PSYC 491 Theoretical & Biblical Worldview Paper

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Dec 6, 2023

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1 Title: Theoretical & Biblical Worldview Paper Alon West Department of Psychology, Liberty University PSYC 491: Capstone in Psychology Instructor Roff October 23, 2023

2 Title: Theoretical & Biblical Worldview Paper Since Adam and Eve’s fall in Genesis, humans have been struggling with their imperfect sinful lives, with God being the only true and sound source of support. However, this does not mean earthly struggles are black and white, where people choose to do wrong and can stop as easily as they started. For the Theoretical & Biblical Worldview Paper , the topic of alcoholism and the struggle of addiction is focused on, along with how individuals, organizations and the Bible focus on overcoming the daily battles which come with it. After attending multiple Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, exploring psychological theories, and looking in scripture at a Biblical worldview, it is evident that there is a lot of commitment and submission is required to overcome this issue. Name and Brief History of Organization Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was formed in 1935, in Akron Ohio by stockbroker “Bill W.” (William Wilson) and surgeon “Dr. Bob S.” (Robert Smith), who were both struggling alcoholics who wanted to meet and discuss and support each other with their struggles (Keller, 2023). They decided to branch out, and start helping others struggling too, and created the AA program. AA became the first 12-step program, and by the 21 st century has attracted more than 2 million worldwide members, with over 110,000 groups in around 180 nations (Keller, 2023). The program is voluntary for anyone struggling with alcohol addiction, with the goal of becoming and staying sober through support and self help from others recovering, through in-person and online video/chat meetings. The program is free of charge, and refrains from specific political and religious groups, creating a spiritual all-inclusive environment (Alcoholics Anonymous, n.d.)

3 How the Meetings are Run/Organized The method of AA program attendance for this assignment was via the online site, In the Rooms (ITR) which is a free website for recovering and struggling addicts using different 12-step programs. Despite being online, the format of the ITR AA meetings are the same as in-person, with a host/leader, reading materials, topic/focus and open discussions. The first meeting attended was on 10/17/23 from 6:00pm-7:00pm, with around 415 participants in the meeting. The host/leader opened the meeting with the serenity prayer, and had members read the documents such as the AA Preamble , the 12 Traditions , and the Promises, and then opened the meeting with a topic on Freedom to Choose , from The A.A. Way of Life (Wilson, 1967). The leader addressed how it is important for addicts to choose sobriety due to it being the best idea instead of it being needed is the best way to earn personal freedom. After her topic, the leader opened the discussion to anyone, whether talking on the topic or anything on their hearts regarding their journey. Members new and experienced to the program had four minutes to share what was on their hearts, before the next person had an opportunity to speak. The host would comment shortly after every speaker with advice, comments or further steps/support needed, and closed the meeting with the AA Prayer. The second meeting attended was on 10/17/23 from 8:00pm-9:00pm, with around 370 participants in the meeting. Just as the previous meeting, the host opened and closed with the prayers and had members read the readings, however the discussion was differently set up. Instead of reading a passage from the book, she spoke about the topic of being powerless outside of one’s control and focused on the Unity aspect of the AA Legacies Triangle, recovery, unity and service. She spoke about how unity should be the foundation to keep the triangle stable, and how members need to form a strong community, and not struggle alone. After her topic

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4 discussion, members started talking about their struggles and lives. Despite alcoholism being a discouraging struggle, the host kept everyone focused on “I” statements of hope, instead of negative thinking. This meeting was different than the others, as the leader kept bringing the topic back into the discussions and suggested more mindset and speaking shifts to stay true to the topic. The third meeting attended was on 10/23/23 from 4:00pm-5:00pm, with around 340 participants. The same opening and closing prayers and readings as the other meetings were conducted, yet the host was filling in for someone else. The topic she chose to talk about was finding strategies to fill the loneliness inside. This time, the host spoke personally through the topic, and mentioned how the “higher power”, or “god” in her life being in full control, providing the AA community is the hope she found after becoming addicted to alcohol trying to fill the void of loneliness in her heart. This meeting became very spiritual, with many people sharing testimonies and encouraging others to find inner peace and self-acceptance through God, with one member even mentioning how his higher power, his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” was the only way he filled his aloneness (Anonymous AA Member, 2023). The final meeting attended was on 10/23/23 from 6:00pm-8:00pm, with about 415 participants in the meeting. Prayers and readings were read just as all the meetings, yet this discussion/topic was Monday open share, for all new members to share about themselves. The host opened the discussion sharing how his life would be over without the mercies of God, due to alcohol pulling him into a life of crime, and near-death experiences. He shared how he had to hit rock bottom before seeing the wonderful and purposeful life he lives now, being able to serve others through AA. While there were good discussions, there were also harder ones to navigates through, like one participant mentioning the only reason he attends the meetings was to show

