Teaching Recovery with Heart and Soul - Research Paper Example

? Teaching Recovery with Heart and Soul Teaching Recovery with Heart and Soul INTRODUCTION Educating the heart and soul is animportant approach that can effectively be used to help students under recovery from substance abuse of drug dependence to develop emotional sobriety. This is particularly because addiction and drug related problems are often closely linked with emotional and spiritual immaturities. For example, Individuals who resort to drug abuse usually do so because of their inability to effectively deal with their feelings. According to Galanter Mark (Psychiatry professor) (2005) , “addiction normally occurs because alcohol or the drugs abused may provide a feeling of temporary relief from their emotional problems but this always results in bigger problems for the affected individuals”(33). Individuals undergoing recovery may occasionally be faced with the challenge of how to deal with their feelings and emotions. Consciousness based heart and soul education is particularly important in helping the affected students develop their self and personality. Many experts suggest that a combination of the traditional addiction recovery teaching with heart and soul teaching approach can effectively improve the recovery of the affected students while at the same time strengthening their spiritual thereby enhancing their chance of full recovery. However, the use of heart and soul as a teaching approach in schools has always been contentious. Although critics of the approach often equate spiritual teaching with imposing religion to the students, spirituality does not always mean following a particular set of beliefs or religious doctrines. Contrary to what many believe, spirituality does not always mean following a particular set of beliefs or religious doctrines. The theory behind heart and soul approach is that involving a higher power or God to the life of an individual will help fill the spiritual void and consequently remove the need for their addictive behavior. ParkerJ. Parker (educator) (2003) suggested that there are a number of ways through which teachers can effectively explore the spiritual dimensions of teaching to improve the emotional sobriety of students particularly those under recovery from substance abuse. 1.1. Statement of the Problem Substance abuse in the United States continues to claim many lives with approximately 125,000 lives being lost due to alcohol abuse. In most affected individuals, alcoholism and addictive substance use often culminate into intense feelings of lack of purpose in life, alienation, loneliness and helplessness. Although alcohol or drug dependence occurs as a result of a complex interaction of cultural, biological, psychological and spiritual factors, most of the contemporary treatment modalities are only psychosocial in nature. “The contemporary educational system has little provisions for enhancing and encouraging students to explore their spirituality and feel their connection to their surrounding” (Parker, 2003, p.47. However, numerous researches have revealed that improved spirituality can make students healthier, happier and intellectually aroused because they begin to feel themselves as part of a higher power. One of the best ways to help addicts achieve emotional sobriety is to employ heart and soul teaching approaches. According to Ringwald, Charles (2008(psychologist), “meditation techniques such as mindfulness have proven effective in overcoming emotional problems by encouraging recovery individuals to explore their inner strength and ability when dealing with emotional situations” (44). Additionally, to ensure the effectiveness of spiritual education for addicts under recovery, it is important to find a heart and soul treatment option that embraces ones religious beliefs. For example, an individual who embraces Christian doctrines is more likely to benefit from a bible based heart and soul recovery program. However, the use of spirituality approach in addiction recovery is not an entirely new concept. 1.2. History of the Problem The debate regarding the merits of using spiritual aspects in the recovery process began in the 1840s with the works of Baylor Courtenay who advocated for the use of spirituality for therapeutic purposes. Later, psychologists began to secularize the approach by emancipating spirituality from its early religious roots. Since the early1930s, Alcoholics Anonymous has always employed a number of religion and prayer tenets in their self help programs. Most of such spiritual based programs have over the years proven popular and successful in helping addicts to fully recover from their addictive behaviors and avoid future relapse. The modern addiction counseling was from its beginnings marked by emphasis on the important role of spirituality in addiction recovery. This is particularly based on the belief that when individuals with strong religious backgrounds struggle to recover from addition, they not only face the challenges placed on them by the society but also how the addition affects their spiritual development. “Spiritual education is currently one of the widely used tools to assist individuals undergoing addiction recovery” (Avants Kelly 2011, p.58 (Medical researcher). Heart and soul teaching as an approach to addiction recovery is based on the philosophy that addiction recovery can be effectively addressed from a religious point of view. According to many psychologists, people often turn to addictive behaviors in an attempt to fill the void caused by the absence of spirituality in their lives. Generally, most of the contemporary heart and soul recovery facilities are now combining spiritual education with the traditional recovery methods. The combine approach particularly works well for the individuals who are ready to get sober and have the ability to embrace spiritual teachings. 