Addiction

The church is to be a hospital for the sick!  Christ is the good doctor of that hospital and its patients.  He diagnoses our condition through his law and Spirit.  This diagnosis reveals that we all suffer from the sickness of sin and need to battle with our old fallen natures, the temptations of a fallen world and the assaults of the devil.  His life giving gospel and sacraments are his medicine through which He cleanses, heals and cures.  We will be dependant upon this medication for as long as we are in the flesh.  It is through this word and sacrament that our union with God, in and through Christ, is created, maintained and strengthened.  Added support and power is to be sought and is often found in response to the Christian disciplines and privileges of prayer and Christian community.  Here there is hope as well, for God does grant partial recoveries to the various afflictions caused by sin in this present age, and all who remain in Christ will experience full and total recovery from the curse brought by sin for all eternity in the age to come.

 

As mentioned, everyone, regardless of how well adjusted that they may appear to be, is afflicted by the fall into sin and so is called to do battle, through the Holy Spirit’s power, with their old fallen natures.  Sin manifests itself in different ways in different people.  Some may be more prone to self-righteousness; others to unrighteousness.  All are called to be dependant always (from beginning to end) upon the forgiving grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ, which is received though faith, and to push on and to strive for maturity, so that we will be found walking rightly on the appointed day of judgement.         

 

Today we will be looking at one aspect of our struggle with our fallen natures, namely addiction.  For a definition and analysis of this term from a medical and psychological perspective, please read the appendix at the end of the paper.  In a very broad sense, this subject covers just about any form of repeated thinking or behaviour of the old nature that is contrary to God’s will, regardless of how socially acceptable it may be.  It can include anything from an addiction to drugs and alcohol through to addictions to pornography, shopping, eating, computers and even such virtues as exercise.  

 

The following thoughts on countering addiction arise less from academic study and more upon observation, experience and reflection within the framework of a biblical, and hence Christian worldview.  Psalm 1 tells us that the one who meditates on God’s word is blessed.  The hard part, perhaps, is to follow the advice found in the Epistle of James and to not be just hearers of the word, but doers also.

 

The first point to make is that prevention is better than the cure.  An old saying states that it is better to place a fence at the top of a cliff rather than a fleet of ambulances at the bottom.  For example, there is much research available that shows the link between frequent teenage binge drinking and excessive drinking and achohol abuse as an adult.  Here education of our young people is important.  In 1 Tim 4:16, St Paul calls on the young Timothy to watch his life closely.  It is often easier to deal with problems before they take root and become habit forming.  This is one of many areas where the historic Lutheran practice of self examination can be very beneficial.  As we reflect upon our lives in the light of God’s word, we may be able to pick up early warning signs.  There is also a message here for society.  Making certain potentially harmful practices more available and acceptable within the community may not result in us becoming more free, but more enslaved instead, with resulting costs.  For example, those oppossed to the increase in poker machines in Australia cite research that informs us that there is a direct link between making these devices more readily available and increases in gambling addiction.

 

Secondly, as much addictive behaviour results from pursuing seemingly pleasurable or rewarding activities in order to avoid or cope with the pain of life, developing positive and healthy hobbies or behaviours as rewards is essential.  For example, for many it may be better spending a Saturday afternoon fishing, at the football, reading,  etc, rather than in the front bar of the pub with all the gaming devices.  Bushwalking may be better than moping around the home in front of the fridge and overeating. For the spender, visiting a friend may be better than going to the shops.  Choosing not to read promotional material and advertising literature, along with growing in our awareness of how the psychology of this material works on us, could also be beneficial for those addicted to shopping and to debt.  Many have testified to finding joy in doing community and voluntary work as a hobby. 

 

The mind also can play a powerful role in countering addiction.  The discipline of Christian meditation in which one focus’s on the Creator and Redeemer along with His word, power, faithfulness and provision predates the modern practice of  cognitive therapy. Thinking and acting realistically, yet positively, is biblical.  St Paul writes in Philippians 4:8 ‘whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things’.

 

Self awareness can also play an important role. Such knowledge may prompt us to ask if there are there places and times that make us more vulnerable to succumbing to temptation and can we think of ways to counter this?  Are there certain people or groups of people that we would do well to have less contact with because they inevitably bring us down?  St Paul writes in 1 Cor 15:33 that ‘bad company corrupts good character’.  Should we go to bed instead of going to a party when we are run down or have already been drinking a fair bit, because we know we are very likely to get drunk if we go in that condition?  Do some need to put filters on computers, or put their computers in a public place like the family room, or even get rid of internet access altogether if pornograhy is a problem for them?  In Matthew 6:28-30 Jesus is recorded as saying  ‘anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.’  In 1 Cor 6:9ff St Paul is equally blunt.  He writes: ‘Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God’.

