A study of the spiritual sphere of drug addicts and alcoholics in recovery using in-depth interviews

Abstract

The problem of psychoactive substance addiction is a pressing concern in society, but scientific research into the spiritual sphere of addicts is insufficient. At the same time, it is known that the root cause of a person's illness lies in the spiritual sphere. The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of the soul's nature in individuals addicted to alcohol and drugs, as they develop their addiction and recover from it. A method of in-depth interviews with a large sample allowed us to examine changes in such qualities as freedom, communion with God and communication with others, morality, love, creativity, reason, and will. It was shown that once an addiction has formed, a person is powerless to resist the growing disturbances in their soul alone. A turn toward recovery occurs through God's intervention, which appears to be a remarkable coincidence in the addict's own readiness. Then, the addict's personality, overcoming the disturbances in their soul's nature, can respond to God's call and begin to successfully recover. In recovery, the soul's nature is restored with the help of God and others, and the addict's life is restored to a very significant degree. The article draws comparisons with the story of Job and the parable of the prodigal son, highlighting important aspects of the recovery of addicts. The 12-step program is an effective tool for promoting recovery from addiction.