Page 64 simply refers to this “inward unmanageability” as “the spiritual malady.” Our emotional response to criticism, stress, trauma, and grief can build up negative emotions and lead to spiritual malady. Additionally, lack of self-care and self-compassion, including poor eating habits, not getting enough rest, and neglecting basic needs are critical contributors. Spiritually, the lack of connection with nature, devoid of meaningful relationships, and a lack of faith can also contribute to spiritual malady. The AA Big Book describes a spiritual malady as the inner turmoil, selfishness, and fear that drive addiction.
Application of the Spiritual Model in Treatment
Unless, we let Go and Let God and ask God to remove these negative emotions/sins/defects of character we end up in a futile increasingly distressed spiral of negative emotions. My emotions became wedded in time to being undifferentiated arousal states that prompted me to seek an external way to deal with these troubling emotional/arousal states. The mature way to to access, identfiy and label how one is feeling and use this information to reasonably express how one is feeling. They are suppose the tell the fronts of our brains to find words for our feelings.
Benefits and Challenges of the Spiritual Model
To conclude, it’s not my body – my allergic reaction to alcohol – that’s going to take me back to drinking. It’s really not my mind – the mental obsession – that is the underlying root of what will take me back to drinking. It’s the “spiritual malady”, as manifested by my EGO (selfishness—self-centeredness), that can eventually lead me back to drinking or sometimes even suicide.
What Does AA Mean By “Spiritual Malady”?
- We have difficulties in our relationships with others, these relationships are often unhealthy and ill.
- The potential of getting off track if we stop going to meetings or “working the Steps” is always looming in the background, fostering a new type of dependence and sometimes becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- They may lack a sense of identity, purpose, or meaning, and the absence of these can contribute to negative emotions like hopelessness and despair.
- Abusing alcohol is a form of self-medicating that, at first and superficially, seems to help.
- Our emotional response to criticism, stress, trauma, and grief can build up negative emotions and lead to spiritual malady.
- Even if this person had no such intention of hurting my feelings I would blame him nonetheless via my defensive reactions.
- Whether it’s sitting quietly on a bench or practicing yoga on a beach, these moments spent in mindful connection with the earth can create an incredible sense of peace and contentment.
In steps 4 and 5 we listed wrongdoings to others and although initially petrified to share them with another, found that it wasn’t as difficult as we thought it would be, once you wrote down the worst top ten. Almost disappointingly I found some of my sins were quite tame when compared to other people I have spoken to in recovery. They can have constant conscious and unconscious effect on our behaviors, how we think and feel about ourselves and how we interact, or not, with others. It chains us to the past and endangers recovery because we drank on shame and guilt. High sponsor involvement over time has been found to predict longer recovery .
Practical Ways to Improve Spiritual Life Daily
No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, you’re welcome here, and you’ll find help and acceptance. Thankfully, the “spiritual malady” is no longer a “missing piece” of Step One for me. Especially being alcoholic more often than not, it is our nature to have that “my way or the highway” mentality. Intellectually, believing in something we cannot physically see or a scientifically proven exists is a hard pill to swallow, those intellectual individuals shut https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the idea out completely. These core beliefs make it harder for us to connect with a god of our understanding.
Why Is It Important to Address a Spiritual Malady?
A connection with a higher power is intrinsically tied to overcoming spiritual malady. Addiction is not only a disease of the brain but also of the spirit, highlighting the critical role of spiritual healing in recovery. In the 12-Step Program, integrating a higher power into our lives is a cornerstone of alcoholism combating addiction. This connection with a power greater than ourselves is not necessarily religious but is about finding a profound spiritual grounding.
When things get tough, take a moment to pray, meditate, or just sit quietly and think about your Higher Power and what it means to you. Allow yourself to feel the strength and support that comes from spiritual malady knowing that there is something bigger than yourself out there rooting for your success. One of the most important things in AA is finding a sponsor – someone who has been through the program and can help guide you through it. If you’re struggling with the concept of God, try to find a sponsor who shares your views. That way, they’ll be able to relate to your experience and offer advice from a place of understanding.
