USA (MNN) — Have you ever heard of a “socially-acceptable” addiction?
It’s an addiction like any other; “a chronic, relapsing brain disease defined by a physical and psychological dependence on drugs, alcohol, or a behavior,” as defined by AddictionCenter.com. Yet, instead of being spurned or discouraged, these addictions are overlooked or even embraced.
Many people are addicted to their phones; they’re constantly checking email or social media, even during face-to-face conversations. Others are hooked on coffee or energy drinks.
Nicotine makes the list, too. “There’s a different cultural thought behind it,” Brandon Bower with The Lighthouse says.
“You might not like the smell of it. You might think, ‘Hey, they smoke too much,’ but it’s not like, ‘Oh, there’s that person in the gutter drunk.’”
Approximately 50 million people in the U.S. are addicted to some type of tobacco product. The Lighthouse offers residential faith-based addiction services. More about that here.
“Everything starts with the Bible,” Bower says.
“We deal with what God has to say about this and how it affects our lives, and we talk about the heart issues behind it.”
The Lighthouse just added a smoking cessation program.
“About 90 percent of the guys that come to us are tobacco users. Now that all the other programs are up and running, it’s important to address this issue as well,” Bower says.
If you or someone you know needs help to overcome an addiction, connect with The Lighthouse here.
“The history of The Lighthouse is residential men’s programming,” Bower says.
“We’ve had guys from over 14 different states come to live with us and enter our addiction program. We can live with them for six months to a year as we’re helping them through these struggles.”
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Mikail Duran/Unsplash.
