It is treated through dual diagnosis, which looks to address both the physical addiction and mental health issues affecting the individual. Many of us felt that there was something wrong with us or something missing—in short, we felt different from other people. We couldn’t understand why the people surrounding us could feel happiness or contentment, so we turned to drugs and alcohol as a means of self-medicating our perceived shortcomings.

This guy was an Olympic champion at expressing how he feels compared to me. I never say I am upset because it also seems to be an undifferentiated emotion that I have trouble accessing, mentalising and expressing. My step 4 and then 5 showed me that I did  not have the natural ability to deal with my negative emotions.

thoughts on “The Spiritual Malady”

I believe my so-called defects of character are linked to my underlying emotional disorder of alcoholism. Keep in mind that this is separate from the physical craving. Even after someone is completely detoxed and has all alcohol or drugs removed from their body, they will still obsess about drinking or using. Selfishness and self -centeredness is the root of my trouble. My troubles are of my own making and arise out my living a life run on self-will.

What are the 12 spiritual steps of AA?

The 12 spiritual principles of recovery are as follows: acceptance, hope, faith, courage, honesty, patience, humility, willingness, brotherly love, integrity, self-discipline, and service.

While this may not be for everybody, the principles contained within the steps and the program are applicable and useful to anyone seeking sobriety and recovery. I could identify when he went on to say, “the spiritual malady refers to a derangement of our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. These things are out of whack and not aligned.“ The process of recovery is useful to remedy this problem. Self-reliance can also be dangerous because it can lead to pride. It leads to judgment, isolation, and a feeling of superiority. None of these things are conducive to a healthy recovery.

Need help with a drinking problem?

As explained in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, “we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.” When men and women look inwardly, the spiritual component of the disease becomes apparent. The struggle for anyone with a substance use disorder is that the focus, outside of treatment and 12-Step meetings, is typically on the substance.

  • So, instead of fixating on the parts of the program that don’t work for you, focus on the things that do.
  • It doesn’t matter what your Higher Power is; what matters is that you believe in something that can help guide and support you on your journey to recovery.
  • If you are seeking drug and alcohol related addiction rehab for yourself or a loved one, the YourFirstStep.org hotline is a confidential and convenient solution.
  • Allow yourself to feel the strength and support that comes from knowing that there is something bigger than yourself out there rooting for your success.

Committing myself entirely to the recovery process was the second. Taking responsibility doesn’t stop at declaring that I needed help and made the decision to find the solution. Throughout the recovery process, commitment is expected at all times. As The Big Book states, in time, responsibility will become such a large part of our recovery journey that we will even “awaken to a new sense of responsibility for others” as well. It is therapeutic exchange and shame reducing to know someone else has committed similar sins or has acted for similar reasons; they were powerless over their behaviours.

The Full Spectrum of Spirituality

I had many old ideas and prejudices that had to be examined and released. One way to think of a Higher Power is simply as a force that is greater than yourself. This could be the power of nature, the universe, or even something as simple as your cats or dogs spiritual malady at home – perhaps their love for you and the fact that they need you to be sober is your Higher Power. It doesn’t matter what your Higher Power is; what matters is that you believe in something that can help guide and support you on your journey to recovery.

spiritual malady aa

But first, it’s crucial that you understand the difference between a spiritual experience and a religious one. While I could go on forever on the differences between these two ideas, I’ll keep it as simple as possible. https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/10-best-alcohol-addiction-recovery-books/ If you wish to contact a specific medical detox center then find a specific treatment center using our addiction treatment locator tool. The practice of Christian Meditation offers a remedy to the spiritual malady.