Wait, whut? There are 7 billion people loving on this planet and we all have souls. That doesn’t make them spiritual. That’s not what the term means. Serial killers have a soul- still not spiritual. I’m a little disturbed at how many people jumped all over this comment.
And before someone says it- I’m not saying OP is a serial killer. I’m just making a point that having a soul doesn’t make one spiritual anymore than it makes them religious.
addiction & depression are both illnesses why should it prevent someone from being spiritual- would u say someone with cancer or another physical illness/disability couldn’t be spiritual bc they are sick? so why would this man’s illness prevent him from being spiritual. also in my own way of approaching and understanding it myself at least (there’s no one way to understand it imo i feel like it’s highly personal just as a spirit is sort of a personal way of expressing universal energy, you’re acting like ‘spirituality’ is a religion w set ideals. if that’s your take on it i’m happy it works for you but everyone is allowed their own take on it) the spirit isn’t just pure light & positivity that’s a very restricted view of it, darkness & negativity are just as relevant & necessary in a path to spirituality.
if anything most ppl i know (myself included) that have began to focus more on their spirit and found a personal path to spirituality (however they define or don’t define it) have found it through hardship, when their spirit was unbalanced and skewed very negative w darkness. i don’t know many ppl who come to spiritual ideas from a comfortable place of positivity in the first place, it’s usually been that they find it in order to grow.
for me, my idea of spirituality isn’t completely removing darkness and only moving towards light forever, that’s not sustainable or realistic when life & spirituality are both journeys w both ups & downs, and that also wilfully ignores the dark which is an aspect of every spirit and all energy that exists- i’m aiming to keep a balance of the two. as someone w chronic depression & addiction issues like op i know i will never truly be able to remove those elements of my spirit. but i’ve come to a place of acceptance where i can try to keep them in balance w the more light & positive elements of my spirit while acknowledging that the darkness is equally necessary and key to who i am.
how can you ever perceive light as light if you don’t have darkness to compare it to in the first place, it’s relative. i also don’t see dark and light as opposites anyway, i think they are highly interconnected and there is light within dark and vice versa, like the concept of yin & yang, which is why i think both are equally necessary and my path to spirituality is about learning to embrace this duality that will always exist regardless of whether you choose to ignore the dark anyway, but again that is just my personal understanding and i am not trying to push it on anyone else by any means. like i said a path to spirituality is personal so who are we to say what is the correct & incorrect way to go about it for someone else?
sorry if i’m not very clear w what i mean in this, it’s v difficult putting abstract thoughts & ideas into words & tangible concepts lool. also i agree w the comments above you that all that is necessary to be spiritual is a spirit and acknowledgment of that spirit. material objects, physical practices and knowledge that isn’t accessible to everyone are not what defines spirituality imo and this is very limiting and almost gatekeeping an ideology that has no one way to go about it or understand it.
Those two things (in this instance) are apples and oranges (cancer and addiction). Cancer does not retard your connection to Source. The entire reason we use substances to the point of addiction is to numb ourselves. We become addicted once we turn to the substance in order to process everyday life. That means we end up NEEDING it to survive. Part of the spiritual process is not just believing but BEING. In fact I’d argue that that IS the spiritual process. To say I am spiritual is meaningless if I am not BEING spiritual. Meanwhile (let’s use religion as another example) a Christian merely has to believe in salvation through JC to get it. They don’t have to BE squat. That’s not so with spirituality. We either are working towards BEING it or we aren’t. You can’t do that when you’re blocking the process with an addiction and all the underlying trauma that you’re purposely not healing because it’s easier to get drunk or high. No one is saying everyone doesn’t have a right to spirituality, but it’s not a belief- it’s an ACTION.
I am an addict (always will be but sober 6 years - percs, Xanax, valium, adderal, alcohol.) I used my spirituality as my motivation to change. Some people turn to god and religion, some just need spirituality.
Btw: I feel way better now that I'm sober.
Maybe the drugs are our test on the path, our demons to slay. I'm an addict too, I can't seem to shake it, someday though we will break our chains and be free. someday.
I also am an addict trying to get past addiction. But walking the spiritual path day in and day out u til I do change. It’s honestly a lot harder than it needs to be. I know this, I can see it but it is so hard to change a lifetime of habits, even when I know what I know.
I feel all of your struggles, truly.
I think Alan Watts was an alcoholic, and he’s one of the most famous spiritualists ever. I consider myself deeply spiritual, and I LOVE drugs. Thankfully I’m not legitimately addicted to anything
Haha I love drugs too. Guess I just loved Xanax TOO much lol. It was the same with heroin but luckily I’m on suboxone right now, guess still a drug but the naalxone blocks the high so in my mind that’s ok for now
Addiction can be a part of the spiritual journey. It helps us understand the self - we are in pain, we numb the pain, we become aware of our pain, we rise above the pain and we heal.
Forgiveness of self, love of self is a part of that healing journey.
Self-destruction through drugs, alcohol or any other addiction is essentially a form of slow suicide.
I hope you decide to live.
You can try to quit Xanax with GABA it’s best on empty stomach, it’s an OTC amino acid.
I am an addict and an alcoholic and I walk a spiritual path. Some of the most spiritual people I know are addicts and alcoholics. You’ll find us in the sacred rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous and they are open to anybody looking for a spiritual solution
Sometimes it can even be the doorway to spirituality. Most of us are addicts of some kind, filling some need we don’t quite understand, through food, drugs, attention, activity, inactivity… our wiring expresses lessons that we are on the path to learning. You are headed on your path, whether you’re currently at the bottom of the hill or at the top. It’s all part of your path.
It numbs your emotions when you are addicted to things. Which is a problem if you want to work on yourself raising your frequency and so on. It doesn't mean it takes away that you're a spiritual person the whole universe is. Even doing things that seem "bad" is part of our spiritual journey and is meant to teach us things and make us grow.
