What Clergy Need To Know Deacon Dan Giblin, CRS
Who am I? Husband and Father Deacon of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, ordained in 2011 Assigned to St. Ann Parish, Phoenixville Admissions board of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary for permanent diaconate Spiritual Care Advisor at St. John Vianney Center
What is addiction? Mental Illness Disease model of addiction Co-occurring disorders Velocity of addiction today
Mental Illness Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE
Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE
Inability to consistently abstain Impairment in behavioral control Craving Diminished recognition of significant problems with one s behaviors and interpersonal relationships Dysfunctional emotional response Cycles of relapse Progressive and can result in disability or premature death
Disease model of addiction Organ Organ? Addiction DEFECT DEFECT Symptoms Immoral Behavior
Co-occurring disorders
What is addiction? All addictions are the same All addictions are different
Stats 21 million people in the U.S. suffer from some type of addiction. 15 million are addicted to alcohol 3 million are addicted to opioids #1 cause of injury related deaths. Greater than car accident and gun related deaths. Behavioral addictions are not included in these statistics (gambling, sex, pornography, shopping, gaming)
Velocity of addiction today
3 Basics Elements of Life
Dopomine 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Bad Day Normal Day Favorite Food Hit Lotto! Nanograms per decileter
Dopomine 1200 1000 1000 800 600 400 200 40 50 90 100 0 Bad Day Normal Day Favorite Food Hit Lotto! Heroin Nanograms per decileter
Dopomine 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Bad Day Normal Day Favorite Food Hit Lotto! Heroin Heroin 5th time Heroin 10th time Heroin 15th time Heroin 20th time Heroin 25tyh time Heroin 30th time Nanograms per decileter
Drunk walks into a bar.
What is addictive? Substance use disorders in the DSM-IV-TR provide a list of addictions relating to the following substances: 1 Alcohol Tobacco Opioids (like heroin) Prescription drugs (sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics like sleeping pills and tranquilizers) Cocaine Cannabis (marijuana) Amphetamines (like methamphetamine, known as meth) Hallucinogens Inhalants Phencyclidine (known as PCP or Angeldust) Other unspecified substances
What is addictive? Behaviors Food (eating) Sex Pornography (attaining, viewing) Using computers / the internet Playing video games Working Exercising Spiritual obsession Religious Devotion Pain (seeking) Cutting Shopping
Spiritual aspect of addiction Noah s Drunkenness by Jacques Joseph Tissot, 1836-1902
Spiritual aspect of addiction Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Proverbs 20:1 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. They hit me, you will say, but I m not hurt! They beat me, but I don t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink? Proverbs 23:19
Spirituality and addiction The Washingtonian Movement
Spirituality and addiction Venerable Matt Talbot, OFS
Spiritual aspect of addiction Confidence Confession Conviction Conversion Continuance
Spiritual aspect of addiction
Spiritual aspect of addiction
Myths & fallacies of addiction Desire of the addicted for help Moral failing vs mental illness Cured vs Recovered
Recovery from addiction Pathways to treatment Interventions EAP Voluntary unassisted Treatment Centers Intensive Out Patient Medically Assisted Treatment Extended treatment (sober living houses) Support groups
Ministering to the addicted and the recovering Identify personal biases Knowledge of referral sources Meeting the recovering where they are Spiritual not religious culture It s always a family disease Liturgical and spiritual support
Clergy and addiction ISOLATION What impedes intervention in some cases is the lack of a smoking gun. Clergy and vowed religious, even in advanced stages of substance abuse, can hide its effect through a lifestyle that incorporates substantial periods out of public view. They can hold it together for public functions and disappear into alcoholic solitude. This may occur on days off or commonly in nightly drinking that is largely hidden. - Psychotherapy With Priests & Catholic Religious (Ciarrocchi & Wicks)
Clergy and addiction DENIAL AMONG RELIGIOUS Many features of the normative self-definition (for priest and religious) run contrary to alcoholic behavior: personal control, living in accord with high standard, being a model of religious living, and seeing the self as one who exercises delayed gratification. The forces of denial in this population run deep. Many do no accept treatment until the disorder has progressed to the point of serious physical, neurological and psychological damage. - Psychotherapy With Priests & Catholic Religious
Clergy and addiction DENIAL AMONG RELIGIOUS The social expectation of the minister, in concert with the defense mechanism of denial, conspire together to prevent the awareness of addiction in the ministers social network as well. Simply put, people do not readily suspect substance abuse as an explanation for unusual behavior in ministers. - Psychotherapy With Priests & Catholic Religious