ADDICTION: OVERCOMING HELPLESSNESS AND HOPELESSNESS
Get SupportADDICTION: OVERCOMING HELPLESSNESS AND HOPELESSNESS
Get SupportAddiction isn’t something anyone expects…
Nobody makes it their goal to become addicted to something. Yet, millions of people every year wake up one day to find that they have been taken over by alcohol, drugs, or another kind of addiction.
How do we manage addiction?
Addiction is not new and people have struggled with addiction since ancient times. In Romans 7:15, Paul describes his sin nature in a way that defines addiction when he laments “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
There is plenty to hate about addiction, especially the unmanageable chaos it brings that we are powerless to control on our own. A substance use disorder can have destructive impact on physical well-being, preexisting mental health problems, and relationships with loved ones.
If this describes your situation, you know the pain of addiction and are longing for the next step in your recovery process. In this article you will find that there are, thankfully, treatment options that offer help and a God who loves you that offers hope.
At , we care about your health and recovery from the pain of addiction.
There is Help
Drug and alcohol treatment programs vary based on severity of need. A helpful first step is to schedule an appointment at a local treatment center or with a professional counselor that is credentialed as a LAC (Licensed Addiction Counselor) or CAC (Certified Addiction Counselor). There, a comprehensive drug and alcohol evaluation will determine the type of treatment that will best support your long-term addiction recovery.
Inpatient and Outpatient Care
If you or a loved one has a substance use disorder that is severe, an initial inpatient stay may be necessary. This is often the case when the first stage of recovery requires medical treatment or supervision to ensure safety and success.
Oftentimes, outpatient treatment (intensive outpatient or traditional outpatient) is a more appropriate step. An intensive outpatient (IOP) program will offer multiple treatment contacts a week (usually 3-5 days) for approximately 3 hours a day. This level of treatment provides the amount of help necessary for your recovery, while also allowing you to live at home, maintain employment, and spend regular time with your friends and family.
This frequency and intensity of treatment can be especially necessary and helpful at the beginning of your recovery process.
Addiction Counseling
For those in need of help that is less intensive, there are traditional outpatient programs that can be both effective and less time consuming. This includes professional treatment groups (like Relapse Prevention) and individual counseling.
Substance abuse disorders can be effectively treated and cared for with less intensive care in certain situations.
Supplemental Addiction Care
Anyone receiving professional treatment can also benefit by supplementing this with a local 12 step support group like Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery or Re:generation.
Furthermore, for people who have been sober or addiction free but need a more structured and supportive living environment, staying at a sober living house can also be a valuable aid to recovery.
Stepping out of addiction’s dark isolation into the light of treatment and support with people that care about you can make all the difference. Thankfully, there is help!
Get Care and Support
Our church has resources and networks to get you what you need. Connect with us to learn more.
There is Hope
After outlining his addiction to sin in Romans 7:15, Paul proclaims his powerlessness and desperation for hope in Romans 7:24 crying “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” Paul’s desperate question is immediately followed with the hopeful answer in verse 25, where he declares “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” While apart from Jesus, we are powerless to do anything (John 15:5), we can do all things (including overcoming addiction) through the power of Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
What does recovery through God’s strength look like? At least two important ingredients are immediately available. First, the shame and guilt you carry from your addiction can be replaced by the unconditional forgiveness and amazing grace given to all of God’s children through Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9).
Secondly, if you have received Jesus as your Savior and Lord you also immediately receive the Holy Spirit into your life to guide and strengthen you (John 16:7-15; Ephesians 3:16). It is by His power, not your own, that true recovery from addiction is possible. He offers it as a free gift to all who put their faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). Thankfully, there is hope!
Take Your Next Step in Recovery
If drug or alcohol addiction is part of your story, do not give up. Many have walked this road before you and have found the healing that comes through the help of treatment and the hope found in Jesus. Wherever you are, let us encourage you to take your next step.
Schedule an appointment to start treatment. If you have not yet said yes to a personal relationship with Jesus, He is inviting you right now to accept God’s forgiveness and grace. If you have already received Jesus, lean into the power of the Holy Spirit, which can overcome what you are powerless against. There is help! There is hope!
At , we want to walk alongside you in your recovery and healing process.