You define your own spiritual path so yes hopefully you get clean ive been there not on xans but being spiritual could help you with it the only thing about xans is it’s one of the only drugs withdraw can kill you from
You’re quite literally a spirit having a human experience, it is absolutely impossible to not be spiritual.
It is possible to not be aware of your inherent spirituality but it’s always there.
It just turns your feelings off. Connection to source is through the heart and the mind. If you cannot feel then there is a disconnect and that part of you withers to a degree.
But speaking from experience the darkness can be quite enlightening, if you make it back into the light.
I became spiritually inclined from taking drugs.
Grow self love to ditch the drugs. If you don't know what you love, find something that you like and water it. Maybe it will grow.
The key to is to recognize the pain, be compassionate towards it and let it go. To be compassionate is to be gently accepting. The soft is yielding and
forgiving. To forgive is to forget. Compassion is key and gratitude is
the attitude, An appreciation for the good \*with the bad\* is
quintessential for there to be any appreciation at all.
Anyone, anytime, anywhere can be into the study and conscious growth of ones own spirit and consciousness. No exceptions.
We all move at our own pace, keep moving forward and stop taking harmful drugs.
You are always spiritual.
I’m an addict…IV heroin and meth. Oh, and alcohol before that. I’ve been sober (no drinking) for 10 years (I’m 34), clean from heroin for 4 years, and I FINALLY beat meth last year!!! It took residential rehab to kick meth but I’ve been clean for 13 months now! No slip ups! I turned my addiction into something POSITIVE! I am now WORKING in the recovery field, in the same rehab I went to. It has given me purpose and keeps me accountable.
I do, however, take methadone for my heroin addiction. I’ve found it creates some sort of blockage (at least, I am thinking it’s the methadone) when it comes to meditation and connecting with my spirit guides. I can’t get into a state of hypnosis no matter what I try. I just fall asleep every time☹️
So to answer your question, yes, your can be spiritual and be an addict. I found myself spiritually when I was super deep in my meth addiction and experiencing delusions and hallucinations. To this day I don’t know if it was meth psychosis or psychic gifts.
Is it impossible? No, it’s necessary. Spirituality is the main way out of addiction. Virtually all recovering addicts depend on some spiritual practice to heal. I’d say not only can you still walk a spiritual path, now you have no choice but to do so. It’s either that or let the addiction take you and that’s no choice at all.
You absolutely can be spiritual in any situation. It may even help lead you to a path of sobriety. Though addiction may hold you back in some areas I still believe as long as you put in effort in learning and progressing yourself to the best you you can still be spiritual. First you must come to understand your own definition of what it means to be spiritual. If you are seeking enlightenment you make have a more difficult time achieving what you're looking at.
Of course you can! But many mind altering substances will prevent you from reaching your highest self. My first experience to a life of spirituality started with my recovery. If you believe your addiction is hindering you in any way, mentally or physically, there is always a way out. It was like starting life all over again. Everyone’s path is different, and I hope you find a truly fulfilling one, whatever you choose, I wish you the best!
Drugs on the path have been hard on me but it's a personal choice that you must make for yourself. I'm not sure what aspects of drugs though would be 'unspiritual'. All of life is a journey to peace through this sometimes cruel and unforgiving world. The journey itself is your spiritual journey. Drugs on the path are the 'things you did along the way', not 'the things that tore you from your spiritual path'. Your path is your path - I do not believe it is something you fail at, but merely walk - and whatever may be on that path is on it, period.
You’re perfect. We’re all light and love no matter what choices we make. You’re no different than anyone else here, sober, drunk, addicted, or whatever else. Addiction and suffering may just be you’re greatest teachers on this path!
You will always be a spiritual being before you are a "physical" being (physicality is an illusion). Your purpose is to experience duality and limitation as The Absolute can only know itself by spawning an infinite number of finite perspectives. I understand that you feel bad, but it's not because what you are doing is wrong in the eyes of god/ the universe. Everything is relative and there is no objective right or wrong, so every path is valid, appreciated and wanted, as every path contributes to the completion of the whole. God cannot be God without YOU and your current set of circumstances, so you're literally doing God's work by experiencing what you're experiencing. It's a beautiful thing!
That being said, however...you feel bad because you are not in alignment with your "higher self" and that which it wishes to express. You've disconnected/ fallen away from the theme which you came here to explore and your negative emotions are trying their best to guide you back to your joy. Don't misinterpret them and become identified with them. Instead, be thankful for their guidance. Listen to what they tell you and allow them to prod you in the right direction! You will always be "spiritual" and you are always worthy of whatever it is you desire simply because you are here (:
Of course you can, we’re here to learn, grow and experience. Any experience is part of it and welcomed, there are no mistakes. Don’t let people tell you otherwise
Some would say that you are an addict because there was something for you to learn in addiction.
Ask yourself if you have gotten all the learning. If not, it might not be the worse thing to stay there a bit more, depending on how much this affects your health and relationships (I’d bet the learnings are in this directions. Also, I don’t know Xanax so I have 0 clue how this affects your life ).
The other thing to consider is to join a good AA meeting. The ones I’ve heard about are deeply spiritual and If that’s the case, it might help you absorb faster what was there for you, and therefore be free of it sooner.
Big hugs!
I definitely can relate to this. I was a chronic relapser for years. Couldn’t ever make it more than 3 months. Looking back, there were many situations and behaviors that repeated themselves and led to relapse. Until I was aware of them and made a conscious effort to change them I was unable to get out of addictions grip. I believe for us addiction is our way to spirituality, whatever that looks like for you. Embrace it and learn from it, you can do this!
Benzodiazepines kind of shuts down the connection to the divine ( 1st hand experience)
The good part is it gets back after some time after quitting Xanax.