1.4 Scope of the Problem Although drug and alcohol abuse are the most common addiction related problems, individuals under recovery also often struggle to recover from other behavioral addictions such as eating disorders, sex addiction and gaming addictions (Johnsen, 2009(Health and Nursing expert). This is particularly because addiction is often an attempt to fill the void caused by the absence of spirituality in the lives of the addicts. Consequently, any form of addiction can effectively be addressed by heart and soul based teaching and counseling support. A major challenge of this approach is that non Christians or people who subscribe to other religious doctrines are expected to view this approach as an attempt to convert them and this may interfere with their recovery. However, the best heart and soul programs are the ones which are more flexible in the inclusion of religious components into their teaching. For example, they may provide a secular heart and soul teaching support as an option to the spiritual education. Zemore Salmon (2004, sociologist) argues that “the individuals who experience spiritual void but are not sure of their specific religious beliefs may prefer to pursue secular heart and soul teaching option” (56). 1.3. Rationale of the Research The proposed use of heart and soul teaching is based on the notion that many people often find it easier to overcome addition problems when they associate the problems to something beyond their human control. For example, addiction usually makes the affected individuals loose control over their lives as well as decisions. Hall Todd (Psychologist) (2005) argued that “cultivating a belief in a stronger and higher roper that cares about them is one of the essential ways of helping and motivating addiction recovery students” (381). Recent empirical findings have demonstrated the significance of incorporating spiritual education in the recovery process of addicted individuals. For example, a number of previous publications concur that addicted students normally suffer from a silent struggle when it comes to dealing with their emotions and feelings. According to many psychologists, this is the primary reason why many individuals turn to drug abuse in the first place. As a result, emotional problems can form areal stumbling block to the successful recovery of the affected individuals from addition. In this regard, the traditional addiction recovery strategies may not effectively address the spiritual aspect of their recovery. Individuals struggling to recover from addiction problems are often encouraged to adopt heart and soul treatment options that embrace their personal religious beliefs. Apart from promoting self consciousness through meditation techniques, effective heart and soul teaching approach to addiction recovery may also include educating the affected students on spiritual principles, promoting the development of a closer relationship with a higher power, participation in prayers and religious study, group therapies and regular religious studies. 1.4. Research Questions The primary goal of this research is to highlight ways in which spirituality can be incorporated in the recovery process of substance addicts. Some of the key research questions include: i. How can heart and soul teaching approach be used to help addicts achieve emotional sobriety? ii. What are the key advantages of incorporating spirituality in the addiction recovery process? iii. What are the main challenges associated with using heart and soul approach as a recovery strategy? 1.5. Anticipated Outcomes of the Project One of the anticipated results is that the research will help identify some of the potential advantages of heart and soul teaching approach to addictive recovery patients as well as the ways through which spiritual based programs can also effectively be used to promote recovery from other addictive behaviors other than drug addiction. On the other hand, the research also seeks to evaluate the potential of combining heart and soul teaching with the traditional recovery methods in helping addiction recovery patients to regain their emotional sobriety. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Brief Overview Alcoholism and drug addiction remains one of the greatest issues affecting American adolescents and students throughout the country. Although millions currently suffer from addiction related problems, only a small percentage are able to get the necessary professional help they need to recovery from addiction and turn their lives around (Dodes, 2012). Ensuring a successful recovery of addicted adolescents and students is critically because they live at a time when their life is basically developing both psychologically and emotionally. For example, According to Miller (2009), without a full recovery, substance abuse and alcoholism can potentially stunt the development of these individuals at one of their crucial periods of development. A number of authors have defined spirituality as the belief in a higher purpose and meaning of life (DuWors, 2011, Galanter, 2005 and Avants, 2011). However, the use of spirituality in the addiction recovery process is quite distinguished from religious based sectarian practices and other theistic connotations. The incorporation of teaching heart and soul in the recovery process of addicted adolescents and youthful students generally focuses on the spiritual side of addiction recovery by cultivating a belief in a higher being than one’s self to improve their emotional sobriety (Davis, 2010). Many recent empirical findings have clearly demonstrated the significance of incorporating spiritual education in the recovery process of addicted individuals. For example, many authors suggest that attaining emotional sobriety through enhanced spirituality