Addiction is a disease affecting not only the person involved, but also friends and family members as well. While it may sometimes feel like there is nothing an addict can do to help themselves, experts from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s Addiction Recovery Program (ARP) said recognizing the signs of addiction and getting the addict to accept help can begin the road to recovery.
One recovery program is the Addiction Recovery Program, which, according to the coordinator of the Laie recovery group, is a safe space where people can go to realize they are not alone and receive support.
Finding hope through the Atonement
Addiction.ChurchofJesusChrist.org says, “Many who struggle with an addiction suffer from shame or a sense that they are unlovable. They may feel discouragement and despair that recovery is not possible. Yet with God, nothing is impossible (see Luke 1:37). All can be healed and protected through Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
“For those of you who have fallen prey to any kind of addiction, there is hope because God loves all of His children and because the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ makes all things possible.”
Stephen Kittelson, a senior missionary and licensed therapist from Arizona who serves with Elder Lindsay Burton as group leaders for the Addiction Recovery Program at BYU–Hawaii, shared, “The first night [people] come, they are on the way to recovery. One misconception is there is no hope. People do recover. Some quicker than others. Sometimes it is lifelong vigilance to maintain recovery.
“The No. 1 thing we have heard a lot of people say is they’ve felt the Spirit stronger in those meetings than in sacrament meetings. We had a bishop attend. He wore street clothes and just said his first name. Later he told me, ‘I’ve been in some spiritual meetings in my life, but nothing is as strong as these meetings.’ It’s the love of the Savior wanting to rescue his children.”
Addiction Recovery Program
According to Kittelson, “The Church took Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-step program, which has been very effective for years, and they modified it to Church standards. The difference is AA talks about a relationship with a higher power while we talk about our relationship Jesus Christ and drawing on the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in the healing process. There are quotes in [the manual] from the scriptures, the apostles, and general authorities.”
To participate in the Addiction Recovery Program on campus, Kittelson said, “They just show up. Everybody is invited … We have males and females attending who are struggling with addiction. The part that makes it most effective is it is a safe place to share. We strive for confidentiality and anonymity. We use first names only. When we see them on campus we don’t say, ‘It’s good to see you every Tuesday night.’
“We want people to feel like this is a place where they can get help. The cool thing to me is ARP is such a good support of each other. They realize they are not alone. They are not struggling alone. It is a great support group.”
The program, he explained, has three parts. “We start with a prayer. We review the 12 steps. We study one step each night, rotating through all 12 steps. That’s the first half. The second half is sharing, kind of like a testimony meeting. People can share their thoughts and feelings of how they’re doing with the step they’re working on or impressions they got from the reading that night.
“Sharing is optional. If they don’t feel like sharing or reading, they can just sit there quietly. We don’t force anybody to share. There’s no pressure. It’s inviting and supportive. The goal is to help them recover. The manual is designed so everyone can work the steps at their own pace.”
There is also a spouse and family support group led by Sister Kathryn Kittelson and Sister Burton, which Kathryn Kittelson said is designed to, “Help them get a perspective on how they can be supportive without having to be the authoritarian in the family. Their job is not to cure the person, it is to support the person in their recovery.”
Defining addiction
According to the Center on Addiction website, “Addiction is a complex disease, often chronic in nature, which affects the functioning of the brain and body. It also causes serious damage to families, relationships, schools, workplaces and neighborhoods.
“Some research suggests that … behavioral addictions involve similar changes in the brain, common risk factors and behaviors. They also show common responses to certain types of treatment. These findings suggest the possibility that addiction may be one disease with different forms or expressions.”
Stephen Kittelson explained, “When you define addiction, it is what takes you away from your normal, daily activities, and takes away your focus from relationships.
“Sometimes it starts with curiosity, like with pornography. Then they get hooked. They get hooked because of the chemical response ... Usually, most addictions are trying to fill an emotional void or are trying to mask or numb emotional pain.”
Signs of addiction
The Center on Addiction writes, “The most common symptoms of addiction are severe loss of control, continued use despite serious consequences, preoccupation with using, failed attempts to quit, tolerance and withdrawal.”
According to Kittelson, people can recognize the signs of addiction in others when, “People aren’t spending time with other people as much as they could or should. They become isolated.
“When people get into trouble, signs show up. You don’t see them as often. You notice there is something different, whether they're isolated for some reason, if you see them and they’re impaired, if they’ve been drinking, or if they’re on drugs.”
Getting help
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration writes, “Getting a loved one to agree to accept help and finding support services for all family members are the first steps toward healing for the addicted person and the entire family.
“When carefully prepared and done with the guidance of a competent, trained specialist, the family, friends and associates are usually able to convince their loved one – in a firm and loving manner – that the only choice is to accept help and begin the road to recovery.”
Kittelson shared how the Addiction Recovery Program works to help people get rid of the shame they feel so they can move on and heal. “A lot of people, when they first come in to recovery, feel a tremendous amount of shame. We try quickly to help them get over it … They feel like they are a bad person, it is in their DNA, and they are stuck and won’t recover. In addiction the brain changes. The good news is, because of a term known as ‘neuroplasticity,’ if the brain can change, it can also change back to its healthy self. And with the atonement of Jesus Christ, there is always hope!”
The Addiction Recovery Program has meetings every Sunday at 8 p.m. and every Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the high council room of the campus Stake Center. The Spouse and Family Support Group has a meeting every Sunday at 8 p.m. and every Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Relief Society room. All are welcome to attend.
Writer: Haeley van der Werf