Religious Affiliation and Spiritual Practices: An Examination of the Role of Spirituality in Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorder.

Religious affiliation, spirituality, and spiritual practices often have been studied as protective factors in the prevention and treatment of hazardous alcohol consumption (defined as drinking at a level that causes significant problems in functioning or that increases potential harms) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Specifically, researchers have been interested in whether spirituality and spiritual practices, commonly associated with personal transformation, may also help in personal transformation of substance use behaviors. Personal transformation may involve elements— such as mindfulness and acceptance of a problem—that form the bases of behavioral treatments for substance use disorders, including AUD. Therefore, researchers are interested in whether spirituality can have a positive influence on AUD recovery. This sidebar reviews some of the recent research that evaluates the role of spirituality in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of hazardous drinking and AUD, as well as the efficacy of spiritual practices, including meditation and prayer, in reducing alcohol use and preventing relapse following treatment for an AUD. It also discusses results from qualitative studies that have examined life experiences and spirituality as key sources of support among individuals who have recovered from an AUD. Finally, it mentions opportunities for integrating spiritual beliefs and practices into existing empirically supported treatments for hazardous drinking and AUD. Spirituality and the Development of AUD