5 proof to his probation officer he was attending the court order, and another mentioning how he chooses to lie to his family about his sobriety because he is not strong enough to seek professional help. The host gave insightful feedback, insisting that telling the truth externally and internally about their struggles is the hardest thing to do, yet the best thing to do leading to the most healing. Personal Comments of the Meetings Attending AA meetings was a valuable experience, as it provided good insights and testimonies from recovering addicts. Despite never being in an AA meeting, I grew up with church counselors as my parents, and many families in our life group were recovering addicts, so the testimonies reminded me of close family friends. It was interesting, but not shocking how most of the participants shared their hopeless lives, leading them to drinking, then realizing the booze took over. An impactful story was shared by a woman who grew up without a social life due to her mentally ill mother and believed alcohol helped her become free, never believing women can become alcoholics. She opened a pub with a friend believing she was living correctly, before her life was destroyed, and she had to submit to God and accept her reality and start healing. Another woman mentioned how she lost her opportunity to be a good mother due to drinking, yet she pushes through despite her depression to be the best grandmother possible and thanks God every day to have a somewhat restored relationship with her children. The conversations from the male host, confronting those lying and court ordered stood out the most to me, as they fit perfectly with the Biblical worldview and heart of God. Theoretical Application A psychological theory that applies to this topic well is the Cognitive-Behavioral Theory, which views dependency on alcohol as a learned behavior and maladaptive way of coping with

6 life problems (Kadden, 1994). This fits, as members of the meetings shared how they turned to drinking to cope or escape the hardships of their lives. This theory also suggests that alcohol abuse comes through “automatic thoughts” where people learn to feel certain ways regarding alcohol, as if they deserve it after a struggle, and that only that will help rid the pain (Thompson, 2022). After a few repeated positive experiences, where the drinking temporarily sooths the pain, some individuals resort to alcohol consumption as a coping mechanism for problems or needs, due to minimal effort and rapid effects. Cognitive-behavioral theory suggests that combining cognitive and behavior modification interventions can help individuals with alcohol dependence achieve and maintain sobriety (Kadden, 1994). While AA is not necessarily an intervention, the members participating display patterns supporting this theory, so it is a good start or side action to take when considering professional help. Biblical Worldview Application Despite not following a Biblical approach to God, AA does focus on spirituality and seeking God as the only one able to grant wisdom, knowledge and power regarding change (Alcoholics Anonymous, n.d.). Their Serenity Prayer, and the focus of God throughout the meetings are found and supported throughout the Bible in some ways more obvious than not. The Bible tells us that anyone who lacks wisdom regarding anything must turn to God, who generously gives without reproach (James 1:5). Regarding the peace and hope found in God to fill all loneliness discussed in the meetings, the Bible mentions that the pace of God through Christ Jesus, exceeds all knowledge, guarding our hearts and minds against all temptations and evil (Philippians 4:7). The final Biblical application comes from the last host who advised the members lying to their families or only attending to get the verification of attendance to admit to their problems. Jesus calls His people to go to Him, so he can carry the heavy load and provide

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7 rest (Matthew 11:28-29). While it may be hard to admit to there being an issue, publicly admitting to it is the first step to the solution, where loved ones, and God Himself will be there to help carry the burden no individual should carry alone. The apostle James urges people to confess and pray for one another, so they may be healed, as the prayers of the righteous are effective and powerful (James 5:16). Conclusion The opportunity to observe AA meetings, hearing the words and testimonies of the hosts and participants, along with studying psychological theories explaining why people struggle with certain issues has truly been eye-opening. Through the experiences and knowledge learned, it is evident that without submitting to the grace and mercy of God, it is even harder for sinful humans to pull themselves out of a painful, difficult reality of addiction. It is crucial to be open, and hold on to unity, community and faith in God, as that provides more people the opportunity to help keep each other accountable and away from the darkness.

8 Work Cited Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). https://www.aa.org/ In the Rooms (2023, October 23). In the rooms: A New Beginning . https://www.intherooms.com/livemeetings/view?meeting_id=62 In the Rooms (2023, October 17). In the rooms: As Bill Sees It . https://www.intherooms.com/livemeetings/view?meeting_id=61. In the Rooms (2023, October 23). In the rooms: Beginners . https://www.intherooms.com/livemeetings/view?meeting_id=147 In the Rooms (2023, October 17). In the rooms: Don’t Drink No Matter What . https://www.intherooms.com/livemeetings/view?meeting_id=57 Kadden, R. M. (1994). Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches to Alcoholism Treatment . PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6876446/#:~:text=Cognitive %2Dbehavioral%20theories%20explain%20alcoholism,that%20may%20lead%20to %20drinking. Keller, M., & Vaillant, G. E. (2023, September 29). Alcoholism | Definition, Causes, & Associated Diseases . Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/alcoholism Thompson, Warren. (2022, August 25). Alcoholism clinical presentation: History, physical, causes . https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/285913-clinical#b5?form=fpf Wilson, B. (1967). As Bill Sees it: The A.A. Way of Life-- Selected Writings of A.A.’s Co-founder .

PSYC 491 Theoretical & Biblical Worldview Paper

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