. My perspective was not that God had turned his back on me or punished me for my actions, simply that He wasn’t really there.
Spirituality is Paramount
The people around me told me how important this ‘Higher Power’ was to my recovery efforts and I didn’t exactly understand. I believed that the whole point was just to stop doing drugs.
Agnostic, Not Atheist
I didn’t really know the difference between these when I first stepped into rehab at the ripe old age of 20. Being young and fairly ignorant, I proclaimed myself a devout atheist, only to be mocked by others. These jests came at a fair price, though, because honestly, who did I think I was to believe that I had all the answers.
A God of Your Understanding
This was perhaps the biggest lesson on spirituality that I received while I developed my own program. The ‘God’ that I would come to utilize didn’t have to look exactly like anyone else’s. I could use various things from people’s understandings that I liked and could get behind, and discard the ones that just didn’t work for me.
What Does This Mean in Practice?
So, by this point in my sobriety, I kinda got what people who could believe in a man-in-the-sky type of God were supposed to do. They were told to pray to them often – perhaps even multiple times a day. They were supposed to give this God all their character defects when they were ready.
A Power That I Could Believe In
Moving through my own journey of sobriety, I was told that I needed to remain open minded, so I did. I never try to claim that I know anything for certain.
Conventional Facilities
Atheist Options
- Thankfully, most centers are willing to treat your addiction without focusing on religious ideas. There is nothing wrong with expecting a drug treatment center to be considerate of your individual needs. And according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “the best treatment addresses a person’s various needs, not just his or her drug use.” The institute also explains that it is importa…
An Atmosphere of Success
- Rehabilitation requires an acute level of vulnerability. And as you move forward, it is essential that you feel as if you can let your guard down in order to rid yourself of the burden of addiction. The last thing you want to do is feel as if you are fighting to be understood during a program that is to be a welcoming and healing environment. Atheist drug or alcohol rehabilitation centers offer ma…
Recovery
- Atheists are able to utilize the enhanced personal skills learned in drug rehab to adhere to sobriety. This is done in one’s own power, and without reverence to a higher being for the hard work that has been put into such a life-changing process. Many atheists appreciate the ability of the human brain to re-direct itself after a period of sobriety....
Finding An Atheist Rehab
- Jumping into the rehabilitation process might not be the first thing on your mind. After all, the journey to recovery can seem like a daunting process. The truth is that rehabilitation is a lot of hard work. Contact us at RehabCenter.netto learn more information about atheist rehab facilities near you.
Atheism Defined
Spirituality Without Religion
Recovery from Within
Skills and Lessons
- Recovering from substance abuse can be a long and difficult path for many and one of the most challenging issues that is faced is learning the skills to cope and manage in the real world. For atheists, there is comfort in knowing that humans have the ability to re-wire their brains and their bodies to reduce the devastating effects of alcohol on th...
Support For Atheists in Sobriety
Religion and Substance Abuse
Principles of Effective Treatment
What Types of Programs Incorporate Religion Or Spirituality Into Treatment?
Options For Nonreligious, Agnostic, Or Atheist Individuals
- Individuals who do not wish to be involved in programs that focus on spirituality or a religious doctrine, but still wish to become involved in peer support groups that allow them to freely interact with others in recovery, can readily find groups to suit their needs. Some of the major organizations that offer nonreligious environments that are app...