Faith-based treatment centers have long been used for rehab programs that deal with drug addiction, alcohol addiction, abuse, and anger issues. This type of therapy and rehab has been gaining ground over the past few years as more research has brought to light its strengths and successes. While it approaches addiction and rehab in much the same way as other programs, the spiritual element, Christianity, and biblical principles upon which this type of treatment is based is particularly appealing to many people who want a healthy life free of addiction.
There are faith based rehab programs in most cities throughout the United States. Independent churches as well as religious organizations have established their own rehab programs and facilities as have Christian counselors. Some traditional treatment programs have incorporated faith based therapies into their regular programs and hired chaplains or Christian counselors to work with patients.
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Why Choose a Faith Based Treatment Program?
There are many faith-based treatment centers that help people overcome their drug addictions. They treat the physical addiction and the psychological aspect of it. However, faith-based rehabs add another variable to the equation – heal the spirit. This treatment approach helps the individual form a closer relationship with a higher power and find comfort, peace and healing of the spirit as well as the mind and body.
People who seek faith based treatment will not only learn how to manage their addiction and recovery, they will also learn how to improve their relationship with their higher power. They can find strength in scripture or spiritual readings as well as prayer or meditation while seeing Christian or spiritual counselors and gaining a better understanding of submitting to God’s will or that of a higher power. It is a complete personal healing that works on the premise that when the spirit is healed the mind and body can heal more fully as well.
Do Faith Based Treatment Programs Work?
A paper that discussed a study on faith based treatment programs, “Religious Faith and Spirituality in Substance Abuse Recovery,” published in March 2000, explored the value of spirituality and religious faith in people who are trying to manage chronic and acute illnesses – addiction was included in this group. There were 236 participants who were recovering from addiction or substance abuse.
The study found that most people who had high levels of spirituality or religious faith were generally more optimistic when it came to their life orientation. They also appeared to have a stronger and larger support system, handled stress better and exhibited lower levels of anxiety than those who had no religious affiliation or spirituality. This provides compelling evidence to suggest that faith based treatment programs for addiction can be effective for certain individuals.
What Can Faith Based Treatment Offer?
Most faith based rehab centers will combine spiritual lessons with recovery methods that are not spiritual. It is a combining or melding of recovery treatment infused with spiritual teaching. Participants may receive education on spiritual or religious principles. They may teach the person how to develop a relationship with their higher power and lead them in meditation, prayer, or religious study. At the same time, the individual may receive education on drug or alcohol addiction, counseling, and even detox. While it is often geared toward the person who already has an established faith or religious belief, but typically will not exclude someone who has no such background.
People looking for help in the form of answers may find more substance in a treatment program that is faith based. While those answers will typically be more spiritual in nature, they can give the patient greater insight into their behavior and what set the problem in motion in the first place. Again, though, it all depends on what the patient believes from a spiritual or faith standpoint.
SAMHSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, is an agency that is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services that was created to direct public health efforts in order to improve the behavioral and mental health of the nation. Its primary mission is to “reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.” One of the types of treatments SAMHSA advocates is faith based rehab.
SAMHSA recognizes that recovery is a process that is very individualized. This means that facilities and programs must be flexible enough to meet the needs of a diverse population. It is a series of building social networks, repairing relationships, and developing bonds that form a support system that will help the person throughout their recovery. Faith based recovery programs speak to a population that typically has a background in religion or religious studies so facilities offering this type of rehab would definitely offer the flexibility necessary to meet the needs of those patients while complying with SAMHSA’s criteria.
How is Faith Based Treatment Different from Traditional Treatment?
The short answer to this question is that it incorporates a religious or spiritual element into the recovery program. The longer answer is far more complex and relies on a multitude of studies that show a faith based treatment program is as good as traditional treatments, or even superior in some cases. That would, of course, depend on the individual as well as the facility itself.
What this type of treatment offers that others do not is spiritual support and training along with religious training. There is a strong emphasis on the healing of the spirit or the spiritual part of the person. The way this is done is with a strong faith or religious foundation which is what sets it apart from other types of rehab programs.
Other rehab facilities usually do not offer religious studies, prayer, Christian counseling, spiritually centered meditation, or other activities that focus on the spiritual side of the patient. This is truly where the line is drawn. These activities and therapies alone make faith based treatment very different from traditional treatment for addiction.
Giving Your Recovery over to a Higher Power
There is something very freeing or liberating in giving over your addiction and recovery to a power that is higher than yourself. If you are looking for a deeper meaning in your life, the world, and in yourself then a faith based treatment program may be right for you.
Rehab Reviews is the largest resource for rehab program reviews in the world. When you are looking for treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, look no further than our site. Visit us at https://rehabreviews.com and find affordable rehabs near you by browsing one of our comprehensive directories. Your health insurance will often cover some or all of the costs of your treatment. To learn more visit https://rehabreviews.com/benefits-check to access our insurance page. Recovery from addiction is possible; there is hope. Find help for yourself or a loved one struggling with addiction – start with us.
[Source: SAMHSA]