 

Treating underlying issues can be important in managing our behaviour.  For some, it may mean getting professional help for illnesses such as depression and anxiety.  For some it may mean working less hours or reducing the stress load.  For others it may mean dealing with issues of the heart such as envy, hate, anger, bitterness and a lack of inner peace and contentment that rob us of life and push us towards self destructive habits and behaviour.  For someone who is very deeply addicted, a holistic approach that includes medical, psychological and spiritual help may be necessary.  Naturally, new age practices and any form of therapy that is contrary to God’s word needs to be avoided, regardless of the promises of success or glowing endorsements by others.

 

At this point it needs to be stated that pretty well all of the things that can enslave us are good gifts from God in themselves.  Food, sex, alchohol, shopping, medication, sport, the internet, etc are wonderful gifts that enhance life.  Would we want to live in a world without such good gifts and pleasurable rewards as these?  I think not!  It is the distortion or misuse of these gifts that is the problem.  Here each of us needs to know both ourselves and God’s will for us.  We need both plenty of self awareness and plenty of honesty to deal with the distortion of our fallen natures.  We need to know in what areas we may need to practise abstinance and in what areas we are best served by ‘managing’ our work areas.  For example, I am an ex cigarette smoker.  For years now I have smoked two or three cigars a day.  I do not inhale, although I am sure I get my fair share of ‘fumes’ through the passive smoking effect.  This practice works best for me.  However, I know of others for whom the odd cigar would very quickly lead them back to their packet a day plus cigarette habit.  For them, the only answer is abstinance, and love for my neighbour means I need to both respect and support them in this.  The same is true of alchohol.  We probably all know of people who ‘self medicate’ with alchohol.  They nearly always seem to have a drink nearby but are rarely, if ever, intoxicated.  While this is far from ideal and such people run the risk of health problems down the track, it is a far different senario from the drunkard, for whom abstinance may be the only answer.  

 

We need, therefore, to be very careful in our assessment of a Christian brother or sister.  While we are to watch out for each other and hold each other accountable, we must be very humble and cautious in both our assessments and approach.  St  Paul writes in Galatians 6:1 that ‘if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted’.  We are all affected by the fall into sin and its resulting curse in different ways.  If we are honest with the various logs in our own eyes, we should be understanding when dealing with the specks in our neighbours eye!  A sincere and honest Christian battling with various distortions is more likely to be like the taxcollector who throws himself at the feet of God than the Pharisee boasting about how together he is.  David, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes in Psalm 51 that God will not despise a broken and contrite heart, while in Isaiah 66:2 God says ‘This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word’.   Having said that, sincerity and honesty are rare commodities when dealing with ingrained and habitual sin.  Jeremiah already knew all about the concept of denial when he wrote in  Jer 17:9 that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’.   A significant part of our sinfulness is that we don’t know or own the full extent of our sin.

 

So far we have looked largely at the human role in countering addiction.  We come now to the most important factor or point, and that is, naturally, the grace of God.  Since, according to the Scriptures, God is truly God and so Lord of all, dependance upon him is foundational.  The spiritual dimension to dealing with sinful habits needs to be central.  In Romans 1:18-32, St Paul tells us that when people turn from the truth of God, he hands them over to every form of vice and depraviy imaginable as a form of judgement.  The rapid rise in addiction, the potency of the drugs and other vices that are now commonplace, and the resultant epidemic of psychiatric illness is, at least in many cases, a call to repentance and to acknowledge our dependance upon God.  They are a barometer that shows us that something is dreadfully wrong. 

 

The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, will free us and keep us from gross sin (see Dr Adam Cooper’s paper on mortal and veniel sins and the distinction between them).  This is the message of Romans 6.  There St Paul tells us that our old sinful selves were crucified, killed, drowned with Christ in baptism.  We are told that a new self has come forward, one that shares in Christ’s resurrection life.  We are then told to go on and to live this new life.  Because a new power is at work in us, we are not to ‘offer the parts of our bodies to sin as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer ourselves to God’.  To be sure, the next chapter of Romans tells us that living this new life will involve us in struggles at times.  Worshsip, in which the new self is strengthened through being fed by God through word and sacrament, will need to be central.  Yet it will take discipline to worship regularly and to be strengthened in our faith and to receive Christ’s blessing, guidance, cleansing and help there.  It will be hard at times to resist the temptations of the devil.  There will be times in our Christian journeys when we will want to throw in the towel.  At times, we will crave instant gratification rather than future wellbeing.  We will need to ‘let the word of Christ dwell in us richly’ ( Col 3:16) so that, with God’s grace at work in us, we will come through these times even stronger.  Many recovering addicts tell how they have made a rich devotional life of reading the bible and other Christian literature, collecting and viewing Christian DVDs and meeting with other Christians one of their new hobbies.  They seek to be led by God’s word and Spirit.  Yet, even here, one needs to be discerning as there is literature passed off as Christian that is distorted and far from biblical, and those with obsessive or compulsive type personalities may need to work at keeping their Christian lives balanced and sound.   