is one of the cornerstones of a successful long term recovery process from drug and alcohol addition (Miller, 2009). The correlation between drug or alcohol addition and emotional/spiritual immaturity is largely attributed to the fact that many of the adolescent addicts begin substance abuse at a tender age. As a result, their emotional development may be significantly stunted due to the continuous numbing of their brains with substances and chemicals. Generally, such individuals usually find it hard to live in the present, easily lose their temper; they have constant mood swings and trouble developing relationships with other people. On the other hand, many adolescents turn to substance abuse because they are unable to deal with their emotions and feelings. Although such individuals normally resort to drugs and substances to provide an escape by offering a feeling of temporary relief from their emotional problems, this always results in bigger problems for the affected individual and they often end up in a vicious cycle of addiction (Galanter, 2005). 2.1. Use of heart and Soul Teaching Approach to Improve Emotional Sobriety Although teaching heart and soul operates outside the modalities of the contemporary empirical medicine, the approach enhances the recovery process by encouraging the recovery patients to ascribe to a higher metaphysical power (Hanh, 2009). Alcoholics and other addicts need to regulate their negative feelings in order to avoid the potential discomfort, craving and even relapse that may occur during the recovery process. Helping the students under recovery to overcome their emotional and spiritual immaturities through teaching with heart and soul teaching approach can effectively improve the recovery of the affected students and protect them against any potential relapse. Alcoholics and other drug addicts tend to develop bad emotional habits such as poor coping skills or decision making throughout their years of substance abuse (DuWors, 2011). However, when drug addicts suddenly stop using substance abuse, they do not usually immediately change their emotional reactions to circumstances back to that of a normal healthy and balanced individual. According to many researchers, the defense of an addict under recovery against potential relapse can significantly be strengthened by enhancing their overall resiliency, equanimity, emotional wisdom as well as improving their innate coping skills. For example, during the initial periods of the recovery process, addicts and alcoholics tend to display emotional reactions such as outbursts and temper tantrums similar to those of children. In this regard, teaching recovery with heart and soul is primarily intended to help the recovery patients to identify their feelings and use their thought processes to develop new coping mechanisms as well as bring their emotions into balance. Additionally Ringwald (2008) suggests that the approach of teaching recovery patients with heart and soul is also intended to equip the affected individuals with the much needed tools to help them enhance their emotional development. 2.2. Ways of Teaching Recovery with Heart and Soul It is important to understand the real causes of drug addiction and alcoholism in order to develop a realistic recovery process. Although peer pressure and trying to fit into particular social groups remain the leading reasons why adolescents may opt to experiment with alcohol and drugs, there are a number of other emotional health problems that have contributed to increased substance abuse (Kahle and Robbins, 2004). One of the best ways to incorporate teaching heart and soul approach in the recovery process is encouraging mindfulness medication among the recovery students or patients. Mindfulness allows the recovery patients to focus on their present emotions rather than dwelling on their pasts or anticipated future which may be beyond their control. At the same time, they may be encouraged to understand that their present emotions are just but temporary feelings that will come to pass and can never define their lives. Jacobs-Stewart (2010) effectively discusses a number of ways through which spirituality and mindfulness can be fused to improve the recovery process of addicted individuals. Based on her own alcoholism recovery experience, the author suggests that minimizing mindfulness through each of her 12 steps can effectively help young addicts under recovery to calm their nerves and clear their minds thereby improving their emotional sobriety. According to Jacobs-Stewart (2010), the incorporation of some of the lessons learnt from Buddhism such as mindfulness exercises can significantly improve the experience of recovery alcoholics and drug addicts. Generally, mindfulness is a highly effective tool that can successfully be used to enable the affected persons to attain emotional and spiritual maturity. This approach entails encouraging the recovery patients or students to be mindful of their feelings and body functions by focusing on the present. Siegel (2007) particularly suggests that the application of mindfulness to improve emotional maturity during the recovery process of addiction therapy should involve teaching the adolescents under recovery to cultivate “awareness in the moment” to improve their emotional sobriety. Another way of using heart and soul approach to enhance the recovery process of adolescent and student drug addicts is through encouraging meditation. The use of meditation is largely founded on the notion that strong emotions often come with physiological effects (Siegel, 2007). For example, breathing exercises may also be used as part of the mindfulness and self awareness approach. Many researchers agree that encouraging relaxation or deep breathing can help the recovery students to regain control of their physical response to their emotions and