Patrick Slattery Addiction Recovery September 8, 2021 In 12-Step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), a belief in a Higher Power plays an integral part in remedying addiction. In fact, the idea of a Higher Power is directly listed in half of all the Twelve Steps, including: We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. While the steps reference God, 12-Step programs are not religious. Instead, the idea of God is up to the individual to define. The promise of salvation from addiction through religion is often misconstrued as the primary purpose of 12-Step groups. Spirituality, instead, is the driving factor of the 12-Step process. Although the language used, such as God and Him and how these terms correlate with specific religions, make it easier to identify with the process, this language is not fully applicable to everybody, including those who do not believe in a God. In an attempt to highlight the greater sense of the word, a Higher Power does not necessarily mean God. What Is a Higher Power? A Higher Power is a power that is greater than yourself. A Higher Power is also specific to the individual. What you choose to believe in as a Higher Power plays a significant role in your recovery. The greater your understanding of and connection with this power, the more positive a recovery experience you are likely to have. Although the idea of a Higher Power is ideally spiritual, we can break it down for the agnostic (or atheist) to be something as simple as wind turbines banking the hillsides. Wind turbines are large forces of manufactured nature. The common man or woman knows they exist but does not know how one works, was built, or is maintained. What we do know is that they do exist with their propeller-like blades ever spinning. Like majestic mountains or the functions of day-to-day life, wind turbines keep churning with or without us. Whether we are alive tomorrow or not, these Higher Powers keep the world turning. These things are grounded in reality. Addiction keeps us in a place higher than we truly are. It inflates our egos, thinking that the negative qualities (and there are plenty) of drinking alcohol or using a substance do not affect us when in reality, every action produces a reaction. Let’s bring it back to the question: What is a Higher Power? A Higher Power is different for everyone. We broke down what it could mean for the agnostic. Perhaps it is more straightforward for the religious. However, even for the religious type, there remains a barrier between believing in God and turning your life and will over to his care. Day-to-day qualms outside his realm can push you to question your faith rather than strengthen it at times. If you are facing down addiction like a bullet in a barrel, there is no doubt in your mind that the struggle to maintain faith is genuine. If you are religious, accepting God can be an obstacle course in its own right. Part of the battle of acceptance is tied in with turning your life and will over to the care of him. Doing so is not always easy. With the help of 12-Step meetings and members, resources and support become more widely available, lessening the earthly burdens such as addiction which often push you away from a connection with your Higher Power. Why Is It Important to Believe In a Higher Power When in Recovery? The importance of a Higher Power in recovery is about finding purpose in life. Everyone has a reason they first began drinking or using drugs. Your reason could have been because of poor home life, peer pressure from friends, looking to experiment at parties, or genetic predisposition to it at birth. These examples in no way span the entirety of why you might have started drinking or using drugs. Our point is you might have started these behaviors due to a lack of true purpose in life. Additionally, these examples can influence mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, manic episodes, and trauma. They also afflict you with a multitude of adverse long-term health effects and societal judgments. Drugs and alcohol provide you with a sense of escapism. A belief in a Higher Power is the flipside of this coin, where you are offered a real chance at a way out. There is no more need to escape. Drugs or alcohol begin to lessen their once life-altering grip. Believing in a Higher Power indirectly gives you control over your life once again, free from the constraints of addictive substances. The first Two Steps of the 12-Step process require you to commit to a few basic endeavors that set you on the path to discovering your higher power. The first and second steps are: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Finding purpose in life when fighting addiction to drinking and using is about realizing our powerlessness over either. As much as we like to blame ourselves for the terror that has been wrought on ourselves following benders and explosive, drug-fueled moments, it helps to understand addiction is a disease. It is a disease that puts us in a place of powerlessness. Unmanageability appears from it. Up until a certain point — before you pick up the bottle, before you snort, or before injecting — you have some control. Somewhere along the line, it may seem that you have lost all control. Connection with a Higher Power gives you the option to choose; it reminds you of that choice. Ultimately, your decision to turn your will over to your Higher Power or not drives you to regain your sanity or falter back into insanity due to addiction. Every Day in Recovery Is a New Challenge Maintaining your sobriety is an effort in and of itself. Every day is a new challenge. Cravings and triggers both test your strength. Restoring your sanity by believing in a power greater than yourself helps along the way. As we discussed earlier, it grounds you. A way to practice building your connection with your Higher Power is through prayer, meditation, or both. Practicing these mindfulness activities daily is important as it keeps you in the “now” and reminds you of the positives of entering into recovery. Practicing mindfulness during moments of cravings and triggers is vital for the same reason. Your Higher Power’s will for you is good versus the destructive nature that addiction provides. Spirituality and Recovery Spirituality in recovery is a core principle of both Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). The incorporation of such was founded through religious means — through Christianity — but has since evolved to incorporate greater diversity in what it means to be spiritual. Spirituality in recovery is about the examination of personal values and goals. Practicing spirituality does not necessarily mean believing in a Higher Power; however, it necessitates finding a greater purpose in life. Spirituality starts with looking within and asking more detailed questions about who you are and why you are the person you turned out to be. Spirituality ties into life and identity. You might ask yourself when exploring life’s purpose: Am I a good person? What is the meaning of my suffering? What is my connection to the world around me? Do things happen for a reason? How can I live my life in the best way possible? Spirituality generally incorporates some elements found in religion; however, as a whole, spirituality is a broader concept. As opposed to religion which encompasses ideas like ritual practices, right and wrong, and true and false statements — all tied to a God or Gods — spirituality encapsulates ideas of more personal substance like finding meaning in oneself, feelings of interconnectedness, and mortality. What spirituality and religion share in common are general principles like belief, comfort, reflection, and ethics. Examples of Higher Powers Higher Powers come in all shapes, sizes, ideas, intangibilities, and tangibilities. Some form from mythology and historical accounts. Others from commonly shared abstract internal beliefs. Here are a few examples of Higher Powers: God Allah Yahweh The Father The Holy Trinity Jesus Christ Jehovah Buddha Brahman Nirvana Mother Earth The Universe Nature Energy Ego Self-Will Us A Higher Power may be something that is either represented in your life already or not yet. For example, if you were raised in a religious household yet no longer practice, you may find yourself looking back on your upbringing for guidance. If you never practiced religion in the first place, now might be a time for you to explore. If you are cemented in your beliefs on non-faith, that is okay too. Look at the world around you. It existed before and will live on after you. Make the best of the time you have while you are on this Earth. Look to those things that inspire you, not confuse you. Addiction is a pest that has proven itself to be a false promise. It is a promise of a better life, yet all that derives from it is hurt. Addiction hurts you and your loved ones. It is time for you to replace that hurt with love. To love yourself is to understand yourself and accept yourself. Initially, coming to terms with your addiction proves to be an overwhelming time in your life. Subsequently, seeking help, whether from loved ones or through treatment, is daunting. You do not want to be viewed differently, but addiction ran rampant long enough. A long-term solution is here — a way to regain control and manage your life. Real Recovery Sober Living is Florida’s largest provider of sober living beds. We offer 24-hour support to residents recovering from alcohol and drug abuse. Our community is comprised of men of all ages sharing one goal in common — to get sober. Rather than just being big advocates of the 12-Step process, we incorporate it into our residents’ sober outlook plans. Together, we explore the effects addiction has had on us and how we can change that. If you are interested in learning more about what Real Recovery Sober Living offers, reach out at (727) 290-9156. Higher Power Mental Health religious - Share on Facebook Share on twitter