Lesson 9: Addiction
According to Jimmy Monaghan from Celebrate Recovery (who has a Clinical MA in Counseling Psychology), addiction is the “occupying of oneself with, or involving oneself in, something habitual or compulsive. Engaging in a behavior, or the ingestion of a substance, that creates life unmanageability.” Addiction, at its root, is a spiritual issue and a bad habit. It is an act of rebellion which has become habitual and ritualistic which over time can develop into a physical dependency. Active addiction is when a person continually uses/engages in something unproductive and ungodly to soothe the inner pain/fear/conflict he or she feels. This offers a "quick hit" of temporary relief or escape. This relief will last only until the original pain/fear/conflict is felt again, then the need to soothe or escape (experienced as a craving) reoccurs, keeping the cycle of addiction going (see Illustration 1 below). Those struggling with addiction often times have a "love void" in their hearts resulting from not being grounded in God's love which they attempt to "fill" with their addiction. This emptiness, pain, or love void is the place where God's love needs to move in, fill, and satisfy rather than the addiction which is an unsatisfying counterfeit version of God's love.
Addictions can take on many forms, such as:
Cycle of Addiction
The cycle of addiction usually progresses through the following stages:
Addictions can take on many forms, such as:
- Food addiction
- Video gaming addiction
- TV, YouTube, Internet addiction
- Social addiction (craving to be socializing)
- Gossip addiction
- Thinking addiction (negative thinking or over thinking)
- Knowledge addiction (craving to know more)
- Alcohol and drug addiction
- Sex addiction (lust, promiscuity, and affairs)
- Pornography addiction (whoremonger, uncleanness in the heart - Ephesians 5:5)
- Love and relationship addiction
- Anger addiction
- Approval addiction
- Work addiction
- Gambling addiction
- Shopping addiction
- Exercise addiction
- And so on
Cycle of Addiction
The cycle of addiction usually progresses through the following stages:
- Pain/Fear/Conflict (emotional trigger)
- Need to act out (cravings)
- Acting out (using or engaging in addictive behavior)
- Temporary relief (the "quick hit")
- Consequences and guilt, PLUS the original pain
Illustration 1 - Cycle of Addiction
How Do We Know If We Have an Addiction?
One way to litmus test this is to ask yourself (and your clients), "If you were to stop this behavior for 1 week do cravings arise?" If yes, then you are addicted. If no cravings arise, then you are not addicted.
People struggling with addictions often have one or more of the follow areas of challenge:
When counseling a person struggling with addiction, it is important to identify and resolve the root cause of his or her pain/fear/conflict. It is this pain/fear/conflict that is keeping the addiction cycle going. When those struggling with addiction heal the brokenness in their hearts and renew their minds with the truth of God's word the "need to relieve the pain" by means of addiction will gradually fall away. The more they can receive and experience God's love, learn how to love and treasure themselves, get grounded in their identity in Christ, and let Christ live in them and through them the less they will want to engage in destructive habits and behaviors.
Behavior modification is also part of the healing journey for those struggling with addiction. However, just telling those struggling with addiction not to do something they want to do doesn't work - this will usually make them want to do it more! Using the "push method" can be beneficial. This is where you get them to focus on adding healthy habits to their lives that will "push out" the destructive habits. We see an example of this in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." This verse tells us to focus our attention on what is true, honest, just, pure, and virtuous; encouraging us to focus on what we "do want" rather than on what we "don't want".
When a person struggling with addiction is ready to seek counseling for overcoming his or her addiction, the most important thing to remember is never refer to him or her as an addict! Many will come to you believing their addiction defines them, and this is one of the major blocks to their recovery and is something you will want to help them break free of. Their addiction is not who they are, nor is it a disease. It is a spiritual issue and a bad habit that they need to stop engaging in and submitting to. Assuming this person is a Christian, he or she is a child of God and a member of the Body of Christ. Thus, it is important to reinforce this to your Christian clients who are struggling with addiction by helping them to get grounded in their identity "in Christ". For those who are unbelievers, it is also true that their addiction is not who they are. As you work with them on healing their inner wounds, look for opportunities to minister the gospel of grace to them.
Steps For Breaking the Addiction Cycle:
Addiction is a Spiritual Issue
Scripture teaches us that the moment we are saved (when we first trusted in the gospel of grace) our spirit was quickened (brought to life from the dead) "in Christ". We further learn that it is the Holy Spirit that renews us (Titus 3:5), and it is only after we are saved that we can understand the things of God and walk in the Spirit. In contrast, an unsaved person is still spiritually "dead", only carnally minded, and walks after the course of this world. It is for this reason that when working with Christian clients struggling with addiction that we make sure they are in fact "saved" as they claim. Once we establish that said clients are saved, they will need to get grounded in the love of God, know who they are "in Christ, get stablished in the doctrines of grace, and be renewed in the spirit of their minds. As they do this, the more they will walk in the Spirit and less in the flesh (less in their addiction).
See the scripture study below. This scripture study takes a deeper dive into Ephesians 4:17-24 and outlines how we are to "put off" the old man and "put on" the new man and walk worthy of our calling in Christ. But what does this mean and how do we do this? Print the document below and read through the cross-reference verses in your Bible to gain a better understanding. This study is something that is recommended you do with your clients who are struggling with addiction.