enhance their coping skills. Helping such individuals to overcome their painful emotional states is critically important because it is the only way to avoid the feeling of going back to drink in order to escape from their intolerable emotional situations (DuWors, 2011). However, teaching heart and soul during as part of the addiction recovery process must always be tailored to meet the diverse needs of each adolescent under recovery. In this regard, mindfulness will help the clients to develop more self awareness and consequently improve their ability to cope up with their intolerable feelings. Heart and soul education approach is one of the better ways of helping students under recovery from substance abuse of drugs. Spiritual nourishment enhances emotional sobriety in addicts who are in one way or the other experiencing emotional immaturities. Although this approach is primarily focused on cultivating a habit of remembering particular moments when in a risky situation, it is also intended to help prepare the recovery adolescent students to deal with the future stressful moments. The individuals who normally resolve into abusing drugs are normally unable to deal effectively with their inner feelings. Even though addicts still breathe, they generally live with death therefore heart and soul teaching is always the best modes towards achieving emotional sobriety. The integration of spiritual care into the addiction recovery process also enables the patients to effectively manage their grief, regain their dignity as well as develop creative, intimate and life giving relationships with their inner selves, others and a higher power (DuWors, 2011). On the other hand, incorporation of spirituality in the recovery process also brings about many healing possibilities. For example, the recovery individuals may be able to envision addiction as a potential loss to their humanity and this may help them. The recovery process is also particularly enhanced through spirituality by reuniting the physical body and the spiritual self and reflecting a belief in a higher meaning and purpose of life. Additionally, Galanter (2005) argues that spirituality encompasses specific beliefs that individuals may have regarding the purpose and meaning of life based on a set of personal goals and values. For others, it may include having specific beliefs that there is a higher power depending on ones religion. According to Robinson (2011), teaching recovery through heart and soul approach may involve providing guidance to the adolescents on how to live their lives in a more meaningful way based on specific laws and rules. On the other hand, it may also include providing the recovery persons with indirect guidance in the form of values regarding the purpose and meaning of life. However, the addition of spiritual focus to enhance the recovery process should not be used as a replacement to the necessary physical and other psychological addiction recovery treatment procedures that may be needed by the adolescent undergoing addiction recovery. Although individual patients under recovery often represent diverse spiritual backgrounds, teaching recovery with heart and soul should be designed to address the needs of all faiths and demonstrate respect to all spiritual or religious beliefs (Hanh, 2009). The teaching of heart and soul to enhance spirituality can be carried out through a number of ways including a combination of group, lecture and individualized spiritual teachings to assist the adolescent addiction recovery patients as well as their families in healing their spiritual wounds and achieve their full recovery. 2.3. Benefits of Spirituality and Mindfulness in Addiction Recovery Process The major reasons for the addiction of adolescents and students include peer pressure, family problems, self image issues and school related stress among others. Compared to adults, young people often require a unique addiction recovery plan. This is particularly attributed to their different reasons for addiction. As a result, subjecting adolescents and students under recovery to the normal addiction recovery treatment plans do not normally offer them the best and most appropriate care to their emotional needs. Spirituality grounded recovery is widely supported by a number of recent scientific empirical findings that have invariably shown that spirituality provides hope which is integral to the successful recovery of individuals. Dodes (2012) suggests that by helping the recovery patients to recognize their inner thoughts, feelings and perceptions, spirituality reduces the cases of relapse as well as the potential continuation of self defeating behaviors once the an addict stops the use of the particular drug. For example, as adolescents of young addicts incorporate the practice of mindfulness and spirituality in their recovery, they gradually develop effective coping strategies that ultimately enable them to handle every challenge that may come their way (Mathieu, 2013). This is critically important because the concept of recovery particularly emphasizes on improving an addicts capacity to regain hope and lead a meaningful life again. In the clinical context, the use of spirituality in the recovery process is primarily based on the need to improve non-demographic subject factors that are sometimes commonly referred to as quality of life issues. Polcin (2004) suggests that some of the major important issues associated with the spiritual aspect of life include potential loss of a sense of purpose by the adolescents undergoing recovery after excessive substance abuse, feelings of inadequacy because of one’s addiction, experience of moral qualms by the young addicts over their continued substance abuse and a diminishing will to resist temptation to go back to the drug (relapse). Spiritual practices strengthen coping skills and social