| Surveys show that religion and spirituality play a | | | | religiously addictive organizations, I came to believe |
| central role in the lives of most of the population in | | | | that having an intense faith or religious ferver is not |
| human experience. Gallup (2004) found that 59% of | | | | equal to having a religious addiction. Most people |
| adults nationwide say religion is a very important part | | | | experience healthy religion and a spiritual life in which |
| of their lives. An additional 26% of Americans say | | | | obedience to God is balanced with a freedom to |
| religion is fairly important to them. Just 15% of | | | | serve others in ways of individual experession. |
| respondents say religion is not very important. About | | | | I also discovered however, that church leaders in |
| two-thirds of Americans, 64%, belong to a church or | | | | Hawaii that were self-appointed (not elected/ |
| synagogue. The religious and spiritual dimensions of | | | | appointed by their church) significantly identified more |
| culture were found to be among the most important | | | | with religious addictive beliefs, symptoms and |
| factors that structure human experience, beliefs, | | | | practices compared to their counterparts. |
| values, behavior, and illness (Browning et al., 1990 | | | | Multiple Addictions |
| James, 1961 Krippner and Welch, 1992). | | | | Compulsive religiosity sometimes accompanies other |
| Researchers however, report that some individuals | | | | addictions as the religious addict is seeking to lessen |
| seem to get fanatical about thier religion and develop | | | | guilt and shame. Since it is impossible to expect |
| maladaptive behaviors. Members of the American | | | | treatment for one addiction to be beneficial when |
| Psychological Association reported that at least one in | | | | other addictions co-exist, the initial therapeutic |
| six of their clients presented issues that involve | | | | intervention for any addiction needs to include an |
| religion or spirituality (Shafranske and Maloney, 1990). | | | | assessment for other addictions. In my clinical |
| In another study, 29% of psychologists agreed that | | | | practice, I have noticed a significant correlation |
| religious issues are important in the treatment of all | | | | between religious addiction and other substance |
| or many of their clients (Bergin and Jensen, 1990, p. | | | | abuse and behavioral addictions such as chemical |
| 3). Psychotherapy can sometimes be effective in | | | | dependency, alcoholism, pathological gambling, and |
| treating religious problems. Robinson (1986) noted, | | | | food addictions. |
| "Some patients have troublesome conflicts about | | | | Poor Prognosis |
| religion that could probably be resolved through the | | | | We have come to realize today more than any other |
| process of psychotherapy" (p.22). | | | | time in history that the treatment of lifestyle |
| Religious problems can be as various and complex as | | | | diseases and addictions are often a difficult and |
| mental health problems. One type of psychoreligious | | | | frustrating task for all concerned. Repeated failures |
| problem involves patients who intensify their | | | | abound with all of the addictions, even with utilizing |
| adherence to religious practices and orthodoxy | | | | the most effective treatment strategies. But why do |
| (Lukoff, Lu, and Turner 1992, p. 677). Generally when | | | | 47% of patients treated in private addiction |
| people speak of addictive diseases they imply a | | | | treatment programs (for example) relapse within the |
| medical problem. In the past few years the term | | | | first year following treatment (Gorski, T., 2001)? |
| addiction has been used to characterize behaviors | | | | Have addiction specialists become conditioned to |
| that go beyond chemicals. Dr. Robert Lefever (1988) | | | | accept failure as the norm? There are many reasons |
| views addiction as a "family disease" involving | | | | for this poor prognosis. Some would proclaim that |
| self-denial and caretaking, domination, and submission | | | | addictions are psychosomatically- induced and |
| (p. ix). Gerald May (1988) states that addiction is a | | | | maintained in a semi-balanced force field of driving |
| "state of compulsion, obsession, or preoccupation | | | | and restraining multidimensional forces. Others would |
| that enslaves a person's will and desire" (p.14). Shaef | | | | say that failures are due simply to a lack of |
| (1987) defines addiction as "any process over which | | | | self-motivation or will power. Most would agree that |
| we are powerless" (p. 18). She divides addictions into | | | | lifestyle behavioral addictions are serious health risks |
| two categories: substance addictions -alcohol, drugs, | | | | that deserve our attention, but could it possibly be |
| nicotine, food) and process addictions | | | | that patients with multiple addictions are being under |
| -money-accumulation, gambling, sex, work, worry, | | | | diagnosed (with a single dependence) simply due to a |
| and religion. | | | | lack of diagnostic tools and resources that are |
| Research in the area of religious addiction is deficient, | | | | incapable of resolving the complexity of assessing |
| however there were a few older related studies | | | | and treating a patient with multiple addictions? |
