Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Concept of Spirituality in Relation to Addiction Recovery and General Psychiatry

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Recent Developments in Alcoholism

Part of the book series: Recent Developments in Alcoholism ((RDIA,volume 18))

Abstract

This chapter is directed at defining the nature of spirituality and its relationship to empirical research and clinical practice. A preliminary understanding of the spiritual experience can be achieved on the basis of diverse theoretical and empirically grounded sources, which will be delineated: namely, physiology, psychology, and cross-cultural sources. Furthermore, the impact of spirituality on mental health and addiction in different cultural and clinical settings is explicated regarding both beneficial and compromising outcomes. Illustrations of its application in addiction and general psychiatry are given: in meditative practices, Alcoholics Anonymous, and treatment programs for addiction singly and comorbid with major mental illness.

Given its prominence in Alcoholics Anonymous and related Twelve-Step groups, spirituality plays an important role in the rehabilitation of many substance-dependent people. The issue of spirituality, however, is prominent within contemporary culture as well in the form of theistic orientation, as evidenced in a probability sampling of American adults, among whom 95% of respondents reply positively when asked if they believe in “God or a universal spirit.” Responses to a follow-up on this question suggest that this belief affects the daily lives of the majority (51%) of those sampled, as they indicated that they had talked to someone about God or some aspect of their faith or spirituality within the previous 24 h (Gallup, 2002).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alcoholics Anonymous. (1999, 2002). Alcoholics Anonymous membership surveys. New York: A.A. World Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allport, G. W. (1961). Pattern and growth in personality. New York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, H. (1975). The relaxation response. New York: William Morrow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergin, A. E. (1991). Values and religious issues in psychotherapy and mental health. American Psychologist, 46, 394–403.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanke, O., Ortigue, S., Landis, T., & Seeck, M. (2002). Stimulating illusory own-body perceptions. Nature, 418, 269–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borg, J., Bengt, A., Soderstrom, H., & Farde, L. (2003). The serotonin system and spiritual experiences. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160, 1965–1969.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byrd, R. (1988). Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in a coronary care unit population. Southern Medical Journal, 81, 826–829.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chappel, J. (1993). Long-term recovery from alcoholism. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 16, 177–187.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cloninger, C. R., Svrakie, N. M., & Svrakie, D. M. (1997). Role of personality self-organization in development of mental order and disorder. Development and Psychopathology, 9, 881–906.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Comte, A. (1907). A general view of positivism. London: Routledge and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, C. C. H. (1988a). The Minnesota model in the management of drug and alcohol dependency: Miracle, method or myth? Part I: The philosophy and the programme. British Journal of Addiction, 83, 625–634.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, C. C. H. (1988b). The Minnesota model in the management of drug and alcohol dependency: Miracle, method or myth? Part II: Evidence and conclusions. British Journal of Addiction, 83, 735–748.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, R., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, S., et al. (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65, 564–470.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Leon, G. (Ed.). (1997). Community as method. Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMarinis, V. (2003). Pastoral care, existential health, and existential epidemiology. A Swedish postmodern case study. Stockholm: Verbum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durkheim, E. (1897). Le Suicide. Paris: Alcan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, D. M., Kessler, R. C., Van Rompay, M. I., Kaptchuk, T. J., Wilkey, S. A., Appel, S., et al. (2001). Perceptions about complementary therapies relative to conventional therapies among adults who use both: results from a national survey. Annals of Internal Medicine, 35, 344–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, M. (1995). Thoughts without a thinker. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emrick, C., Tonigan, J., Montgomery, H., & Little, L. (1993). Alcoholics anonymous: What is currently known? In B. McCrady (Ed.), Research on Alcoholics Anonymous (pp 41–76). New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Center for Alcohol Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feighner, J. P., Robins, E., Guze, S. B., Woodruff, R. A., Winokur, G., & Munoz, R. (1972). Diagnostic criteria for use in psychiatric research. Archives of General Psychiatry, 26, 57–63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, J. R. (1964). Witchcraft and clanship in cochiti therapy. In A. Kiev (Ed.), Magic, faith and healing (pp. 174–200). New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frances, A., Cooper, A. (1981). Descriptive and dynamic psychiatry: A perspective on DSM-III. American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 1198–1202.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frank, J., Frank, J. B. (1961). Persuasion and healing: A comparative study of psychotherapy (3rd ed.). Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, J. D. (1971). Therapeutic factors in psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 25, 350–361.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankl, V. (1984). Man’s search for meaning (3rd ed.). New York: Touchstone, Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freud, S. (1961). Civilization and its discontents. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 21). London: Hogarth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fromm, E. (1950). Psychoanalysis and religion. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M. (1978). The “relief effect”: A sociobiologic model for neurotic distress and large-group therapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 588–591.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M. (1981). Peer group influence on adolescent alcohol use. