Connection = Cure?

The importance of connection and fellowship in recovery cannot be overstated. The support and love from a community have allowed me to begin healing has started to fill the void of pain within me. Fellowship is essential for addressing deep-seated trauma that we may not even be aware of. Neglect and isolation can contribute to addiction, while socially enriched environments can help mitigate its development. The concept of Rat Park illustrates this, as rats in a stimulating and social environment showed significantly lower drug consumption compared to isolated rats.

Harry Harlow's research proved the critical role of love and affection, particularly contact comfort, in a child's healthy development. Children form attachments to caregivers who provide warmth and love, not just nourishment. Substance use disorder, as defined in DSM-5, combines previous categories of substance abuse and substance dependence into a single disorder, measured on a continuum of severity. This highlights the importance of connection, emotional support, and addressing underlying traumas in preventing and overcoming addiction.

In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, a powerful forgiveness ritual takes place when someone acts unjustly or irresponsibly. The person is placed in the center of the village, surrounded by everyone in the community. Each individual takes turns speaking to the accused, recalling their positive qualities, good deeds, and acts of kindness. This ceremony lasts for several days, and when it ends, the person is joyously welcomed back into the tribe.

As someone who still struggles with guilt from my addiction, this story brought tears to my eyes. It made me realize that my caregiver couldn't acknowledge my love or reciprocate it because she hated herself. It took me 42 years to understand this. I have learned firsthand that sobriety is not the opposite of addiction; it is connection. I now seek out mutually beneficial relationships where I feel loved and understood.  I believe that I can heal and overcome addiction.

References:

1. Johann Hari: Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong. (TED Talk)
2. Ancient Wisdom: The Forgiveness Ritual of the Babemba Tribe. (Source: dsfantiquejewelry.com