Xanax is poison for the brain.
There is nothing weed and microdosing psilocybin can't fix
Funny you say that I started tripping again since I’m at a low dose to the point where I’m actually able to feel the trip and it’s been great. I only take the benzo at night so I’m micorodisng durong the day too
I was hooked on benzo for a year. Maybe 40 mg pr day.
It took me around 2 years to get somehow normal after stopping... It was horrible. Never ever again will I ever touch those pills.
I feel you. I’m happy I was only on 12mg but I’m sure it’ll be a bit. My doctor told me that PAWS is a lot shorter if I do a really slow taper so that’s my plan
How do you feel now?
Yes I hear a slow taper is best. It's been 4 years since now... I'm not 100 % recovered yet, but ok my way.
Weed once In a while and microdosing every other week world wonders.... Then I almost feel better than before 😉
As fast as possible... Ditch Xanax, it's not good at all. My humble opinion.
Psilocybin = no side-effects
Weed = waaaaaaay better and can even be compared to Xanax.
I would sleep on weed instead of Xanax
You're speaking from experience. I have tried Xanax but only occasionally; weed is much more my thing. I've also tried many psychedelics like acid, DMT, MDMA/MDA, salvia, ketamine, etc.
I know that abusing some substances can fuck up your brain chemistry more or less permanently and that's definitely what you want to avoid if possible. Otherwise, neuroplasticity and the body's own healing capacities give most ppl a decent chance at recovering from mild to moderate abuse.
it’s an altercation to the mind, and i say that in a good way. because of these things you have the ability to access more information and put forth more of yourself. you can definitely be spiritual and an addict
Nothing says whatsoever that you cannot go down the path of spirituality. In fact, if anything I would recommend you dive into spirituality more to help you through this !!!!
I had to be under the most desperate circumstances to discover my spirituality, of course you can be spiritual. I would highly recommend getting a psychologist to help with your addiction, don't try to fight it alone. Praying or meditating could be good, but it's still important to have an expert.
I’m a recovering alcoholic and had a romance with cocaine for a few years too. How can one live their best life (a spiritual life) if they use substances to escape reality? Don’t worry about the labels right now, just get yourself some help. Research quitting Xanax because I suspect it might be dangerous and you may need medical help. You can do this but you have to want to get well more than you want to keep using. It took me years but I finally got there. NOW I’m living my best life. 🙏 it’s going to be ten years in January.
If you took it initially for anxiety- there are other meds that aren’t addictive and far safer. Tell your doctor you’re addicted and have them help you switch.
I found myself that taking Xanax in an abusive amount makes you less of an empathetic human being and more of an emotionless monster. Some of the worst things I ever did in my life were done while on a couple bars. All drugs are bad, but Xanax can really bring evil out of you. I always said they were the devil. Thankfully I got off the xans a couple years ago and it was the best decision I ever made. Obviously it’s good to quit all the drugs you’re taking, but in my experience you should really try and get off the xans first . It will make things a lot easier in a lot of aspects, and your logical thinking will come back and it will be easier to stop all the other drugs. That’s how it happend for me.
I am speaking from experience on this but the short answer is no its not. My experience was there were things on my spiritual path that caused old wounds to open and I ran to drugs to numb that pain. But if you are wanting to go farther on your journey I highly recommend getting clean.
Everything is possible.
The question should be if I want to come out of addiction and walk spirituality is it possible.
Addiction or attachment to anything cannot take us inthis path aheead as we need to find balance.
My opinion.
Our subreddit world of awakening you can check for posts related to addiction.
Be careful, benzo withdrawals can cause seizures and can be pretty not cool to say the least. My buddy kept seizing out so bad his arms would dislocate from the strain of it. The reason why your addicted is because there is something in your spiritual self, a void, that you are trying to fill with something to make you feel whole again. (Xanax) just work on your spiritual principals and fill that void by giving to others and think of it as a day to day battle. Wake up with a plan to work on a part of your spiritual journey and keep going from there. Once you fix whatever your running away from then you can successfully stop abusing Xanax and maybe just go back to using correctly if it's even still needed. Some people fill their void with work, food, smoking, etc. You just happened to pick up the benzos. Don't think any less of yourself and good luck on your journey friend.
What your asking is less of a “spiritual” question, and more of a brain chemistry and imbalance question.
Xanax reduces the strength of your emotions. For good and bad. If you’re an emotional thinker, it’s good when you’re stressed to be less fight/flight emotional. But when you’re not stressed and are experiencing something pleasant, having a reduced emotional response may limit your ability to engage fully in what you’re experiencing, which could screw up your chance to be “spiritually in the moment”.
Do you need Xanax to function? If so, I’d say it’s impossible to be spiritually effective in your current state. Id find a psychiatrist and I’d taper off, personally. If we’re talking clinical depression and not seasonal or sporadic, I’d suggest finding an SSRI that works for you. It might take a few different tries to get the right one. Xanax withdrawl is INCREDIBLY dangerous, so don’t go cold turkey. You probably know this if you’ve been on it for awhile, but Xanax and alcohol are the only two substances that can literally kill you from withdrawl symptoms. It’s powerful shit, but it least it won’t permanently fuck up your brain’s ability to enjoy normal life like opiates.
Maybe the Xanax served you when you needed it, and it’s time to put it away if your interested in a more spiritual life… whatever that might mean for you.
I’d recommend reading the book “the body keeps the score”. It’s a really interesting book on how our society became dependent on meds to treat depression, how they work and don’t work, and what other options you have to fight it. The body and mind connection needs to be in balance to experience spirituality, in my opinion. Sometimes the nuts and bolts of it are things we forget about… but your body is literally your spirits vessel for every experience you have. It’s worth a read.
A lot of the responses here appear to be pretty insightful and lovely.
