Alcoholism and other forms of addiction are complicated diseases because each addiction is different and each addict has a slightly different set of reasons for using. One thing that is common among all different types of addicts, however, is that in one way or another they have allowed drugs or alcohol to take hold of their life.
There are a number of reasons this happens, but as an addict recovers, they can begin to find a meaningful relationship with God and find that God allows them to stop using drugs and alcohol and allowing substances to have such a strong hold on their life.
Using Drugs and Alcohol to Deal With Emotions
It is extremely common for addicts to have emotional problems and issues properly processing emotions. This is because for almost all addicts, feeling strong emotions is a trigger for using. This is because when emotions are unpleasant or strong, an addict’s tendency tends to be to use drugs or alcohol to temporarily mitigate the feelings of a strong emotion.
This creates a vicious cycle because emotions are simply numbed and not actually dealt with, and in turn become much more complicated and severe, which creates a stronger desire to use. When an addict turns to God, however, they find that they can in fact deal with their emotions in a meaningful way.
A relationship with God allows for a recovering addict to see that their emotions do not need to be dealt with through the use of drugs or alcohol and can be faced with the support of a God who will always guide a recovering addict in the right direction.
A Relationship With God and Finding One’s True Purpose
Often, those who struggle with addiction have found that their dreams and goals have fallen by the wayside as addiction took a hold of their lives and prevented them from fulfilling their dreams. When this happens, an addict will often feel that they have lost purpose and are floating aimlessly.
This can create a desire to further fill emptiness by using drugs or alcohol. Once an addict begins to cultivate their relationship with God, however, they are able to regain sight of their true purpose. They are in touch with the person they wish to be. This creates a much weaker desire to use because the emptiness that created a desire to use diminished as a more meaningful life was led.
God Is a Support System
A relationship with God does all of the things that drugs and alcohol do not. When a person has a relationship with God, they have the strength they need that they were seeking but not finding in drugs or alcohol. Having a relationship with God means that even when obstacles are faced, an addict has the opportunity to address them head on.
Having a relationship with and the support of a God that can offer them guidance also allows a recovering addict to make much more informed and healthy decisions. This is especially true when it comes to choosing which people they would like to allow in their life.
Surrounding one’s self with other happy and healthy people can replace the need to use drugs or alcohol. This is because a healthy relationship with people who are a positive influence can allow a recovering addict the chance to make decisions that support their sobriety rather than decisions that drive them to use.
Having a relationship with God in sobriety is truly the key to ridding oneself of the desire to leave permanently. A relationship with God is a truly invaluable tool in sobriety and in all of life.