Religious Aspects of Substance Abuse and Recovery

Studies have typically found less substance abuse among highly religious people than among less religious people. Some research suggests that religiousness is associated with lower substance abuse because religious people have been socialized to accept antiabuse norms, are involved with antiabuse peers, and have a mechanism for satisfying needs for social contact and meaning in life. However, the relationship occurs only for a nurturing and supportive religiousness, and not for a restrictive, negativistic, and ritualistic religiousness. While religiousness has seldom been a variable in the treatment of substance abuse, the available data suggest that, for religious people who desire that their beliefs be considered in such treatment, the treatment may be effective if it shifts abusers from restrictive, negativistic, and ritualistic religiosity, and toward nurturing and supportive religiousness. Knowledge of this research may help nonreligious institutions in their efforts to treat substance abuse.