Substance Abuse Treatment Centers and the Promise of Faith Based Programs

Addiction robs people of their present and their future. When addicts realize that their life is in a downward spiral, usually that is the time they ask for help. Substance abuse treatment only works when the addict truly wants to help themselves. The promise of faith-based programs, however, is that not only do addicts get stronger physically and emotionally, but they develop an intimate and personal relationship with God. This relationship allows addicts to become honest with them selves while being assured of God’s forgiveness. The Bible says, in James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Substance abuse treatment needs to be a two-way street. In other words, addicts need to invest as much into their recovery as the people who work at the addiction treatment center will invest in their recovery. Faith-based programs are no different. With the integration of prayer, daily Bible study and fellowship, addicts are given every opportunity to build a relationship with God that will follow them long after they leave the addiction treatment center. Addicts who choose faith-based programs come to understand that restoring their spiritual health is just as important as restoring their physical and emotional health. Faith-based programs help addicts to understand the underlying causes of their addiction. The disease is not that different from any other disease – there are contributing factors that result in the destructive nature of addiction. When addicts understand why they turned to drugs or alcohol, they are better able to cope with the inevitable stresses of daily life without turning back to substance abuse. Having a strong foundation of faith provides comfort and security in a world filled with storms.

It is possible for every addict to achieve a lasting recovery with the helping hand of God. Unfortunately, the reality is that not every addict will reach that milestone. Every addiction treatment center wants to celebrate recovery with their clients. The ability to safely be honest about failures and the need for help is what makes faith based treatment so effective. Addicts often feel unworthy of love and forgiveness. The disease of addiction robs people of their dignity, but there is hope with Christian rehab centers that offer addicts the chance to forgive, not only themselves, but others who have hurt them in the past. Treatment centers help addicts to understand that only through forgiveness is one able to move forward into a new and healthy life. With God, honest recovery is a real possibility.