Drug And Alcohol Intervention Strategies for Christians
Christian Drug Intervention & The Faith-Based Alcoholic/Addict
Most alcoholics, whether or not they are in denial of their alcoholism, feel lost, ashamed, and disconnected as a result of their drinking. For the formerly or actively religious alcoholic, the abandonment of his faith, if not his own hypocrisy alone, often intensifies this shame and disconnection. Christians whose alcoholism has driven them to, say, skip out on Sunday services to stay home and nurse a hangover (a mild example) often feel a particular brand of shame when it comes to their drinking. They feel as if they have abandoned God or, worse, that they are unlovable or unforgivable in His eyes. Thus, when deciding to stage a Christian drug intervention on a religious alcoholic, one must keep the issue of his faith in mind and used faith-based reasoning wisely.
Drug And Alcohol Intervention Strategies & Christianity
When deciding how much of the intervention should focus on your loved one’s faith, it is highly recommended that you first consult with a professional interventionist. An interventionist can outline drug and alcohol intervention strategies appropriate for a Christian struggling with addiction and/or alcoholism. For example, the point is not to use religiosity to guilt your loved one into seeking treatment. Chances are that he is already experiencing a painful inner conflict around the hypocrisy of being both a practicing Christian and a practicing alcoholic. Rather, an effective strategy would be to remind the alcoholic that he (or she) was once a person of great faith and integrity, and then to immediately point out that, with the help being offered at the intervention, he or she can easily be that person again.
After the Drug And Alcohol Intervention
At the conclusion of most drug and alcohol intervention scenarios, those present ask the alcoholic to seek treatment. In an effective intervention, the interventionist and the family have prearranged the treatment plan so that the alcoholic has little time to change his mind. If your loved one has a religious background, it may be comforting to include a stay in a Christian rehabilitation program in his treatment plan. Christian and Christian-based treatment facilities exist nationwide and should not be hard to find. At the very least, you can certainly select a treatment facility for your loved one that includes access to religious services. Reclaiming one’s spirituality is part of any successful recovery. For the religious alcoholic, realigning his behavior with his religious beliefs can be a stepping-stone to success, and a faith-based treatment program can help him accomplish this.
