The Addict's Need to Reconnect with Him or Her Self


1. I am powerless over alcohol and/or drugs


    They need to see drinking or drugging as playing Russian Roulette with a gun. Just as every chamber does not contain a bullet, not every using experience ends up in days of out-of-control use and behavior. But, eventually they will lose control. The addict's relationship with alcohol and drugs can be viewed as romantic in nature.

    The downward spiral of addiction really is the story of years of subtle "trade-offs" made to maintain this relationship. These trade-offs include forsaking other meaningful human relationships. They also involve the loss of jobs, personal integrity, and self-esteem. In order to be fully committed to the process recovery, individuals must be totally convinced of the destructive nature of this relationship-to the point where they will, indeed, go to any lengths to overcome their addictions.

    With this sense of powerlessness also comes the knowledge that addiction cannot be overcome simply through force of will. They will succeed only if they look outside of themselves for the power to change.

2. I need God

    All addicts begin the journey of recovery in a state of spiritual and moral bankruptcy. While they need forgiveness, they also need God' s guidance and His power if they are to experience lasting change in their lives. In many ways, helping them to gain a deep sense of how powerless they are-and an understanding of the impotence of self-will-actually will open their hearts to the Gospel.

3. I can change

    Many addicts have tried unsuccessfully to change on their own. They fail to realize that living sober is more than "putting the cork in the jug." I've known people who were more miserable after stopping chemical use than they ever were while actively pursuing a life of addiction. OOce alcohol and drugs have been removed from a person's life, they face an even bigger challenge: living without them! They can be overwhelmed by their own feelings, fears, and character defects. While they formerly used mind-altering chemicals with life's heavy emotions, in order to keep from going back, they need a whole new set of "tools" to tackle the multitude of issues they face.

    Salvation, according to the Bible, has two parts as illustrated in John 3:16. God's Son came both to save us from perishing and to give use eternal life. Eternal life is more than something that we get after we die. It is a quality of life that God intends us to experience in the here and now. The realization that real, substantial, life-transforming change can happen for them is very difficult to grasp. Too often, pleasing God is viewed as more of a "performance" thing than a "relationship" thing. This is because all addicts and other people from dysfunctional family systems have a heavy dose of "toxic shame." It causes them to feel unlovable, hopelessly flawed, and unable to change. Growing relationships with God and healthy people will instill and support the hope of change within their hearts.

4. I need people

    Most addicts have a condition I call "terminal uniqueness" - a notion that no one has experienced what they have. No one really understands their troubles. This leads to a sense of hopelessness and subverts any notion that change is possible. The term "recovery" is synonymous with the scriptural term "sanctification" and means a life-long process of change. It is becoming involved in a structured ongoing program of personal growth. Recovery means dealing "head-on" with the issues that draw one back to old destructive ways and learning new ways to deal with the challenges of life.


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Copyright by Michael Liimatta. All Rights Reserved.
Mr. Liimatta is the past President of Christians in Recovery®
and currently serves on its Advisory Counsel. He has been instrumental
Consultant to Nonprofit Organizations with OneAccord, Chief Academic
Officer at City Vision College and has been involved
with drug and alcohol counseling and recovery education for 30 years.
Visit his web site

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