 

Christian community can be of great value in our fight with our old natures.  If the recovering addict can find a group of Christians with which he or she can share at a deep level, this may prove to be very beneficial and is a real gift from God.  Some seek out a fellow Christian to act as a mentor.  Their mentor will ask them pointed questions regarding their weakness and hold them accountable.  They will also seek to encourage and strengthen them in their faith by quoting God’s word, reassuring them of God’s power and care, and by praying with them.  The recovering addict may even be able to get groups together for others battling in similair ways to them, and so turn their weakness into a real mission opportunity.  One of the strengths of groups such as Alcoholic Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous  and other 12 step groups[1] is the support of others going through similar experiences.  Recovering addicts may also be used by God to help keep the Church ‘real’ and ‘down to earth’ by keeping grace central, and reminding us all that we have old natures to war against, even if it does not manifest itself as obviously as in them. 

 

The spouses or families of addicts may also need the support of counsellors, support groups, or just good and understanding Christians friends to help them bear their very difficult crosses of living with an addict.  Such situations inevitably raise complex issues, especially when relationships become violent or abusive.  While there may come a time when leaving the situation is necessary, there are many today who testify that they are both alive and either free or managing their addiction due to the loyalty of loved ones.  Here motive and a fair assessment of the situation is important.  Questions such as the following may need to be asked.  ‘Am I simply conforming to a culture that places self fulfillment above sacrificial love and vows, or does the situation demand such radical action as separation’?

 

There is plenty more that could be said on this subject.  The chief point, however, is to continue to cling to Christ in faith, and to believe, above all, that he is clinging to us.  Seek practical and medical help where appropriate, but above all, seek deliverance and freedom from our Lord, who cares for us.  Even when overwhelmed by your weakness, remember that ‘our help is in the name of the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth’.  Even when you feel little connection with or understanding by  fellow Christians, remember the words of the Psalm 27:10 ‘Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me’.  There will be wonderful deliverances and victories!  However, there will also continue to be work areas and struggles for all Christians.  If a spiritual giant like St Paul continued to struggle with a thorn in his flesh, should we not also expect the same?  These struggles help keep us humble and dependant upon God, to whom belongs the glory now and forever.  And the end, our eternal crown of glory, achieved by Christ’s sacrifice for us, will make our present struggles almost insignificant in comparison.      

 

 

Apendix.  Addiction: A medical and psychological analysis and definition.

“Addiction is a compulsion to repeat a behaviour regardless of its consequences. A person who is addicted is sometimes called an addict.

There is a lack of consensus as to what may properly be termed 'addiction.' Some within the medical community maintain a rigid definition of addiction and contend that the term is only applicable to a process of escalating drug or alcohol use as a result of repeated exposure. However, addiction is often applied to compulsive behaviors other than drug use, such as overeating or gambling. In all cases, the term addiction describes a chronic pattern of behaviour that continues despite the direct or indirect adverse consequences that result from engaging in the behavior. It is quite common for an addict to express the desire to stop the behaviour, but find himself or herself unable to cease.

Addiction is often characterized by a craving for more of the drug or behavior, increased physiological tolerance to exposure, and withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the stimulus. Many drugs and behaviours that provide either pleasure or relief from pain pose a risk of addiction or dependency.

Traditionally, addiction has been defined as being possible only to a psychoactive substance (for example alcohol, tobacco, or drugs), which is ingested, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and alters the natural chemical behaviour of the brain temporarily…The medical community now makes a careful theoretical distinction between physical dependence (characterized by symptoms of withdrawal) and psychological addiction (or simply addiction). Addiction is now narrowly defined as "uncontrolled, compulsive use despite harm; if there is no harm being suffered by, or damage done to, the patient or another party, then clinically it may be considered compulsive, but within this narrow definition it is not categorized as "addiction". In practice, however, the two kinds of addiction are not always easy to distinguish. Addictions often have both physical and psychological components.

Psychological addiction, as opposed to physiological addiction, is a person's need to use a drug or engage in a behavior out of desire for the effects it produces, rather than to relieve withdrawal symptoms. Instead of an actual physiological dependence on a drug, such as heroin, psychological addiction usually develops out of habits that relieve symptoms of lonliness or anxiety. As the drug is indulged, it becomes associated with the release of pleasure-inducing endorphins, and a cycle is started that is similar to physiological addiction. This cycle is often very difficult to break.

It is also considered possible to be both psychologically and physically addicted at the same time. Some doctors make little distinction between the two types of addiction, because the result -- substance abuse -- is the same. However, the cause of the addiction in either case is quite different, as is the type of treatment preferred.

Psychological addiction does not have to be limited only to substances; even various activities and behavioral patterns may be considered addictions, e.g. gambling, Internet use, usage of computers, sex/pornography, eating, shopping or work.”

(Cited from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_addiction and addiction")