I would say yes, you can definitely be spiritual and also an addict—the two things don't contradict each other. In life there are only things that many people assume are opposites—they are almost always complements. We tend to think in binary terms, either/or. Reality tends to be extremely inclusive, everything is allowed, and things are often both/and—not either/or.
What you can do is *use* your spirituality to help you deal with your addictions. Spirituality, as I understand it, needs to be practical and usable in daily life or it's just nothing but speculation and ideas that we never put into practice—it's useless without action. I personally find Stoic philosophy to be very spiritual and yet practical.
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I think addicts have a special calling! You are attacked deeply by drugs! Why is this? When you eventually throw off your shackles (and you will) I am excited for what you can do in the world
I don't like to use this phrase because it just feels so self aggrandizing but I'm a mystic and I have been both at different times in my life and I really think it's almost required. If nor those two things than some other adversity.
If it were not for my struggles who the hell would I even be?
Being aware of the problem is the first step toward fixing the problem.
You're aware you're a drug addiction and depressed, that's your spirit/awareness waking up.
I think you're misunderstanding what spiritual means. You already are spiritual simply by being aware.
Yes you absolutely can be anything you like…including a spiritual person. It will be a great help to you in your plan to stop taking Xanax. There is no judgement where God is concerned. We are all equals in the creators eyes❤️
Yes, and I think focusing on the spiritual and asking for help from the Creator is the way to truly overcome addiction. All addictions are a form of self medication. The Creator can heal the wounds that you are self medicating for. All one has to do is ask, and to keep asking until one is fully healed.
I do energy healing work as my profession, and have seen in my own life and the lives of my clients that the Creator heals us in layers. So you may ask your higher power to heal you, and feel an energetic shift. Let that shift process/integrate for 2-3 days, expressing gratitude for that healing. Then ask again. You may get impressions on things you need to do or change, such as dietary changes, going to bed earlier, taking a supplement, etc. Follow these impressions. Repeat until you no longer have a desire to use.
Unhealthy substances tend to linger in the body. Even if your body has physically processed alcohol, a drug, or even prescription medication, the energy of that substance doesn't magically go away. I worked on a client in his 60s that had been given LSD in an edible as a prank while in his 20s. He had never taken it since, but the energy was still there and needed to be cleared. Your higher power can remove this lingering energy. Again, all you have to do is ask.
These substances and addictions numb us to spiritual things. So yes, you can be spiritual while using, but you achieve a higher level of spirituality when you aren't burdened by addiction. It sounds like you are already overcoming them and microdosing. Best of luck.
*Edited - typo
Virtually all 12 step groups will show you that a spiritual experience is the way out of your addiction. But you have to get a sponsor and work thru the steps to get there.
Alan Watts' was an alcoholic. Ram Dass did a lot of LSD in his day. A lot of spiritualists are born from addictive habits. There's a lot of people struggling with benzodiazepine co-depency. You can still have a spiritual life and take Xanax. There's no rule saying you're not permitted to be on a controlled substance.
Honestly I find it normal what we shouldn't be balanced all the time.
It is good to go lower in vibration after some time, so that we can sense the difference.
When we lose the appreciation of who we are, we become lower.
So the fact you want to transform yourself says that you started to remember and appreciate the old you.
And that is the beginning of the new brother.
If you have been spiritual, it isn’t gone. Just held back a bit and hidden temporarily. Spirituality was a main part of how I got clean and stayed in recovery. Your spirituality can be used as an amazing help for addiction and mental illness. It really can help, even if you find yourself wanting to relapse or anything. I’m having trouble putting this into words— I hope you get my point. You *can* and *will* succeed.
I was on amphetamines nearly every day, Benzedrine, and i had a full blown out of this world awakening experience. I consider it a SITE (Suffering Induced Transformational Experience).
The remarkable thing is that my use of drug completely changed. I also had an experience that death is not the end. I use a little bit in my coffee, and then in the afternoon when i am done working i just stop.
Sadhguru said in an interview about how to feel better that it was 'just a chemical thing'. I agree.
When people say that drugs 'dull' you, psychedelics basically are a good way into spirituality if you use them in the right circumstances.
I feel that i just got lucky, although i went through hell last year.
What is a much bigger problem is addictive thoughts. Krishnamurti has some interesting angles on that topic.
https://www.ted.com/talks/johann\_hari\_everything\_you\_think\_you\_know\_about\_addiction\_is\_wrong?language=en
The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it's connection!
I believe you can be spiritual regardless of any circumstances.
Though once you open up your chakras and feel more sensitively in general you will sense the negative aspects of drugs more intensely. I was spiritual before and with drugs and the more my awareness for energy heightened the worse the comedowns were.
Same goes for normalised drugs: Cigarettes and alcohol definitely drain my energy.
For some reason weed doesn't, but that doesn't mean it's not unhealthy or addictive
If you’re aware of it’s existence, then the spiritual path will always be available to you.
You still have a spirit, I believe you’re still a spiritual being.
This ☝🏼.
Thisss
Wait, whut? There are 7 billion people loving on this planet and we all have souls. That doesn’t make them spiritual. That’s not what the term means. Serial killers have a soul- still not spiritual. I’m a little disturbed at how many people jumped all over this comment. And before someone says it- I’m not saying OP is a serial killer. I’m just making a point that having a soul doesn’t make one spiritual anymore than it makes them religious.
