The Church, the Clergy, and Alcoholism: The Role of AA and Medication in Healing

I recently read: How Catholics influenced AA – and AA influences Catholics

The Catholic Church has been a strong supporter of the AA movement since its inception. Most Catholic churches readily invite AA groups to meet on church premises. Alcoholism impacts the church in other ways. Every Catholic priest is going to encounter a penitent in the confessional seeking guidance for alcoholism and seeking forgiveness for the many wrongs done because of the disorder. The priests don’t have much to offer beyond telling the penitent to stop drinking, pray, and go to AA meetings. If AA does not work, priests are hard-pressed to offer additional help.

Alcoholism hits home in more personal ways. One of the biggest challenges the clergy face is excessive drinking leading to alcoholism. Indeed, alcohol use disorder is an occupational hazard for the clergy. The long hours, loneliness, and easy access to alcohol is bad chemistry. Early warning signs are often ignored, and the problem may go on for years. Fellow clergy members, out of a sense of loyalty and forgiveness, may inadvertently exacerbate the problem by not confronting a fellow priest. To make matters worse, the diocese has limited resources. The most common reaction is to send the member of the clergy to a 30–60-day residential program, which is often AA-based. There is a very unrealistic expectation that the priest will come back ‘cured’. Wish the solution were that easy. Going away can trigger a phenomenon called the ‘deprivation effect'. The longer a person is deprived of his/her favorite thing, the stronger the desire to use it when he/she returns home! This is the reason we don’t have 30-60-day residential weight loss or smoking cessation programs. The addictive disorder should be treated in the patient’s home environment while being exposed to a plethora of cues and triggers. If the patient goes to a residential treatment program, a robust follow-up should be initiated when the patient comes home. Attending AA meetings may not be enough.

God gave us the genius to understand the neurobiology of alcoholism, and this led to the development of effective medications that curb the cravings for alcohol and some drugs like opioids. Addictive disorders cannot be framed anymore as a moral failing and descend into sinful behavior. Spiritual approaches like prayer and attendance at AA groups are very helpful but may not be sufficient. How about people in authority, especially the clergy, keep an open mind and learn about the advances in the treatment and prevention of alcoholism? We have highly effective anti-craving medications like naltrexone that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of AA. If more people knew about naltrexone, we could save thousands of lives, marriages, and health issues. One tiny pill can potentially change a life of many a penitent and clergy. Here is an excellent article on the benefits of naltrexone. The Pill Patients Saved - MedCity News

If you would like to connect with Percy Menzies, M. Pharm., regarding this article, you can reach him through his LinkedIn profile.”