Deacon Dan Giblin, CRS

What Clergy Need To Know

Who am I?

Husband and Father Deacon of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,

ordained in 2011 Assigned to St. Ann Parish, Phoenixville Admissions board of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

for permanent diaconate Spiritual Care Advisor at St. John Vianney Center

What is addiction?

Mental Illness Disease model of addictionCo-occurring disorders Velocity of addiction today

Mental Illness

Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry.

Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE

Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE

Inability to consistently abstain

Impairment in behavioral control

Craving

Diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships

Dysfunctional emotional response

Cycles of relapse

Progressive and can result in disability or premature death

Disease model of addiction

Organ

Symptoms

DEFECT

Organ?

Immoral Behavior

DEFECT

Addiction

Co-occurring disorders

What is addiction?

All addictions are the same

All addictions are different

Stats

21 million people in the U.S. suffer from some type of addiction.

15 million are addicted to alcohol

3 million are addicted to opioids

#1 cause of injury related deaths. Greater than car accident and gun related deaths.

Behavioral addictions are not included in these statistics (gambling, sex, pornography, shopping, gaming)

Velocity of addiction today

3 Basics Elements of Life

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Drunk walks into a bar…….

What is addictive? Substance use disorders in the DSM-IV-TR provide a list of addictions relating to the

following substances:1

Alcohol Tobacco Opioids (like heroin) Prescription drugs (sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics like sleeping pills and tranquilizers) Cocaine Cannabis (marijuana) Amphetamines (like methamphetamine, known as meth) Hallucinogens Inhalants Phencyclidine (known as PCP or Angeldust) Other unspecified substances

What is addictive? Behaviors Food (eating) Sex Pornography (attaining, viewing) Using computers / the internet Playing video games Working Exercising Spiritual obsession Religious Devotion Pain (seeking) Cutting Shopping

Spiritual aspect of addiction

“Noah’s Drunkenness” by Jacques Joseph Tissot, 1836-1902

Spiritual aspect of addiction Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not

wise. Proverbs 20:1

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” Proverbs 23:19

Spirituality and addictionThe Washingtonian Movement

Spirituality and addictionVenerable Matt Talbot, OFS

Spiritual aspect of addiction• Confidence• Confession• Conviction• Conversion• Continuance

Spiritual aspect of addiction

Spiritual aspect of addiction

Myths & fallacies of addiction

Desire of the addicted for helpMoral failing vs mental illnessCured vs Recovered

Recovery from addiction

Pathways to treatmentInterventionsEAPVoluntary unassistedTreatment CentersIntensive Out PatientMedically Assisted TreatmentExtended treatment (sober living houses)Support groups

Ministering to the addicted and the recovering

Identify personal biasesKnowledge of referral sourcesMeeting the recovering where they areSpiritual not religious cultureIt’s always a family diseaseLiturgical and spiritual support

Clergy and addiction ISOLATION

What impedes intervention in some cases is the lack of a “smoking gun”.

Clergy and vowed religious, even in advanced stages of substance abuse, can hide its effect through a lifestyle that incorporates substantial periods out of public view.

They can hold it together for public functions and disappear into alcoholic solitude.

This may occur on days off or commonly in nightly drinking that is largely hidden.

- Psychotherapy With Priests & Catholic Religious(Ciarrocchi & Wicks)

Clergy and addiction

DENIAL AMONG RELIGIOUSMany features of the normative self-definition (for priest and religious)

run contrary to alcoholic behavior: personal control, living in accord with high standard, being a model of religious living, and seeing the self as one who exercises delayed gratification.

The forces of denial in this population run deep. Many do no accept treatment until the disorder has progressed to the point of serious physical, neurological and psychological damage.

- Psychotherapy With Priests & Catholic Religious

Clergy and addictionDENIAL AMONG RELIGIOUS

The social expectation of the minister, in concert with the defense mechanism of denial, conspire together to prevent the awareness of addiction in the ministers’ social network as well.

Simply put, people do not readily suspect substance abuse as an explanation for unusual behavior in ministers.

- Psychotherapy With Priests & Catholic Religious