| found in the literature. Simmonds (1977) reports that | | | | Diagnostic Delineation |
| there is some evidence to indicate that "religious | | | | Thus far, the DSM-IV-TR has not delineated a |
| people in general tend to exhibit dependency on | | | | diagnosis for the complexity of multiple behavioral |
| some external source of gratification" (p. 114). Black | | | | and substance addictions. It has reserved the |
| and London (1966) found a high positive correlation | | | | Poly-substance Dependence diagnosis for a person |
| between the variables of obedience to parents and | | | | who is repeatedly using at least three groups of |
| country and indices of religious belief such as church | | | | substances during the same 12-month period, but the |
| attendance, belief in God and prayer (p. 39). Goldsen, | | | | criteria for this diagnosis do not involve any |
| et al. (1960) showed that people who were more | | | | behavioral addiction symptoms. In the Psychological |
| religious consistently showed tendencies toward | | | | Factors Affecting Medical Condition's section |
| greater social conformity than did the nonreligious, a | | | | (DSM-IV-TR, 2000) maladaptive health behaviors (e.g., |
| finding consistent with the notion that religious people | | | | unsafe sexual practices, excessive alcohol, drug use, |
| seek external approval. These results are supported | | | | and over eating, etc.) may be listed on Axis I, only if |
| by Fisher (1964 p. 784), who reported that a | | | | they are significantly affecting the course of |
| measure of social approval and religion were strongly | | | | treatment of a medical or mental condition. |
| associated. Religious people show dependence not | | | | Since successful treatment outcomes are dependent |
| only on social values, but also on other external | | | | on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and |
| agents. Duke (1964, p. 227) found that church | | | | comprehensive individualized treatment planning, it is |
| attendance indicated more responsiveness to the | | | | no wonder that repeated rehabilitation failures and |
| effects of a placebo. In a study of 50 alcoholics, it | | | | low success rates are the norm instead of the |
| was found that those who were dependent on | | | | exception in the addictions field, when the latest |
| alcohol were more likely to have had a religious | | | | DSM-IV-TR does not even include a diagnosis for |
| background (Walters, 1957, p. 405). | | | | multiple addictive behavioral disorders. Treatment |
| The few research studies aforementioned seem to | | | | clinics need to have a treatment planning system and |
| suggest that religious people develop a dependency | | | | referral network that is equipped to thoroughly |
| on religious practices for social approval. Since religious | | | | assess multiple addictive and mental health disorders |
| people seem to be describable in terms of relatively | | | | and related treatment needs and comprehensively |
| high levels of dependence, it seems useful to borrow | | | | provide education/ awareness, prevention strategy |
| a concept suggested by Peele and Brodsky (1975)- | | | | groups, and/ or specific addictions treatment services |
| that of "addiction." According to these writers | | | | for individuals diagnosed with multiple addictions. |
| addiction is "a person's attachment to a sensation, an | | | | Written treatment goals and objectives should be |
| object, or another person... such as to lessen his | | | | specified for each separate addiction and dimension |
| appreciation of and ability to deal with other things in | | | | of an individuals' life, and the desired performance |
| his environment, or in himself, so that he has become | | | | outcome or completion criteria should be specifically |
| increasingly dependent on that experience as his only | | | | stated, behaviorally based (a visible activity), and |
| source of gratification" (p. 168). | | | | measurable. |
| There are a variety of definitions for the concept of | | | | New Proposed Diagnosis |
| religious addiction. Arterburn and Felton (1992) state | | | | To assist in resolving the limited DSM-IV-TRs' |
| that "when a person is excessively devoted to | | | | diagnostic capability, a multidimensional diagnosis of |
| something or surrenders compulsively and habitually | | | | "Poly-behavioral Addiction," is proposed for more |
| to something, that pathological and physiological | | | | accurate diagnosis leading to more effective |
| dependency on a substance, relationship, or behavior | | | | treatment planning. This diagnosis encompasses the |
| results in addiction" (p. 104). They indicate that, "like | | | | broadest category of addictive disorders that would |
| any other addiction, the practice of religion becomes | | | | include an individual manifesting a combination of |
| central to every other aspect of life...all relationships | | | | substance abuse addictions, and other |
| evolve from the religion, and the dependency on the | | | | obsessively-compulsive behavioral addictive behavioral |
| religious practice and its members removes the need | | | | patterns to pathological gambling, religion, and/ or sex |
| for a dependency on God...the religion and those who | | | | / pornography, etc.). Behavioral addictions are just as |
| practice it then become the central power for the | | | | damaging - psychologically and socially as alcohol and |
