Recovering drug addicts tend to see themselves as highly religious or as they often prefer to call it 'spiritual', which may help them in the recovery process, according to new research.

• 236 participants recovering from alcoholism and/or drug addiction were studied

• 74% of recovering substance abusers reported some type of religious affiliation.

• Recovering addicts tended to rate themselves as more "spiritual" than religious.

• Higher levels of religious faith and spirituality among recovering substance abusers were associated with:

  • higher resilience to stress
  • more optimism
  • less anxiety
  • greater social support

"It may be that 'religious' has become a pejorative term due to many organized religions' strict adherence to discriminatory and judgmental doctrines, thereby causing many recovering individuals to label themselves as 'spiritual,'" the researchers report.

"Whatever the case may be, it seems that individuals recovering from substance abuse tend to place great importance on prayer, belief in God, and a strong sense of faith," the investigators add.

American Psychological Association Convention August, 2000; Washington, DC

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

There are different planes of healing, the physical, emotional and spiritual. There is no question that spiritual resources are at the highest level. Incorporating these into our healing process is something all should consider if not already doing that. Related Articles: Prayer Index Page Prayer and Medical Science The Religiously Active Live Longer Prayer May Speed Heart Patient's Recovery How You Can Help Support The Web Site Development One of the ways that you can help support this web site is that you can now purchase books through Amazon.com by clicking through on my web site. I obtain a tiny percentage of the sale and that will help support my ability to provide high-quality content at no charge to you. However this will only work if you click on one of the links above. It does not work if you go directly to Amazon. I am only recommending books that I would purchase for my own home library or already own. Healing Words : The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine, by Larry Dossey, MD Be Careful What You Pray For...You Just Might Get It, by Larry Dossey, MD