Teaching Recovery with Heart and Soul - Thesis Example

There has been increasing use of spirituality and mindfulness(heart and soul) approach in addiction recovery therapy due to its diverse number of potential benefits some of which include increased self-awareness, reduced relapse-provoking stressors, improved internal peace, and induced peace of mind. This is most likely attributed to the fact that addiction and drug-related problems are often closely linked with emotional and spiritual immaturities. The study is based on a comprehensive review of recent empirical research findings, articles, journals, books, and online databases.

Drug and substance abuse in the United States is currently a major problem exacting nearly $600 billion every year in costs related to lost work productivity, crime, and healthcare (NIDA, 2012). Moreover, substance abuse in the United States has continued to claim many lives with approximately 88,000 lives currently being lost annually due to alcohol abuse (NIDA, 2014). This is according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has made alcoholism the third leading lifestyle cause of death in the nation.

A survey in 2012 conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) indicated that nearly 23.9 million Americans aged 12 and above (9.2% of the American population) were illicit drug users.Moreover, the survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA 2012) also revealed that drug and substance abuse was highest among adolescents in their late teens and twenties. In 2012, 23.9 percent of 18- to 20-year-olds reported using an illicit drug in the past month. However, there continues to be a significant treatment gap with only an estimated 2.

5 million (1%) out of the 23.9 million users of illicit drugs receiving treatment and successfully undergoing the recovery process (NIDA, 2014).In most affected individuals, alcoholism and addictive substance use often culminated in intense feelings of lack of purpose in life, alienation, loneliness, and helplessness. Alcohol or drug dependence occurs as a result of a complex interaction of cultural, biological, psychological, and spiritual factors.