| addict who no longer is in touch with God" (p. 117). | | | | drug abuse. They are comparative to other life-style |
| Spirituality can also have pathological aspects to it. | | | | diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart |
| Vaughan (1991) reports that "the shadow side to a | | | | disease in their behavioral manifestations, their |
| healthy search for wholeness can be called addiction | | | | etiologies, and their resistance to treatments. They |
| to spirituality" (p. 105). He indicates that this can be | | | | are progressive disorders that involve obsessive |
| found among people who use spirituality as a solution | | | | thinking and compulsive behaviors. They are also |
| to problems they are unwilling to face. Van-Kaam | | | | characterized by a preoccupation with a continuous |
| (1987) presents a viewpoint of addiction as a quasi | | | | or periodic loss of control, and continuous irrational |
| religious or falsified religious presence. He reports that | | | | behavior in spite of adverse consequences. |
| "an understanding of the relationship between | | | | Poly-behavioral addiction would be described as a |
| religious presence and addiction allows potential | | | | state of periodic or chronic physical, mental, |
| dangers of receptivity to be identified in order to | | | | emotional, cultural, sexual and/ or spiritual/ religious |
| realize the real value of true religious presence and | | | | intoxication. These various types of intoxication are |
| the shame of its counterfeit, addiction" (p. 243). | | | | produced by repeated obsessive thoughts and |
| McKenzie (1991) discusses addiction as an unauthentic | | | | compulsive practices involved in pathological |
| form of spiritual existence. He says that, "addiction is | | | | relationships to any mood-altering substance, person, |
| born of the human desire for transcendence which is | | | | organization, belief system, and/ or activity. The |
| often perverted or misplaced by societies that | | | | individual has an overpowering desire, need or |
| encourage their members to seek ultimate meaning in | | | | compulsion with the presence of a tendency to |
| dimensions that have no regard for the | | | | intensify their adherence to these practices, and |
| transcendent" (p. 325). Heise (1991, p. 11) explores | | | | evidence of phenomena of tolerance, abstinence and |
| the fundamentalist Christian's focus on perfectionism, | | | | withdrawal, in which there is always physical and/ or |
| and it's possible contribution to an increase in | | | | psychic dependence on the effects of this |
| dysfunctional individuals, family systems, and | | | | pathological relationship. In addition, there is a 12 - |
| addictions. | | | | month period in which an individual is pathologically |
| Until recently, research in this area has primarily | | | | involved with three or more behavioral and/ or |
| focused on religious cults. Estimates of the number of | | | | substance use addictions simultaneously, but the |
| cults range from several hundred to several | | | | criteria are not met for dependence for any one |
| thousand, with a total membership up to three million | | | | addiction in particular (Slobodzien, J., 2005). In |
| (Allen and Metoyer, 1988, p. 38 Melton, 1986). | | | | essence, Poly-behavioral addiction is the synergistically |
| According to Margaret Singer, Ph.D., a psychologist | | | | integrated chronic dependence on multiple |
| specializing in cult phenomena, "the word cult | | | | physiologically addictive substances and behaviors |
| describes a power structure,...what really sets a cult | | | | (e.g., using/ abusing substances - nicotine, alcohol, & |
| apart is that one person has proclaimed himself to | | | | drugs, and/or acting impulsively or obsessively |
| have some special knowledge, and if he can convince | | | | compulsive in regards to gambling, food binging, sex, |
| others to let him be in charge, he will share that | | | | and/ or religion, etc.) simultaneously. |
| knowledge" (Collins & Frantz, 1994, p. 30). The Jim | | | | Conclusion |
| Jones People's Temple mass suicide has been | | | | Considering the wide range of religious behaviors in |
| documented in the news, and more recently David | | | | our world today, one should always take into account |
| Koresh's Branch Davidian Christian cult. Cults, both | | | | an individual's ethnic, cultural, spiritual, and social |
| destructive and benign, have been with us in various | | | | background prior to making any clinical judgments, |
| guises since time immemorial. Many psychologists and | | | | and it would be wise to not over-pathologize in this |
| psychiatrists have become knowledgeable about | | | | area of Religious Addiction. However, since successful |
| destructive cults in the course of their work with | | | | treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough |
| patients affected by the problem. | | | | assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive |
| Within the past few years, however, traditional | | | | individualized treatment planning - poly-behavioral |
| Church members have faced their compulsive | | | | addiction needs to be identified to effectively treat |
| behavior and harmful beliefs. Doucette (1992) reports | | | | the complexity of multiple behavioral and substance |
| that "many people are waking up because they have | | | | addictions. |
