Help for Those with Substance Abuse Problems
Colonia, Yap (March 10, 2022) – An instructor at Yap Campus, Daniel S. Helman, has just published an article in The Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, showing how reliance on mathematics as a Higher Power in 12 Step recovery can be done. The article has useful, detailed information, especially for working the first three steps. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, look to Alcoholics Anonymous or another recovery program. And if you or they get stuck on the Higher Power concept, have a look at Dr. Helman's article. It is freely available at the journal website.
Substance abuse and alcoholism can be difficult subjects to talk about. Both for family and friends, and also for the users themselves, help may seem difficult to find. Luckily, there are programs for recovery that have been developed. The most famous of these is Alcoholics Anonymous. There are meetings online as well as in person in some places. And there are recovery programs for other addictions, based on the same principles, the 12 Steps of recovery.
One of the features of the 12 Steps is that people in recovery rely on a "Higher Power" to help. This faith, and also the practice of being of service, help to create a sense of support. Many people find longterm recovery this way.
And many people have no problem with the Higher Power concept, and have an innate belief in God or some other traditional concept of a source for support. But for those people who don't have this belief, sometimes it is a problem to work the 12 Steps. But it need not be the case. Mathematics has been shown to be able to serve as a Higher Power for 12 Step recovery.