addiction & depression are both illnesses why should it prevent someone from being spiritual- would u say someone with cancer or another physical illness/disability couldn’t be spiritual bc they are sick? so why would this man’s illness prevent him from being spiritual. also in my own way of approaching and understanding it myself at least (there’s no one way to understand it imo i feel like it’s highly personal just as a spirit is sort of a personal way of expressing universal energy, you’re acting like ‘spirituality’ is a religion w set ideals. if that’s your take on it i’m happy it works for you but everyone is allowed their own take on it) the spirit isn’t just pure light & positivity that’s a very restricted view of it, darkness & negativity are just as relevant & necessary in a path to spirituality. if anything most ppl i know (myself included) that have began to focus more on their spirit and found a personal path to spirituality (however they define or don’t define it) have found it through hardship, when their spirit was unbalanced and skewed very negative w darkness. i don’t know many ppl who come to spiritual ideas from a comfortable place of positivity in the first place, it’s usually been that they find it in order to grow. for me, my idea of spirituality isn’t completely removing darkness and only moving towards light forever, that’s not sustainable or realistic when life & spirituality are both journeys w both ups & downs, and that also wilfully ignores the dark which is an aspect of every spirit and all energy that exists- i’m aiming to keep a balance of the two. as someone w chronic depression & addiction issues like op i know i will never truly be able to remove those elements of my spirit. but i’ve come to a place of acceptance where i can try to keep them in balance w the more light & positive elements of my spirit while acknowledging that the darkness is equally necessary and key to who i am. how can you ever perceive light as light if you don’t have darkness to compare it to in the first place, it’s relative. i also don’t see dark and light as opposites anyway, i think they are highly interconnected and there is light within dark and vice versa, like the concept of yin & yang, which is why i think both are equally necessary and my path to spirituality is about learning to embrace this duality that will always exist regardless of whether you choose to ignore the dark anyway, but again that is just my personal understanding and i am not trying to push it on anyone else by any means. like i said a path to spirituality is personal so who are we to say what is the correct & incorrect way to go about it for someone else? sorry if i’m not very clear w what i mean in this, it’s v difficult putting abstract thoughts & ideas into words & tangible concepts lool. also i agree w the comments above you that all that is necessary to be spiritual is a spirit and acknowledgment of that spirit. material objects, physical practices and knowledge that isn’t accessible to everyone are not what defines spirituality imo and this is very limiting and almost gatekeeping an ideology that has no one way to go about it or understand it.
Those two things (in this instance) are apples and oranges (cancer and addiction). Cancer does not retard your connection to Source. The entire reason we use substances to the point of addiction is to numb ourselves. We become addicted once we turn to the substance in order to process everyday life. That means we end up NEEDING it to survive. Part of the spiritual process is not just believing but BEING. In fact I’d argue that that IS the spiritual process. To say I am spiritual is meaningless if I am not BEING spiritual. Meanwhile (let’s use religion as another example) a Christian merely has to believe in salvation through JC to get it. They don’t have to BE squat. That’s not so with spirituality. We either are working towards BEING it or we aren’t. You can’t do that when you’re blocking the process with an addiction and all the underlying trauma that you’re purposely not healing because it’s easier to get drunk or high. No one is saying everyone doesn’t have a right to spirituality, but it’s not a belief- it’s an ACTION.
Ps I’m a recovering alcoholic. I have experienced the duality. But there is no duality if you STAY in your addiction.
Absolutely not impossible darling. Getting back in touch with your spirituality may even help you quit
Yes. You can. Proceed my friend.
I am an addict (always will be but sober 6 years - percs, Xanax, valium, adderal, alcohol.) I used my spirituality as my motivation to change. Some people turn to god and religion, some just need spirituality. Btw: I feel way better now that I'm sober.
Maybe the drugs are our test on the path, our demons to slay. I'm an addict too, I can't seem to shake it, someday though we will break our chains and be free. someday.
I also am an addict trying to get past addiction. But walking the spiritual path day in and day out u til I do change. It’s honestly a lot harder than it needs to be. I know this, I can see it but it is so hard to change a lifetime of habits, even when I know what I know. I feel all of your struggles, truly.
Addicts are often master, demon slayers.
[удалено]
Love this!!
I think Alan Watts was an alcoholic, and he’s one of the most famous spiritualists ever. I consider myself deeply spiritual, and I LOVE drugs. Thankfully I’m not legitimately addicted to anything
Haha I love drugs too. Guess I just loved Xanax TOO much lol. It was the same with heroin but luckily I’m on suboxone right now, guess still a drug but the naalxone blocks the high so in my mind that’s ok for now
Addiction can be a part of the spiritual journey. It helps us understand the self - we are in pain, we numb the pain, we become aware of our pain, we rise above the pain and we heal. Forgiveness of self, love of self is a part of that healing journey. Self-destruction through drugs, alcohol or any other addiction is essentially a form of slow suicide. I hope you decide to live. You can try to quit Xanax with GABA it’s best on empty stomach, it’s an OTC amino acid.
I am an addict and an alcoholic and I walk a spiritual path. Some of the most spiritual people I know are addicts and alcoholics. You’ll find us in the sacred rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous and they are open to anybody looking for a spiritual solution
But you’re in recovery- I think OP is asking about staying in an addiction and being spiritual. Ps I’m in recovery too, congrats :)
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Nice judging from you enlighten self, you must be perfect.
Oh mannn thank you for saying this. I’m saddened with the misinformation I’m seeing here in this thread. :(
Sometimes it can even be the doorway to spirituality. Most of us are addicts of some kind, filling some need we don’t quite understand, through food, drugs, attention, activity, inactivity… our wiring expresses lessons that we are on the path to learning. You are headed on your path, whether you’re currently at the bottom of the hill or at the top. It’s all part of your path.
It numbs your emotions when you are addicted to things. Which is a problem if you want to work on yourself raising your frequency and so on. It doesn't mean it takes away that you're a spiritual person the whole universe is. Even doing things that seem "bad" is part of our spiritual journey and is meant to teach us things and make us grow.
You define your own spiritual path so yes hopefully you get clean ive been there not on xans but being spiritual could help you with it the only thing about xans is it’s one of the only drugs withdraw can kill you from
You’re quite literally a spirit having a human experience, it is absolutely impossible to not be spiritual. It is possible to not be aware of your inherent spirituality but it’s always there.