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 57, 370–377.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M. (1983a). Engaged members of the unification church. Archives of General Psychiatry, 40, 1197–1202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M. (1983b). Unification church (“Moonie”) dropouts: Psychological readjustment after leaving a charismatic religious group. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 984–988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M. (1997). Spiritual recovery movements and contemporary medical care. Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes, 60, 236–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M., Buckley, P., Deutsch, A., & Rabkin, J. (1980). Large-group influence for decreased drug use. American Journal on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 7, 291–304.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galanter, M., Keller, D. S., Dermatis, H., & Egelko, S. (2002). The impact of managed care on substance abuse treatment: A report of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 19, 13–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallup, G. H. (2002). Religion in America 2002. Princeton NJ: Princeton Religious Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gazzaniga, M. S. (1970). The bisected brain. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilman, S., Galanter, M., & Dermatis, H. (2001). Methadone anonymous: A Twelve-Step program for methadone maintained heroin addicts. Substance Abuse, 22, 247–256.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfarb, L., McDowell, D., Galanter, M., Lifshutz, H., & Dermatis, H. (1996). Medical student and patient attitudes toward religion and spirituality in the recovery process. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 22, 549–561.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, W. (1975). Innate social aptitudes of man: An approach from evolutionary genetics. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobson, J. A., Pace-Schott, E. F., & Stickgold, R. (2000). Dreaming and the brain: Toward a cognitive neuroscience of conscious states. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23, 793–1121.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys, K., Moos, R. H., & Cohen, C. (1997). Social and community resources and long-term recovery from treated and untreated alcoholism. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 58, 231–238.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • James, W. (1929). The varieties of religious experience. New York: Modern Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jung, C. (1978). Instinct and unconscious. In H. Read, M. Fordham, G. Adler, & W. McGuire (Eds.), The collected works of C.B. Jung. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., & Burney, R. (1985). The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 8, 163–190.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H. (1967). Attribution theory in social psychology. In D. Levine (Ed.), Nebraska symposium on motivation (Vol. XV, pp. 192–238). Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendler, K. (1997). Social support: A genetic-epidemiologic analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 1398–1404.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler, K., Gardner, C., & Prescott, C. (1997). Religion, psychopathology, and substance use and abuse; a multimeasure, genetic-epidemiologic study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 322–329.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler, K., Liu, X.-Q., Gardner, C., McCullough, M., Larson, D., & Prescott, C. (2003). Dimensions of religiosity and their relationship to lifetime psychiatric and substance use disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160, 496–503.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Davis, R. B., Foster, D. F., Van Rompay, M. I., Walters, E. E., Wilkey, S. A., et al. (2001a). Long-term trends in the use of complementary and alternative medical therapies in the United States. Annals of Internal Medicine, 135, 262–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Soukup, J., Davis, R. B., Foster, D. F., Wilkey, S. A., Van Rompay, M. I., et al. (2001b). The use of complementary and alternative therapies to treat anxiety and depression in the United States. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 289–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraeplin, E. (1902). Clinical psychiatry: A textbook for students and physicians. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz, E. (1979). Not-God: A history of alcoholics anonymous. Center City, MN: Hazelden.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz, E., & Ketcham, K. (1992). The spirituality of imperfection: Storytelling and the journey to wholeness. New York: Bantam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laing, R. D. (1967). The politics of experience. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leuchter, A. F., Cook, I. A., Witte, E. A., Morgan, M., & Abrams, M. (2002). Changes in brain function of depressed subjects during treatment with placebo. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 122–129.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lifton, R. J. (1961). Thought reform and the psychology of totalism. New York: W.W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma, S. H., & Teasdale, J. D. (2004). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: Replication and exploration of differential relapse prevention effects. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 22, 31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Margolin, A., Kleber, H., Avants, S., Konefal, J., Gawin, F., Stark, E., et al. (2002). Acupuncture for the treatment of cocaine addiction. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287, 55–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marlatt, G., & Marques, J. (1977). Meditation, self-control, and alcohol use. In R. Stuart (Ed.), Behavioral self-management: Strategies, techniques, and outcomes (pp. 117–153). New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. (1964). Religions, values and peak-experiences. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCrady, B., & Miller, W. N. (1983). Research on alcoholics anonymous. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Center for Alcohol Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDowell, D., Galanter, M., Goldfarb, L., & Lifshutz, H. (1996). Spirituality and the treatment of the dually diagnosed: an investigation of patient and staff attitudes. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 15, 55–68.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, W., & Kurtz, E.(1994). Models of alcoholism used in treatment: Contrasting A.A. and other perspectives with which it is often confused. