Religion/irreligion, self-control and addiction
Self-control is a vital component as far as one's ability to resist desires for immediate gratification in order to obtain greater rewards in the future.[1]
In the journal article Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications, psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on self-control/self-regulation.[2][3] Furthermore, a 2012 Queen's University study published in Psychological Science found that religion replenishes self-control.[4][5] The Apostle Paul indicates that self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galations 5:23).
According to the Bergand Group, which operates outpatient drug treatment programs:
| “ | When it comes to addiction, it’s a key piece of being able to cease damaging habits and to form new ones. A little self control can go a long way, but a lack of it can do the same in the opposite direction, in drawing a person back to drinking or to drugs. Triggers and cravings can make this all the more difficult, but there are some steps a person can take to be able to strengthen their self control in order to make the recovery process easier.
One way that researchers suggest that this practice begin is with the use of emotions. By that, they mean something like taking the time to imagine the shame one might feel after a long night of drinking, or the joy in being able to spend time with friends rather than getting high alone. “Emotions push us to value the future more than we normally would,” and so utilizing them to feel what that future might be like is a way that allows for a stronger push against these habits. Most effective, you might already have guessed, are positive emotions, which have been proven to be able to “undo” the damage caused by negative ones. Pushing for positive emotions, even in objectively neutral or negative situations, can help to change a mind set, to alter brain chemistry, and even to reduce the pull of instant gratification, which plays a big role in substance abuse. If it’s too far to jump from anxious to happy, then researches note that feeling angry can also help to make progress. Put simply, there isn’t just one emotion that will work “best” to strengthen your self control. The concept in a more general sense is what should be focused on, and then the individual can test out a few emotions in order to determine which is the best at distancing him or herself from the addictive substance. “Fighting emotion with emotion” allows you to be focused on, and even consumed by, one particular feeling in order to replace what harmful thoughts were previously there as a result of the addiction. Leaving an empty space rather than focusing on another emotion allows for the mind to wander and can be dangerous in recovery. Be in control of your emotions rather than letting them control you.[6] |
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See also: Atheism and happiness
The abstract for the journal article Health and Well-Being Among the Non-religious: Atheists, Agnostics, and No Preference Compared with Religious Group Members published in the Journal of Religion and Health indicates: "On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference."[8]
Global News reported:
| “ | Children who are raised with religious or spiritual beliefs tend to have better mental health into their adulthood, a new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found.
According to the study’s findings, people who attended weekly religious services or prayed or meditated daily in their childhood reported greater life satisfaction in their 20s. People who grew up in a religious household also reported fewer symptoms of depression and lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder.[9] |
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Atheists are more prone to various negative thoughts and emotional problems (see: Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts amd Atheism and emotional problems).
Social science research indicates that religious believers are happier than atheists (See: Atheism and happiness).
See also
Notes
- ↑ Self Control Can Be Strengthened, The Bergand Group
- ↑ Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications
- ↑ Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications
- ↑ Religion Replenishes Self-Control, Psychological Science, June 2012 vol. 23 no. 6 635-642, Kevin Rounding, Albert Lee, Jill A. Jacobson and Li-Jun Ji at Queen’s University
- ↑ Study finds religion helps us gain self-control
- ↑ Self Control Can Be Strengthened, The Bergand Group
- ↑ Christians happier than atheists – on Twitter, CNN
- ↑ Health and Well-Being Among the Non-religious: Atheists, Agnostics, and No Preference Compared with Religious Group Members by Hayward RD, Krause N, Ironson G, Hill PC, Emmons R., Journal of Religion and Health, 2016 Jun;55(3):1024-1037. doi: 10.1007/s10943-015-0179-2.
- ↑ Religion can help improve children’s mental health, new study finds, Global News, 2018
