Addiction & Recovery

Addiction Recovery Assistance

Below is information that will help you assist members dealing with these challenges, including information about Church and Community resources available for Addiction Recovery. Please review and see if these resources can provide the needed help.

An estimated 30,000 men and women in the Salt Lake Valley suffer from addictions to drugs and alcohol. But even those are not necessarily the most destructive of addictions. Addictions to pornography, sex, gambling and even eating disorders can be equally devastating in their effects upon individuals and families. Such addictions are by no means limited to inner city residents. However, addiction problems tend to be more widespread in the neighborhoods we serve, both because some seek artificial release from the pressures of poverty and because the effects of addictions on income can force addicts toward lower cost housing or homelessness. Mentors to those with such problems should remember several important principals that help guide our understandings and interactions with the victims of addictions:

1.   An addicted person is responsible for his or her behavior. This includes both the initial choice and subsequent behavior that resulted in the addiction and the steps that are necessary to achieve recovery. Addicts are often unable to resist using the addictive substances. They are indulging in the addictive practices even when they sincerely want to quit. Nevertheless, they were and are responsible for the decisions which resulted in the addiction, the problems which are caused by their continuing indulgences, and the steps necessary for recovery. To allow them to escape these responsibilities is to cheat them of the opportunity to recover. No one can recover for them. They have to make the critical decisions, but they almost always need personal encouragement and support as well as professional guidance in making and persevering in the commitment to recover.

2.   Almost all addicted people will deny that they are addicted. They deny because they resist giving up the one thing that seems to work in their lives: the addictive behavior. Alcohol or drugs provide relief from pain and suffering, even if only momentarily. Pornography and other inappropriate sexual indulgences satisfy emotional yearnings as well as physical ones. Gambling, excessive eating or inadequate nutrition temporarily fulfill or hide other yearnings. In practical terms, this means that we can expect the addicted person to be evasive and to lie to protect the one source of escape and relief that appears to them to be readily available: the addictive substance or addictive practice.

3.   Professional help will be needed in almost all addiction cases. There are many excellent programs to assist those plagued by various addictions. Below are a few of these resources:

To combat substance abuse:

• Huntsman Mental Health Institute offers Addiction Recovery Services https://healthcare.utah.edu/hmhi/treatments/addiction-recovery
• Salt Lake County provides referral and treatment resources including detoxification and recovery center inpatient treatment services 801-468-4707 or https://slco.org/behavioral-health/need-immediate-help
• Volunteers of America, Utah's Men's Adult Detoxification Center provides a social model residential detoxification center for adult men in need of detoxification & withdrawal management services 801-363-9400 or https://www.voaut.org/mens-detoxification-center. 
• Volunteers of America, Utah's Center for Women and Children provides a social model residential detoxification center for women and their children under age 10 801-261-9177 or https://www.voaut.org/cwc
• Odyssey House addiction programs 801-322-3222 or https://www.odysseyhouse.org
• Call the Information Referral Service 211 or https://211utah.org for the names, addresses and telephone numbers of additional organizations.
• Alcoholics Anonymous is an excellent source of information for individuals; Al Anon is a good source of information and help for the families of addicts.  You can find information regarding these organizations and their meetings on line.

For other types of addictions, as well as for those substance abusers sufficiently self-disciplined to participate regularly - rely on the Church of Jesus Christ Addictions Recovery Program provided by Family Services. Built upon the healing power of the atonement, it is the best program available for those suffering other types of addictions such as pornography, inappropriate sex, gambling and eating disorders. As a Church version of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Steps, it is also an excellent program for substance abusers. That includes those addicted to prescription and over-the counter drugs who truly want to break their habits and are sufficiently self-disciplined to regularly attend the meetings. These are held days and evenings in various chapels, as well as in the prison and in jails. Over 4,500 people are currently attending each month. All the meetings are safe. The atmosphere is non-judgmental and unconditional love is shown to everyone who attends. bishops and family members are invited to attend along with the recovering addict. Dress is casual and bishops’ referrals are not required. Participants are taught to pray and to read the scriptures as they seek to overcome the overwhelming feelings of guilt, failure and hopelessness which so often accompany addictions.  Certain of these meetings are also held in Spanish.

https://addictionrecovery.churchofjesuschrist.org/addiction-recovery-program-guide
https://addictionrecovery.churchofjesuschrist.org/spouses-and-families

If you need further assistance, please contact your Ward Council for help from Family Services from the Church.