support. They foster optimism, hopes, and promote healthy behavior. Acceptance of spirituality in drug addicts reduces the feelings of depression and anxiety and help in relaxation. Meditation is an effective in recovery and abstinence from drugs (Miller, 2009). Drug addiction violates religious and moral codes of conduct. Upon acceptance of religion, recovering drug addicts become self-disciplined and develop self-restraint. Spirituality promotes healing because it strengthens the will power of addicts, reducing chances of relapse. By recognizing a higher power, recovering patients ask for healing, character modification through communication with the higher power, helping them conform their will to the high power (Jacobs-Stewart, 2010). Another potential benefit of teaching heart and soul is its widely reported healing effect on the addiction damage to human brain. For example, numerous researches have concluded that the practice of meditation thickens the mid-frontal cortex of the brain, an area which is commonly damaged by substance abuse. Robinson (2011) also suggests that meditation and a sustained state of mindfulness works by changing the way an individual thinks and this in turn causes changes in an individual’s brain. It is widely believed that encouraging meditation can also effectively help adolescent addicts under recovery to successfully sustain a state of mindfulness and enhanced spirituality that ultimately results in a more serene and peaceful state of mind. According to Siegel (2007), an individuals well being can be promoted through experiences such as mindfulness meditation, secure attachment an effective psychotherapy. Siegel’s theory particularly suggests that these three experiences have similar positive effects on neural mechanisms. The researchers further suggested that the changes in the mental state that result from regular practice of mindfulness often persist beyond the period of practice. It is widely believed that these changes are critically important for improved emotional, sensory and cognitive processing as well as better coping skills. DuWors (2011) carried out another remarkable study investigating the effectiveness of teaching mindfulness and spirituality as a way of enhancing the recovery process. It was discovered both spirituality and the practice of mindfulness significantly reduces intrusive thoughts and stress related to addictive patterns. According to Robinson (2011), this is particularly important because stress is one of the major reasons why many adolescents are increasingly getting into substance addiction. Adhering to spiritual practices normalizes reactions and internal struggles in recovering addicts. It encourages emotional expression and emotional control by encouraging self-disclosure and sharing. This helps them cope with their problems. Johnsen (2009) also argues that having social support in spiritual practices will help the addicts find ways to create blessings from their drug and substance use. Being socially connected, recovering addicts can meet the demands of every day stressors through active coping and recruiting help from others. In summary, heart and soul teaching that can effectively be used to enhance the recovery process. Teaching spirituality is increasingly becoming an integral part of adolescent addiction recovery treatment program in various recovery facilities. Numerous researches concur that practicing mindfulness has a diverse range of positive impacts on concentration, emotional regulation, control of impulses, decision making as well as ones self care. As a result, clinicians are increasingly incorporating the practice of mindfulness into the treatment of substance abuse and related compulsive disorders. 2.3. Potential Challenges of to the Use Heart and Soul Approach as a Recovery Strategy Not many professionals working in recovery programs believe in spiritual healing. Spiritual practices require faith, hope, and the staff must first explore their own beliefs, values, and biases regarding spirituality. They must give hope to their clients so that transformation may take place through help and assistance .The staff’s spiritual beliefs in recovery programs must be the same with those of their clients (Shafranske, 2006). Clients will fail to embrace spirituals practices different from their own. Professionals who challenge clients beliefs will make them discontinue recovery programs. Many treatment staff fear and are reluctance to use spirituality as a therapeutic tool because of ethical considerations. They do not want to impose their belief on their clients (Caroll, McGinley, and Mark 2000). Treatment staff members are ethically required to provide effective interventions to their clients and thus should use spirituality where necessary (Kahleand Robbins, 2004). Lastly, another potential challenge with spiritual treatments arises, when medical students responsible for treating substance abuse are less spiritual than their clients. Their indifference to religion and spirituality as an important component of care is due to underrepresentation of religious beliefs and values among mental health professionals in general, (Shafraske, 2006). In most institutions, the insurance and third party players hamper inclusion of spiritual practices. Treatment facilities may be under pressure to maintain politically and legally correct separation of the church and the state (Caroll, McGinley, and Mark 2010). The treatment staffs also find it difficult to quantify spirituality in quality assurance programs. This approach does not consider treatment outcomes and thus hampers recovery and assistance of clients. References Avants, S. 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Helping, Spirituality, and Alcoholics Anonymous in recovery. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 65, 383-391. Read More