| seen their religious leaders fall. Some researchers | | | | Since chronic lifestyle diseases and disorders such as |
| believe that the magnitude of the tragedy of religious | | | | diabetes, hypertension, alcoholism, drug and |
| addiction and abuse was revealed by the TV | | | | behavioral addictions cannot be cured, but only |
| evangelist scandals documented in the news media | | | | managed - how should we effectively manage |
| which involved: Jim and Tammy Bakker Jimmy | | | | poly-behavioral addiction? |
| Swaggart and Oral Roberts (Brand 1987, p. 82 | | | | The Addiction Recovery Measurement System |
| Woodward 1987, p. 68 and Kaufman 1988, p. 37). | | | | (ARMS) is proposed utilizing a multidimensional |
| These personal confessions have exposed not only | | | | integrative assessment, treatment planning, |
| how these supposed men of God had betrayed | | | | treatment progress, and treatment outcome |
| people's trust, but how many of those who had | | | | measurement tracking system that facilitates rapid |
| been abused, betrayed, and bankrupted never | | | | and accurate recognition and evaluation of an |
| seemed to question what was happening and | | | | individual's comprehensive life-functioning progress |
| continued to support these individuals. | | | | dimensions. The ARMS hypothesis purports that |
| Booth (1991) states that "the Bakker, Swaggart, and | | | | there is a multidimensional synergistically negative |
| Roberts scandals created a national intervention that | | | | resistance that individual's develop to any one form |
| served to interrupt the progress of this unhealthy | | | | of treatment to a single dimension of their lives, |
| phenomenon" (p. 38). What had previously been | | | | because the effects of an individual's addiction have |
| viewed as fanaticism or zealotry increasingly began | | | | dynamically interacted multi-dimensionally. Having the |
| to be called religious addiction and religious abuse. | | | | primary focus on one dimension is insufficient. |
| Booth (1991) defines religious addiction as "using God, | | | | Traditionally, addiction treatment programs have |
| a church, or a belief system as an escape from | | | | failed to accommodate for the multidimensional |
| reality, or as a weapon against ourselves or others in | | | | synergistically negative effects of an individual having |
| an attempt to find or elevate a sense of self-worth | | | | multiple addictions, (e.g. nicotine, alcohol, and obesity, |
| or well-being" (p. 38). | | | | etc.). Behavioral addictions interact negatively with |
| Other researchers use the terms spiritual and | | | | each other and with strategies to improve overall |
| psychological abuse to describe the characteristics of | | | | functioning. They tend to encourage the use of |
| religious addiction. Enroth (1992) says that his book | | | | tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, help increase |
| "Churches That Abuse is about people who have | | | | violence, decrease functional capacity, and promote |
| been abused psychologically and spiritually in churches | | | | social isolation. Most treatment theories today involve |
| and other Christian organizations" (p. 29). He reports | | | | assessing other dimensions to identify dual diagnosis |
| that "unlike physical abuse that often results in | | | | or co-morbidity diagnoses, or to assess contributing |
| bruised bodies, spiritual and pastoral abuse leaves | | | | factors that may play a role in the individual's primary |
| scars on the psyche and soul...the perversion of | | | | addiction. The ARMS' theory proclaims that a |
| power that we see in abusive churches disrupts and | | | | multidimensional treatment plan must be devised |
| divides families, fosters unhealthy dependence of | | | | addressing the possible multiple addictions identified |
| members on the leadership, and creates, ultimately, | | | | for each one of an individual's life dimensions in |
| spiritual confusion in the lives of victims" (p. 29). The | | | | addition to developing specific goals and objectives |
| scandals involving TV evangelists created a national | | | | for each dimension. |
| intervention by bringing religious addiction and abuse | | | | Partnerships and coordination among service |
| too close to home to be ignored. Those scandals | | | | providers, government departments, and community |
| spurred people to act and call for change. | | | | organizations in providing addiction treatment |
| During this period, I had the unique opportunity to | | | | programs are a necessity in addressing the multi-task |
| conduct a literature review and survey on the | | | | solution to poly-behavioral addiction. I encourage you |
| relatively newly recognized phenomenon of religious | | | | to support the addiction programs in America, and |
| addiction within Christianity in the State of Hawaii for | | | | hope that the (ARMS) resources can assist you to |
| my dissertation while pursuing my doctor of | | | | personally fight the War on poly-behavioral addiction. |
| psychology degree (Psy.D) in clinical psychology. After | | | | For more info see: Poly-Behavioral Addiction and the |
| studying the symptoms, beliefs, and stages of | | | | Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) |
| religious addiction along with the characteristics of | | | | By James Slobodzien, Psy.D. |