WHAT IS ADDICTION

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WHAT IS ADDICTION?

• The official definition of addiction is
  physical and mental dependence on a particular
  substance of behavior that is unable to be
  stooped without incurring adverse effects
• They start as coping mechanisms to deal with
  problems in your life. Unfortunately they then
  take over your life.

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WHAT IS ADDICTION?

• Contrary to popular stances, addiction is not
  truly a disease.
• A disease is a disorder of structure or function
  that produces specific signs or symptoms or that
  affects a specific location and is not simply a
  direct result of physical injury.

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WHAT IS ADDICTION?

• It could be argued that addiction actually is a
  physical injury - incurred by a person habitually
  doing a behavior or using a substance. This
  causes the brain mapping to alter, making the
  addiction permanent.

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WHAT IS ADDICTION?

• It is important to realize, though, that there
  are outside forces that may increase the
  probability of addiction.
• Mothers drug use while pregnant
• Genetic history of addictive behavior

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WHAT IS ADDICTION?

• A Genogram can help to identify genetic
  influences. This helps a person to know that
  they need to be more cautious when it comes to
  dealing with those areas.

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WHAT HAS THE CHURCH TAUGHT?

• PRAY AND IT WILL GO AWAY
• Spiritual advice is vital.
• Telling a person just to pray sets them up for
  failure if God says No
• God may decide the struggle should remain to
  refine them.

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WHAT HAS THE CHURCH TAUGHT?

• READ THE BIBLE AND MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE AND IT WILL
  GO AWAY
• Scripture is a tremendous weapon. But just
  knowing verses and not how to apply them does not
  usually help.

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WHAT HAS THE CHURCH TAUGHT?

• READ THE BIBLE AND MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE AND IT WILL
  GO AWAY
• Scripture is a tremendous weapon. But just
  knowing verses and not how to apply them does not
  usually help.

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WHAT HAS THE CHURCH TAUGHT?

• GET PRAYED OVER AND IT WILL GO AWAY
• Being humble and coming to leadership can be a
  huge step in the battle.
• If the leadership is not careful and merciful,
  the addict may feel negative results, though.

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WHAT HAS THE CHURCH TAUGHT?

• COME TO JESUS AND IT WILL GO AWAY
• Upon accepting Christ, an unsaved addict merely
  becomes a saved addict.
• Salvation secures ultimate healing, but it does
  not erase the past.

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WHAT HAS THE CHURCH TAUGHT?

• IF THAT WONT WORK, JUST GO AWAY
• Most churches get frustrated and embarrassed with
  the struggling person and find ways to encourage
  them to leave.

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DEALING with ADDICTION PYSICALLY

• ESTABLISH PHYSICAL DISTANCE
• Move yourself away from the addictive object.
  This buys you time to develop other techniques.

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DEALING with ADDICTION PYSICALLY

• KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS AND WEAKNESSES
• Anyone who struggles with addiction has things
  that trigger their resorting to the addictive
  behavior.
• One you recognize these circumstances, you can
  see the warning signs before failing.

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DEALING with ADDICTION PYSICALLY

• FIND A HEALTHY REPLACEMENT
• That time that used to be spent on the addiction
  need to be repurposed to something beneficial.
• Dont switch one addiction for another, or end up
  in the original one with a more intense problem.

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DEALING with ADDICTION PYSICALLY

• REALIZE A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE IS PRESENT
• Participating in an addictive habit releases
  endorphins which trigger your opiate receptors.
• This release of chemicals in time requires more
  of the addictive substance

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DEALING with ADDICTION PYSICALLY

• REALIZE A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE IS PRESENT
• All the time spent releasing these chemicals has
  made you brain addicted to the addiction
• This explains why it is so difficult to overcome
  addiction and why cravings are so strong.

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DEALING with ADDICTION PYSICALLY

• REALIZE A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE IS PRESENT
• Sometimes medication is needed to help curb the
  chemical imbalance.

