Chaplain Michael Pollitt on spiritual withdrawal in chemical dependency

Intoxication is a Form of Spirituality

Withdrawal is defined as a “positive craving.” In this instance the word positive is understood not as good but rather as seeking after. It is my belief, based on my experience in the chemical dependency field, that one of the major causes of relapse is something I call a “spiritual withdrawal.” What follows is a brief examination of the work of five of the leading figures in the area of addiction and spirituality. The underlying premise of all is that intoxicants answer spiritual needs. For the addict and alcoholic, intoxication is a form of spirituality, misguided and destructive, but spirituality just the same.

William James, MD (The Varieties of the Religious Experience, 1902), found striking similarities between intoxication and the mystical state. He called this “pathological mysticism” and “the anesthetic revelation.” James believed that there were two basic functions in man and woman. He called these the “yes” function and “no” function. There is a proper balance between the two. When the “no” function dominates, the individual is looking for something to bring back a spiritual parity. What he or she discovers is that intoxicants become “the great exciter of the yes function in man.” An historical note: It was James’ book that Ebby Thacher gave to Bill Wilson (the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous) in November 1934 at Towns Hospital, New York City.

Howard Clinebell, Ph.D. (Understanding and Counseling Persons with Alcohol and Drug and Behavioral Addictions, 1984), maintains that “we will never understand intoxication as a problem until we see it as a solution.” He also observes that the existential and spirituality anxiety of the addict and alcoholic is “quieted” by the “pseudo-religious sense of oneness with themselves, others, and the divine spirit.” The addict and alcoholic attempt to satisfy spiritual needs with chemical means.

Gerald May, MD (Addiction and Grace, 1988), a layman, reminded clergy of the major spiritual element in addiction and calls upon them to utilize this fact in their ministry to the addicted. According to May, addicts and alcoholics attach themselves to things that appear to fill their spiritual void. Because intoxicants produce a good feeling they become substitutes for the spiritual.

Stephen Anthrop (Alcohol and Substance Abuse: A Handbook for Clergy and Congregations, 1990), believes that we seek out things with apparent spiritual potential. When the spiritual potential is not activated, the person sees little reason to exist. Intoxicants become resources with apparent spiritual value until eventually they become value itself.

Thomas Baker, D.Min. (Understanding the Spiritual Nature of Addiction, 1995), argues that both spirituality and intoxication involve a search for meaning, value, and purpose in life. All persons desire these, but addicts and alcoholics are uniquely afflicted with a spiritual hunger, and traditional forms of spirituality do not satisfy them. He also observes that addicts and alcoholics suffer greatly from estrangement and intoxicants seem to provide a sense of connectedness.

We treat physical and psychological withdrawal but to a great extent we have neglected the spiritual withdrawal. The Spiritual Assessment at the Coatesville VA Hospital seeks to find out which spiritual and existential needs are being met by the patient’s drug of choice, and without that drug, i.e. sobriety, which spiritual and existential needs are not being met. This approach speaks to the importance of the spiritual and existential side of addiction, and the belief that intoxicants are used, in counterfeit fashion, to answer those needs. The major problem which addicts and alcoholics face in recovery is not addiction but rather relapse. It is my contention that relapse, the return to one’s drug of choice after a period of sobriety, is primarily a spiritual and existential problem. In sobriety the spiritual and existential vacuum that the intoxicant filled is present again. Nature hates a vacuum and will eventually fill it. The addict and alcoholic cannot be spiritually and existentially passive in their recovery.

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