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 55, 159–166.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, W., & Thoresen, C. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health. An emerging research field. American Psychologist, 58, 24–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, S. A., Reimitz, P. E., & Zivko, M. (1998). Mitrazapine vs. amitriptyline and the long-term treatment of depression: A double-blind placebo-controlled study. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 13, 63–73.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moseley, J. B., O’Malley, K., Peterson, N. J., Menke, T. J., Brody, B. A., Kuykendall, D. H., et al. (2002). A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. New England Journal of Medicine, 347, 81–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mosher, L. R., & Menn, A. Z. (1978). Community residential treatment for schizophrenia: Two-year follow-up. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 29, 715–723.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray, H. A. (1938). Explorations in personality. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patel, C., Marmot, M. G., Terry, D. J., Carruthers, M., Hunt, B., & Patel, M. (1985). Trial of relaxation in reducing coronary risk: Four year follow up. British Medical Journal Clinical Research, 290, 1103–1106.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pfister, O. (1993). The illusion of a future: A friendly disagreement with professor Sigmund Freud. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 74, 557–579.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Project MATCH Research Group. (1998). Matching alcoholism treatments to client heterogeneity: Project MATCH three-year drinking outcomes. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 22, 1300–1311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Proudfoot, W., & Shaver, P. (1975). Attribution theory and the psychology of religion. Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion, 14, 317–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rizzuto, A.-M. (1979). The birth of the living God: A psychoanalytic study. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robins, E., & Guze, S. (1960). Establishment of diagnostic validity in psychiatric illness: Its application to schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 983–987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schachter, S., & Singer, J. E. (1962). Cognitive, social and physiological determinants of emotional state. Psychological Review, 69, 379–399.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, R., Staggers, F., Alexander, C., Sheppard, W., Rainforth, M., Kondwani, K., et al. (1995). A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction for hypertension in older African Americans. Hypertension, 26, 820–827.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silberstein, C., Metzger, E. J., & Galanter, M. (1996). The greenhouse: A modified therapeutic community for homeless addicts. In G. De Leon (Ed.), Healing communities: Therapeutic communities for special populations in special settings (pp. 263–272). Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sloan, R. P., Bagiella, E., & Powell, T. (1999). Religion, spirituality, and medicine. Lancet, 353, 664–667.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stinchfield, R., & Owen, P. (1998). Hazelden's model of treatment and its outcome. Addictive Behaviors, 23, 669–683.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2000). Uniform Facility Data Set (UFDS): 1998. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suomi, S. (1999). Attachment in rhesus monkeys. In J. Cassidy, & P. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research and clinical application (pp. 181–197). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suomi, S. J., Harlow, H. F., & McKinney, W. T. (1972). Monkey psychiatrists. American Journal of Psychiatry, 128, 927–932.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suomi, S. J., Seaman, S. F., Lewis, J. K., DeLizio, R. D., & McKinney, W. T. (1978). Effects of imipramine treatment of separation-induced social disorders in rhesus monkeys. Archives of General Psychiatry, 35, 321–325.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, D., Fromm, E., & De Martino, R. (1960). Zen Buddhism and psychoanalysis. New York: Grove Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tonigan, J., Miller, W., & Connors, G. (2000). Project MATCH client impressions about alcoholics anonymous: Measurement issues and relationship to treatment outcome. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 18, 25–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, B. T., Seidman, S. N., Sysko, R., & Gould, M. (2002). Placebo response in studies of major depression. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287, 1840–1847.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J. (1985). The multiaxial system of DSM-III: Where did it come from and where should it go? Archives of General Psychiatry, 42, 175–180.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E. O. (1978). On human nature. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winnicott, D. W. (1953). Transitional objects and transitional phenomena: A study of the first not-me possession. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 34, 89–97.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yalom, I. D., & Lieberman, M. A. (1971). A study of encounter group casualties. Archives of General Psychiatry, 25, 16–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by The John Templeton Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Psychiatry, and Director, Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, NYU School of Medicine, New York, 10016, USA

    Marc Galanter

Authors
  1. Marc Galanter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Galanter .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

    Rights and permissions

    Reprints and permissions

    Copyright information

    © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

    About this chapter

    Cite this chapter

    Galanter, M. (2008). The Concept of Spirituality in Relation to Addiction Recovery and General Psychiatry. In: Kaskutas, L., Galanter, M. (eds) Recent Developments in Alcoholism. Recent Developments in Alcoholism, vol 18. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77725-2_8

    Download citation

    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77725-2_8

    • Published:

    • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

    • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-77724-5

    • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-77725-2

    • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

    Publish with us

    Policies and ethics

    Search

    Navigation