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DEALING with ADDICTION EMOTIONALLY

• DEVELOP HEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS
• All addictions begin as coping mechanisms that
  get out of control
• Journaling is a cathartic practice that allows
  you to release your emotions on paper. It also
  helps to keep memories accurate.

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DEALING with ADDICTION EMOTIONALLY

• DEVELOP HEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS
• Relaxation techniques (breathing, music,
  exercise, Scripture meditation) also is a very
  positive mechanism.

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DEALING with ADDICTION EMOTIONALLY

• BREAKING THE CYCLE
• Addiction is a cycle with three stages.
• Stage One is the ritual of thoughts and actions
  that lead into the addictive behavior.
• Stage Two is the actual addictive behavior itself

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DEALING with ADDICTION EMOTIONALLY

• BREAKING THE CYCLE
• Stage Three is the avalanche of guilt and
  remorse. This is often so strong and destructive
  that it leads right back into Stage One.

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DEALING with ADDICTION EMOTIONALLY

• BREAKING THE CYCLE
• The key to identifying the steps in Stage One is
  that you can then derail the process before it is
  too late.

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DEALING with ADDICTION EMOTIONALLY

• ADOPT A REALISTIC VIEW OF LIFE
• The addiction is not really fixing anything. It
  is risking everything.
• The sooner a person can recognize the full
  reality about each Stage, the sooner they will
  see the emptiness of the addiction

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DEALING with ADDICTION RELATIONALLY

• FIND SUPPORT
• Satan wants us to be separated and isolated.
• Support groups provide a group of people who
  completely understand the struggle because they
  have been there.

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DEALING with ADDICTION RELATIONALLY

• FIND SUPPORT
• Counseling is another place to find support,
  guidance, and biblical advice.

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DEALING with ADDICTION RELATIONALLY

• LOCATE ACCOUNTABILITY
• Your accountability partner should not be out to
  pin you to a wall. They should be watching to
  see if they need to step in the gap to protect
  you.
• Openness and honesty are critical to successful
  accountability

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DEALING with ADDICTION RELATIONALLY

• BECOME USEFUL
• Finding something useful to do will help you by
  bringing you acceptance, respect, and love.
• People will rely on you, which will give you a
  reason to stay strong.

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DEALING with ADDICTION RELATIONALLY

• BECOME USEFUL
• It also gives you a more accurate view of life
  and the scope of your problems.

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DEALING with ADDICTION SPIRITUALLY

• RECOGNIZE TRUTH
• Addiction is a sin.
• Thanks to Christs sacrifice for us, we should
  not be in bondage to sin.
• God has forgiven us for this sin just like any
  other sin.

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DEALING with ADDICTION SPIRITUALLY

• RECOGNIZE TRUTH
• Guilt is Satans hateful accusations, trying to
  drive us away from God.
• Conviction is the Holy Spirit lovingly moving in
  our heart, urging us to draw close to God.

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DEALING with ADDICTION SPIRITUALLY

• UTILIZE PRAYER
• Prayer is mighty for the breaking down of
  strongholds
• It requires commitment, discipline, and belief.

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DEALING with ADDICTION SPIRITUALLY

• BUFFET YOUR BODY
• This is not physical abuse of your body in
  penance for sins committed.
• It is realizing that even if you have to give up
  things, it is worth it to see victory in your
  life.

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DEALING with ADDICTION SPIRITUALLY

• ENJOY YOUR LIFE
• Christians are allowed to have fun and enjoy
  life.
• Hope and joy should characterize a Christian.
• If a person gives up the exciting and fun life of
  sin for a holy life of boredom and negativity,
  why stick with the new life?

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DEALING with ADDICTION SPIRITUALLY

• ENJOY YOUR LIFE
• Eat together, share each others burdens,
  fellowship with each other, rejoice in your
  salvation. That addresses all four elements
  right there.