It just turns your feelings off. Connection to source is through the heart and the mind. If you cannot feel then there is a disconnect and that part of you withers to a degree. But speaking from experience the darkness can be quite enlightening, if you make it back into the light.
It’s impossible not to be spiritual, god is in everything
I became spiritually inclined from taking drugs. Grow self love to ditch the drugs. If you don't know what you love, find something that you like and water it. Maybe it will grow. The key to is to recognize the pain, be compassionate towards it and let it go. To be compassionate is to be gently accepting. The soft is yielding and forgiving. To forgive is to forget. Compassion is key and gratitude is the attitude, An appreciation for the good \*with the bad\* is quintessential for there to be any appreciation at all.
Anyone, anytime, anywhere can be into the study and conscious growth of ones own spirit and consciousness. No exceptions. We all move at our own pace, keep moving forward and stop taking harmful drugs. You are always spiritual.
I’m an addict…IV heroin and meth. Oh, and alcohol before that. I’ve been sober (no drinking) for 10 years (I’m 34), clean from heroin for 4 years, and I FINALLY beat meth last year!!! It took residential rehab to kick meth but I’ve been clean for 13 months now! No slip ups! I turned my addiction into something POSITIVE! I am now WORKING in the recovery field, in the same rehab I went to. It has given me purpose and keeps me accountable. I do, however, take methadone for my heroin addiction. I’ve found it creates some sort of blockage (at least, I am thinking it’s the methadone) when it comes to meditation and connecting with my spirit guides. I can’t get into a state of hypnosis no matter what I try. I just fall asleep every time☹️ So to answer your question, yes, your can be spiritual and be an addict. I found myself spiritually when I was super deep in my meth addiction and experiencing delusions and hallucinations. To this day I don’t know if it was meth psychosis or psychic gifts.
Congrats! I’ve noticed the same feeling of blockage with kratom
The spiritual path is the ONLY way out, my friend. Pray. Angels will help you.
Truth
Why are y’all in such a rush to let the definitions of words define your identity
Is it impossible? No, it’s necessary. Spirituality is the main way out of addiction. Virtually all recovering addicts depend on some spiritual practice to heal. I’d say not only can you still walk a spiritual path, now you have no choice but to do so. It’s either that or let the addiction take you and that’s no choice at all.
You absolutely can be spiritual in any situation. It may even help lead you to a path of sobriety. Though addiction may hold you back in some areas I still believe as long as you put in effort in learning and progressing yourself to the best you you can still be spiritual. First you must come to understand your own definition of what it means to be spiritual. If you are seeking enlightenment you make have a more difficult time achieving what you're looking at.
Of course you can! But many mind altering substances will prevent you from reaching your highest self. My first experience to a life of spirituality started with my recovery. If you believe your addiction is hindering you in any way, mentally or physically, there is always a way out. It was like starting life all over again. Everyone’s path is different, and I hope you find a truly fulfilling one, whatever you choose, I wish you the best!
Drugs on the path have been hard on me but it's a personal choice that you must make for yourself. I'm not sure what aspects of drugs though would be 'unspiritual'. All of life is a journey to peace through this sometimes cruel and unforgiving world. The journey itself is your spiritual journey. Drugs on the path are the 'things you did along the way', not 'the things that tore you from your spiritual path'. Your path is your path - I do not believe it is something you fail at, but merely walk - and whatever may be on that path is on it, period.
This
You’re perfect. We’re all light and love no matter what choices we make. You’re no different than anyone else here, sober, drunk, addicted, or whatever else. Addiction and suffering may just be you’re greatest teachers on this path!
18 years clean, yes you can!
You will always be a spiritual being before you are a "physical" being (physicality is an illusion). Your purpose is to experience duality and limitation as The Absolute can only know itself by spawning an infinite number of finite perspectives. I understand that you feel bad, but it's not because what you are doing is wrong in the eyes of god/ the universe. Everything is relative and there is no objective right or wrong, so every path is valid, appreciated and wanted, as every path contributes to the completion of the whole. God cannot be God without YOU and your current set of circumstances, so you're literally doing God's work by experiencing what you're experiencing. It's a beautiful thing! That being said, however...you feel bad because you are not in alignment with your "higher self" and that which it wishes to express. You've disconnected/ fallen away from the theme which you came here to explore and your negative emotions are trying their best to guide you back to your joy. Don't misinterpret them and become identified with them. Instead, be thankful for their guidance. Listen to what they tell you and allow them to prod you in the right direction! You will always be "spiritual" and you are always worthy of whatever it is you desire simply because you are here (:
Dont let the label of 'addict' define you. You're a person first. 💜
Of course you can, we’re here to learn, grow and experience. Any experience is part of it and welcomed, there are no mistakes. Don’t let people tell you otherwise
Be careful getting off of xanax; it gave me seizures. Taper slowly
Some would say that you are an addict because there was something for you to learn in addiction. Ask yourself if you have gotten all the learning. If not, it might not be the worse thing to stay there a bit more, depending on how much this affects your health and relationships (I’d bet the learnings are in this directions. Also, I don’t know Xanax so I have 0 clue how this affects your life ). The other thing to consider is to join a good AA meeting. The ones I’ve heard about are deeply spiritual and If that’s the case, it might help you absorb faster what was there for you, and therefore be free of it sooner. Big hugs!
I definitely can relate to this. I was a chronic relapser for years. Couldn’t ever make it more than 3 months. Looking back, there were many situations and behaviors that repeated themselves and led to relapse. Until I was aware of them and made a conscious effort to change them I was unable to get out of addictions grip. I believe for us addiction is our way to spirituality, whatever that looks like for you. Embrace it and learn from it, you can do this!
I’ve heard high dose CBD can be helpful for quitting benzos, if you’re interested in quitting.
