Alcoholism is a devastating disease that destroys lives. It can be a very difficult process for those suffering from addiction and their families, but there are ways to recover and get your life back on track.
A psychic change is what’s needed in order to achieve recovery and live a sober lifestyle. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states that “a complete psychic change” is needed for sobriety.
This means you have to completely adjust how you respond emotionally when facing difficulties, which will allow you to make better decisions about how you handle things going forward. Carl Jung said that this drastic emotional rearrangement was necessary in order for someone who suffers from alcoholism or any other type of addiction to experience a full recovery.
Dr. William Silkworth was an American medical doctor that specialized in treating alcoholics. Dr. Silkworth was Director of Drug and Alcohol Addictions at Charles B. Towns Hospital in the 1930s. It was one of the only hospitals at the time that treated alcoholism.
He treated more than 40,000 alcoholics. Silkworth suggested that alcoholics could recover if they could experience an entire psychic change.
“On the other hand—and strange as this may seem to those who do not understand — once a psychic change has occurred, the very same person who seemed doomed, who had so many problems he despaired of ever solving them, suddenly finds himself easily able to control his desire for alcohol,” Silkworth wrote in the Alcoholics Anonymous Doctor’s Opinion
A psychic change gives you the ability to respond to life differently. It is the element in the 12 Steps that is referred to as a spiritual experience, a spiritual awakening, or an attitude adjustment.
All that is required is to take a simple attitude towards a higher power and take action on a few suggestions. These suggestions are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Attitude is a big thing in recovery. The book states that if you take a certain attitude and follow simple suggestions you can have a sufficient spiritual experience that will bring about recovery.
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Principles that Lead to Psychic Change
Having a psychic change is more than just not being tempted to drink or use drugs. But it takes a psychic change or attitude adjustment. Here are articles that will help you understand the 12 Step program and the mental shift that is required