One way to litmus test this is to ask yourself (and your clients), "If you were to stop this behavior for 1 week do cravings arise?" If yes, then you are addicted. If no cravings arise, then you are not addicted.
People struggling with addictions often have one or more of the follow areas of challenge:
- Low-self esteem
- Difficulty receiving and experiencing God's love
- Excessive negative self-talk, unhealthy inner self-dialogue
- Unforgiveness, most often toward self
- Identity ignorance or confusion
- Lack of purpose/boredom
- A rejection mindset
- Pattern of habitual sin, not submitting to God (1 Cor. 10:13)
- Codependency
- Feeling out of control
- Lack of boundaries and difficulty being assertive
- Unhealed trauma
- Ignorance of God's word
When counseling a person struggling with addiction, it is important to identify and resolve the root cause of his or her pain/fear/conflict. It is this pain/fear/conflict that is keeping the addiction cycle going. When those struggling with addiction heal the brokenness in their hearts and renew their minds with the truth of God's word the "need to relieve the pain" by means of addiction will gradually fall away. The more they can receive and experience God's love, learn how to love and treasure themselves, get grounded in their identity in Christ, and let Christ live in them and through them the less they will want to engage in destructive habits and behaviors.
Behavior modification is also part of the healing journey for those struggling with addiction. However, just telling those struggling with addiction not to do something they want to do doesn't work - this will usually make them want to do it more! Using the "push method" can be beneficial. This is where you get them to focus on adding healthy habits to their lives that will "push out" the destructive habits. We see an example of this in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." This verse tells us to focus our attention on what is true, honest, just, pure, and virtuous; encouraging us to focus on what we "do want" rather than on what we "don't want".
When a person struggling with addiction is ready to seek counseling for overcoming his or her addiction, the most important thing to remember is never refer to him or her as an addict! Many will come to you believing their addiction defines them, and this is one of the major blocks to their recovery and is something you will want to help them break free of. Their addiction is not who they are, nor is it a disease. It is a spiritual issue and a bad habit that they need to stop engaging in and submitting to. Assuming this person is a Christian, he or she is a child of God and a member of the Body of Christ. Thus, it is important to reinforce this to your Christian clients who are struggling with addiction by helping them to get grounded in their identity "in Christ". For those who are unbelievers, it is also true that their addiction is not who they are. As you work with them on healing their inner wounds, look for opportunities to minister the gospel of grace to them.
Steps For Breaking the Addiction Cycle:
- Address the root cause of original pain/fear/conflict
- Get rooted in God's love (refer to lesson 1)
- Adress the spiritual issues (see below)
- Cultivate healthy self-esteem and self-love (refer to lesson 1)
- Create a plan for practicing healthier habits and behavior modifications
Addiction is a Spiritual Issue
Scripture teaches us that the moment we are saved (when we first trusted in the gospel of grace) our spirit was quickened (brought to life from the dead) "in Christ". We further learn that it is the Holy Spirit that renews us (Titus 3:5), and it is only after we are saved that we can understand the things of God and walk in the Spirit. In contrast, an unsaved person is still spiritually "dead", only carnally minded, and walks after the course of this world. It is for this reason that when working with Christian clients struggling with addiction that we make sure they are in fact "saved" as they claim. Once we establish that said clients are saved, they will need to get grounded in the love of God, know who they are "in Christ, get stablished in the doctrines of grace, and be renewed in the spirit of their minds. As they do this, the more they will walk in the Spirit and less in the flesh (less in their addiction).
See the scripture study below. This scripture study takes a deeper dive into Ephesians 4:17-24 and outlines how we are to "put off" the old man and "put on" the new man and walk worthy of our calling in Christ. But what does this mean and how do we do this? Print the document below and read through the cross-reference verses in your Bible to gain a better understanding. This study is something that is recommended you do with your clients who are struggling with addiction.
| Scripture Study - Putting on the New Man |
Video Teachings
When to Recommend a Rehab Treatment Facility
When you have clients who are more sever and in active addiction - especially if they are using drugs or alcohol - you may want to recommend they go to a rehab treatment facility that deals specifically with their type of addiction. It will be difficult for them to do inner work on themselves if they have not fully detoxed out the harmful substances they have been consuming. You can still continue to counsel them, but it should be part of a larger treatment plan that includes the involvement of a rehab treatment facility. One way you can facilitate this conversation with such a client is to research treatment centers in your client's area and set up a call with one of the representatives from that treatment center to explain your client's situation with them further. From there, you can provide your client with the name and number of the representative and encourage him or her to call directly.
When you have clients who are more sever and in active addiction - especially if they are using drugs or alcohol - you may want to recommend they go to a rehab treatment facility that deals specifically with their type of addiction. It will be difficult for them to do inner work on themselves if they have not fully detoxed out the harmful substances they have been consuming. You can still continue to counsel them, but it should be part of a larger treatment plan that includes the involvement of a rehab treatment facility. One way you can facilitate this conversation with such a client is to research treatment centers in your client's area and set up a call with one of the representatives from that treatment center to explain your client's situation with them further. From there, you can provide your client with the name and number of the representative and encourage him or her to call directly.
Assignment
- Read chapter 12 in the book Unshackled: Breaking Strongholds from Your Past, by Kathy DeGraw
- Listen to the audiobook Addiction to Love by Susan Peabody available through the Audible app. Note, this makes a good resource for clients dealing with codependency.