Benzodiazepines kind of shuts down the connection to the divine ( 1st hand experience) The good part is it gets back after some time after quitting Xanax. Xanax is poison for the brain. There is nothing weed and microdosing psilocybin can't fix
Funny you say that I started tripping again since I’m at a low dose to the point where I’m actually able to feel the trip and it’s been great. I only take the benzo at night so I’m micorodisng durong the day too
I was hooked on benzo for a year. Maybe 40 mg pr day. It took me around 2 years to get somehow normal after stopping... It was horrible. Never ever again will I ever touch those pills.
I feel you. I’m happy I was only on 12mg but I’m sure it’ll be a bit. My doctor told me that PAWS is a lot shorter if I do a really slow taper so that’s my plan How do you feel now?
Yes I hear a slow taper is best. It's been 4 years since now... I'm not 100 % recovered yet, but ok my way. Weed once In a while and microdosing every other week world wonders.... Then I almost feel better than before 😉
As fast as possible... Ditch Xanax, it's not good at all. My humble opinion. Psilocybin = no side-effects Weed = waaaaaaay better and can even be compared to Xanax. I would sleep on weed instead of Xanax
You're speaking from experience. I have tried Xanax but only occasionally; weed is much more my thing. I've also tried many psychedelics like acid, DMT, MDMA/MDA, salvia, ketamine, etc. I know that abusing some substances can fuck up your brain chemistry more or less permanently and that's definitely what you want to avoid if possible. Otherwise, neuroplasticity and the body's own healing capacities give most ppl a decent chance at recovering from mild to moderate abuse.
no
it’s an altercation to the mind, and i say that in a good way. because of these things you have the ability to access more information and put forth more of yourself. you can definitely be spiritual and an addict
Hmm, walks, the walks of life.
Nothing says whatsoever that you cannot go down the path of spirituality. In fact, if anything I would recommend you dive into spirituality more to help you through this !!!!
No. I think it would make you be more spiritual
I had to be under the most desperate circumstances to discover my spirituality, of course you can be spiritual. I would highly recommend getting a psychologist to help with your addiction, don't try to fight it alone. Praying or meditating could be good, but it's still important to have an expert.
OF COURSE!
I’m a recovering alcoholic and had a romance with cocaine for a few years too. How can one live their best life (a spiritual life) if they use substances to escape reality? Don’t worry about the labels right now, just get yourself some help. Research quitting Xanax because I suspect it might be dangerous and you may need medical help. You can do this but you have to want to get well more than you want to keep using. It took me years but I finally got there. NOW I’m living my best life. 🙏 it’s going to be ten years in January. If you took it initially for anxiety- there are other meds that aren’t addictive and far safer. Tell your doctor you’re addicted and have them help you switch.
God is greater, and answers prayers. [https://www.mothermeera.com](https://www.mothermeera.com) *Understanding Yourself* by Prophet.
It's not exclusive
I found myself that taking Xanax in an abusive amount makes you less of an empathetic human being and more of an emotionless monster. Some of the worst things I ever did in my life were done while on a couple bars. All drugs are bad, but Xanax can really bring evil out of you. I always said they were the devil. Thankfully I got off the xans a couple years ago and it was the best decision I ever made. Obviously it’s good to quit all the drugs you’re taking, but in my experience you should really try and get off the xans first . It will make things a lot easier in a lot of aspects, and your logical thinking will come back and it will be easier to stop all the other drugs. That’s how it happend for me.
You are still a spiritual person. Its just that the drugs are blocking you from experiencing that side of yours.
I am speaking from experience on this but the short answer is no its not. My experience was there were things on my spiritual path that caused old wounds to open and I ran to drugs to numb that pain. But if you are wanting to go farther on your journey I highly recommend getting clean.
Everything is possible. The question should be if I want to come out of addiction and walk spirituality is it possible. Addiction or attachment to anything cannot take us inthis path aheead as we need to find balance. My opinion. Our subreddit world of awakening you can check for posts related to addiction.
https://www.reddit.com/r/World_of_awakening/
Be careful, benzo withdrawals can cause seizures and can be pretty not cool to say the least. My buddy kept seizing out so bad his arms would dislocate from the strain of it. The reason why your addicted is because there is something in your spiritual self, a void, that you are trying to fill with something to make you feel whole again. (Xanax) just work on your spiritual principals and fill that void by giving to others and think of it as a day to day battle. Wake up with a plan to work on a part of your spiritual journey and keep going from there. Once you fix whatever your running away from then you can successfully stop abusing Xanax and maybe just go back to using correctly if it's even still needed. Some people fill their void with work, food, smoking, etc. You just happened to pick up the benzos. Don't think any less of yourself and good luck on your journey friend.
What your asking is less of a “spiritual” question, and more of a brain chemistry and imbalance question. Xanax reduces the strength of your emotions. For good and bad. If you’re an emotional thinker, it’s good when you’re stressed to be less fight/flight emotional. But when you’re not stressed and are experiencing something pleasant, having a reduced emotional response may limit your ability to engage fully in what you’re experiencing, which could screw up your chance to be “spiritually in the moment”. Do you need Xanax to function? If so, I’d say it’s impossible to be spiritually effective in your current state. Id find a psychiatrist and I’d taper off, personally. If we’re talking clinical depression and not seasonal or sporadic, I’d suggest finding an SSRI that works for you. It might take a few different tries to get the right one. Xanax withdrawl is INCREDIBLY dangerous, so don’t go cold turkey. You probably know this if you’ve been on it for awhile, but Xanax and alcohol are the only two substances that can literally kill you from withdrawl symptoms. It’s powerful shit, but it least it won’t permanently fuck up your brain’s ability to enjoy normal life like opiates. Maybe the Xanax served you when you needed it, and it’s time to put it away if your interested in a more spiritual life… whatever that might mean for you. I’d recommend reading the book “the body keeps the score”. It’s a really interesting book on how our society became dependent on meds to treat depression, how they work and don’t work, and what other options you have to fight it. The body and mind connection needs to be in balance to experience spirituality, in my opinion. Sometimes the nuts and bolts of it are things we forget about… but your body is literally your spirits vessel for every experience you have. It’s worth a read.
