|
CHRISTIAN ADDICTION TREATMENT
by Miriam Kinai The 4 basic steps to breaking free from addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs, prescription medication, food, sugar, sex, pornography, gambling, video games, internet surfing, watching TV, shopping, working, exercising and any addictive behavior are summarized by the mnemonic STOP. These steps are: S Set a date to stop. Decide when you will stop using the addictive substances or engaging in the addictive behavior. T Think about why you want to stop using the addictive substances or engaging in the addictive behavior and write down your reasons. O Omit the people and places that encourage you to use the addictive substances or engage in the addictive behavior from your diary. P Put obstacles between you and using the addictive substances or engaging in the addictive behavior. In addition to taking these 4 basic steps, if you want to attain spiritual, physical and mental wholeness and get rid of the shame, guilt and hopelessness associated with addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs, prescription medication, food, sugar, sex, pornography, gambling, video games, internet surfing, watching TV, shopping, working, exercising or whatever else has bound you, you have to: 1. Get saved Ask Jesus Christ into your heart and life so that He can set you free because He came set captives free. (Luke 4:18) Inviting Him into your heart or getting saved is very simple for all you have to do is to admit with your mouth that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God and then believe in your heart that He died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead. (Rom 10:9) So open up your mouth right now and say, "Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead." Believe what you have said and you will be saved because there is no other name by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Then develop a personal relationship with Jesus by talking to Him every day in prayer. Ask Him for strength when you need to overcome a strong craving and pray for help when you are tempted for He also suffered and thus, He is able to help those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18) 2. Join a Bible preaching Church. Ensure that you attend services especially deliverance services regularly and ask your Pastor to pray for you. If you do not feel accepted by the congregation, disregard their condemnation by reminding yourself that everyone has sinned and fallen short. (Romans 3:23) Then, persist in attending the services by reminding yourself that you are going to pray and worship God and not people. 3. Consult a Christian therapist. Look for a Christian therapist whether a counselor, doctor or psychologist and be brutally honest with them so that they can help you deal with any underlying issues that may be contributing to your addiction. If medications are prescribed, take them faithfully. If you need to be admitted for institutionalized management, cooperate and carry your Bible. 4. Join a Christian Support Group. Join a group based on Christian principles that offers support to people suffering from your addiction regardless of whether it is to alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs, prescription medication, food, sugar, sex, pornography, gambling, video games, internet surfing, watching TV, shopping, working or exercising. Join these anonymous support groups such as to interact with and learn from people recovering from similar addictions. If there is no Christian Support Group in your area, join an online one or the well known Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Sex addicts Anonymous depending on your addiction. 5. Read your Bible. Read at least 1 chapter of your Bible every day so that you can learn how Jesus would like you to live. Read your Bible every day so that you can get the strength to resist temptation as you meditate on Scriptures such as God is faithful and He will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I are able. And, with the temptation He will also make the way of escape so that I may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Finally, read your Bible so that you can learn the positive Scriptures that you need to remove the negative thoughts that encourage you to use addictive substances or engage in the addictive behavior from your mind. Meditate on these Scriptures so that you can change your mind and start thinking differently and making different choices that will help break free from addiction to addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs, prescription medication, food, sugar, sex, pornography, gambling, video games, internet surfing, watching TV, shopping, working and exercising. Scriptures that you can meditate on include: I will not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation. (Ephesians 5:18) I will fear the Lord and depart from evil and it will be health to my flesh and strength to my bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8) I will abhor what is evil and cling to what is good (Romans 12:9) Adapted from Managing Stress for Teens by Dr. Miriam Kinai 2009 Dr Miriam Kinai loves interior decorating and has written many books such as African American Home Decor, Asian Home Decor and Christian Home Decor which are available at her blog http://www.modernhomedecorthemes.com/ and from http://www.amazon.com Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |