Addiction is more than physical dependence. It is bondage of the spirit, soul and body. Just because you remove the symptoms, which are the drugs, alcohol, or whatever someone is addicted to, you still have the root issues and behaviors associated with addiction.
Most everyone is addicted to something. Addiction happens over time and takes on various forms and degrees. Nobody ever says, “I want to grow up and become an addict!” Addiction happens when a person no longer has control over drugs, alcohol, food, sex, porn, gambling, shopping or whatever the addiction may be.
A basic, simple foundational understanding of the terms ‘addiction’, ‘recovery’ and ‘process’ are as follows:
Addiction: Anything to which one has given oneself to habitually or compulsively.
Recovery: To return to a ‘normal’ condition; to stabilize, restore, reclaim, retrieve or recover something previously lost.
Process: A series of actions, changes, ongoing movement or functions that bring about an end result.
A simple examination of the above rudimentary definitions will reveal that redirecting an individual who has accepted the behaviors defined as “addictive” (whether to a substance, a situation or a person), is a circumstance of repeated alterative behaviors – starting with getting that person to BELIEVE he or she can change and make different choices. In other words, before anyone (counselor, friend, family member, minister, court, etc.) can affect even the acceptance of the need for behavior change, the individual must have a complete and thorough understanding that the process of recovery will be painful in many ways, but must accept first the belief that he or she can change and recover, if that is the choice.
Believe first – then change – then recovery.
In Abundant Life Recovery I incorporate addiction counseling, inner healing and recovery coaching. My goal is to bring awareness, truth and love to the brokenhearted and those in bondage to alcohol, drugs, or any type of addiction.
Addiction counseling gets to the root of the stronghold, and works to release the grip of, and behaviors associated with addiction.
Inner healing helps people accept and receive forgiveness. It helps them to heal from feelings of anger and unforgiveness towards themselves and others, and also helps them to receive and embrace the truth that they are accepted, valued and loved.
Recovery coaching encourages and equips people to help overcome life’s challenges, to accomplish goals and to discover their identity, potential and purpose. Through recovery coaching, they can discover their strengths and passions, and that will enable them to move from information to transformation.
Through this process, I give individuals hope and help them in decision making and behavior modification to get set free so they can actually be transformed to live the abundant life they were created to live.
-written by Shifra Wylder