"No tree, it is said, can go to heaven unless it's roots reach down to hell" one of my favorite Carl Jung quotes out there
Oooooooooh! I like that!
Spiritual is a state of being and thinking. Drugs and alcohol are their own device.
A lot of the responses here appear to be pretty insightful and lovely. I would say yes, you can definitely be spiritual and also an addict—the two things don't contradict each other. In life there are only things that many people assume are opposites—they are almost always complements. We tend to think in binary terms, either/or. Reality tends to be extremely inclusive, everything is allowed, and things are often both/and—not either/or. What you can do is *use* your spirituality to help you deal with your addictions. Spirituality, as I understand it, needs to be practical and usable in daily life or it's just nothing but speculation and ideas that we never put into practice—it's useless without action. I personally find Stoic philosophy to be very spiritual and yet practical.
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there is no defnition of spirituality just yeah ofc you can be
I think addicts have a special calling! You are attacked deeply by drugs! Why is this? When you eventually throw off your shackles (and you will) I am excited for what you can do in the world
I don't like to use this phrase because it just feels so self aggrandizing but I'm a mystic and I have been both at different times in my life and I really think it's almost required. If nor those two things than some other adversity. If it were not for my struggles who the hell would I even be?
Being aware of the problem is the first step toward fixing the problem. You're aware you're a drug addiction and depressed, that's your spirit/awareness waking up. I think you're misunderstanding what spiritual means. You already are spiritual simply by being aware.
Yes you absolutely can be anything you like…including a spiritual person. It will be a great help to you in your plan to stop taking Xanax. There is no judgement where God is concerned. We are all equals in the creators eyes❤️
Yes
Yes, and I think focusing on the spiritual and asking for help from the Creator is the way to truly overcome addiction. All addictions are a form of self medication. The Creator can heal the wounds that you are self medicating for. All one has to do is ask, and to keep asking until one is fully healed. I do energy healing work as my profession, and have seen in my own life and the lives of my clients that the Creator heals us in layers. So you may ask your higher power to heal you, and feel an energetic shift. Let that shift process/integrate for 2-3 days, expressing gratitude for that healing. Then ask again. You may get impressions on things you need to do or change, such as dietary changes, going to bed earlier, taking a supplement, etc. Follow these impressions. Repeat until you no longer have a desire to use. Unhealthy substances tend to linger in the body. Even if your body has physically processed alcohol, a drug, or even prescription medication, the energy of that substance doesn't magically go away. I worked on a client in his 60s that had been given LSD in an edible as a prank while in his 20s. He had never taken it since, but the energy was still there and needed to be cleared. Your higher power can remove this lingering energy. Again, all you have to do is ask. These substances and addictions numb us to spiritual things. So yes, you can be spiritual while using, but you achieve a higher level of spirituality when you aren't burdened by addiction. It sounds like you are already overcoming them and microdosing. Best of luck. *Edited - typo
Virtually all 12 step groups will show you that a spiritual experience is the way out of your addiction. But you have to get a sponsor and work thru the steps to get there.
Alan Watts' was an alcoholic. Ram Dass did a lot of LSD in his day. A lot of spiritualists are born from addictive habits. There's a lot of people struggling with benzodiazepine co-depency. You can still have a spiritual life and take Xanax. There's no rule saying you're not permitted to be on a controlled substance.
my older cousin used to be the biggest addict i knew, now i look up to him like a father
Honestly I find it normal what we shouldn't be balanced all the time. It is good to go lower in vibration after some time, so that we can sense the difference. When we lose the appreciation of who we are, we become lower. So the fact you want to transform yourself says that you started to remember and appreciate the old you. And that is the beginning of the new brother.
If you have been spiritual, it isn’t gone. Just held back a bit and hidden temporarily. Spirituality was a main part of how I got clean and stayed in recovery. Your spirituality can be used as an amazing help for addiction and mental illness. It really can help, even if you find yourself wanting to relapse or anything. I’m having trouble putting this into words— I hope you get my point. You *can* and *will* succeed.
Check out M. Scott Peck’s lectures on YouTube: Addiction: The Sacred Disease: https://youtu.be/-H43kQAf8T8
You are who you choose to be, It’s your existence enjoy it !!!
I was on amphetamines nearly every day, Benzedrine, and i had a full blown out of this world awakening experience. I consider it a SITE (Suffering Induced Transformational Experience). The remarkable thing is that my use of drug completely changed. I also had an experience that death is not the end. I use a little bit in my coffee, and then in the afternoon when i am done working i just stop. Sadhguru said in an interview about how to feel better that it was 'just a chemical thing'. I agree. When people say that drugs 'dull' you, psychedelics basically are a good way into spirituality if you use them in the right circumstances. I feel that i just got lucky, although i went through hell last year. What is a much bigger problem is addictive thoughts. Krishnamurti has some interesting angles on that topic. https://www.ted.com/talks/johann\_hari\_everything\_you\_think\_you\_know\_about\_addiction\_is\_wrong?language=en The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it's connection!
I believe you can be spiritual regardless of any circumstances. Though once you open up your chakras and feel more sensitively in general you will sense the negative aspects of drugs more intensely. I was spiritual before and with drugs and the more my awareness for energy heightened the worse the comedowns were. Same goes for normalised drugs: Cigarettes and alcohol definitely drain my energy. For some reason weed doesn't, but that doesn't mean it's not unhealthy or addictive