Addictions
Addiction is the devotion to something, such as food, drugs, alcohol, money, ambition as to be dependent on it.
“ It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Addictions: A Quick Word of Hope
Addiction takes many forms—alcohol, drugs, porn, gambling, food, or screens—but at the root it’s about idols of the heart. We run to something created for comfort, control, or escape instead of running to the Creator.
At Abba Reach Ministries, we believe freedom is possible. We walk with you daily if needed—through one-on-one discipleship, group classes, referrals, prayer, and our 40 Days of Restoration journey.
If you’re struggling with alcohol, opioids, benzos, or eating disorders like anorexia/bulimia, a 3-day medical detox may be needed. But know this: no matter where you are, we will meet you there.
👉 You are not your struggle. Your story is not over
What We Mean by “Addiction”
Addiction is when something begins to master your life—substances, porn, food, spending, screens, even people-pleasing.
The Bible warns: “I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12). Christ offers a better Master.
Truth to hold: Struggle ≠ identity. Temptation ≠ failure. Relapse ≠ destiny
Addictions: Hope for Real Change
You are not broken beyond repair. Addiction is complicated—habits, biology, pain, shame, and spiritual warfare all collide—but Jesus meets us in real life, with real help and real freedom. At Abba Reach Ministries, we walk with you daily if needed—through one-on-one discipleship, group classes, referrals, and education.
Our 40 Days of Restoration program offers a biblical, structured path to healing and stability.
Button Ideas: Start the 40 Days • Request Prayer • Contact Abba Reach
Medical Detox & Safety
For those struggling with benzodiazepines, alcohol, or opioids, we strongly recommend a 3-day medical detox for safety. The same may be true for severe anorexia or bulimia symptoms, which often require medical oversight before healing work can begin.
But know this: we will walk with you regardless of where you are in the process.
We’ll work with you through:
Types of Addictions We Address
Addiction takes many forms. Some are visible; others hide in plain sight. All can destroy lives if left unchecked.
Alcohol & Drugs – misuse, dependence, opioids, benzos, stimulants
Pornography & Sexual Addictions – distorts intimacy, enslaves the mind, destroys trust
Food & Body Image – overeating, bingeing, starving, shame-based control
Gambling & Money Addictions – casinos, sports betting, online gambling, “get rich quick”
Screens & Gaming – endless scrolling, bingeing, gaming, stimulation addiction
Workaholism & People-Pleasing – performance or approval as a savior
Core truth: Whether it’s alcohol or Instagram, if it masters you—it’s an idol, not a tool.
The Ripple Effect of Addiction
Addiction isn’t private—it impacts every circle of life:
Self – anxiety, depression, health decline, spiritual emptiness
Family – broken trust, conflict, child neglect, domestic violence
Employment – absenteeism, unsafe workplaces, job loss
Finances – debt, overdrafts, pawned belongings, homelessness
Friends & Community – isolation, broken support systems
Faith – shame, secrecy, disconnection from God
Why We Get Stuck (Brain + Heart)
Addiction hijacks your God-designed survival system:
Stress + Shame Loop: I feel pain → I seek relief → I feel worse → I hide.
The Body’s Reward System: remembers the “relief,” not the damage.
Beliefs & Wounds: lies like “I’m unlovable” or “God is disappointed” fuel relapse.
Avoidance: isolation keeps pain unhealed.
That’s why at Abba Reach we begin by calming the chaos: grounding practices, practical steps (like budgeting, meal planning, time structure), and gentle biblical truth to steady your mind and body before tackling deeper roots.
🧰 Calming the Chaos: First Steps
When life feels overwhelming, you don’t have to fix everything at once. Start with small grounding practices that steady your mind, body, and soul.
Breathe: Inhale 4 • Hold 4 • Exhale 6 (repeat 3x)
Move: Take a 10-minute walk
Speak Truth: Read Psalm 23 or Romans 8:1 out loud
Ground Yourself: 5 see • 4 touch • 3 hear • 2 smell • 1 taste
Pray Simply: “Father, I need You right now. Calm my heart.”
👉 These steps don’t solve everything, but they make space for God’s peace so you can think clearly and take the next right step
Idols of the Heart vs. Freedom in Christ
You Are Not Your Struggle
In Christ you are: wanted, adopted, cleansed, empowered, and in process.
We pursue holiness not to earn love but because we are already loved.
Grace says,
“Come into the light and heal.”
40 Days of Restoration
This 40-day journey addresses the whole person—spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and practical. Through daily steps, Scripture, reflection, and discipleship, you’ll begin to stabilize and see change.
You don’t have to do it perfectly; you just have to start.
You’re Not Alone – Stories in Scripture
David (Psalms 32, 51): confessed failure, received mercy.
Naomi (Ruth 1–4): bitterness to hope—God restored her story.
Samaritan woman (John 4): messy past, but Jesus still offered living water.
The man in Mark 5: freed from bondage, sent home with purpose.
These remind us: you are not alone, and your story is not over
Next Steps
Begin the 40 Days of Restoration
Reach out for daily support, classes, or one-on-one discipleship
Ask for worksheets and tools when you’re ready
Request prayer—we’ll cover you this week
Contact Abba Reach Ministries directly to talk through your situation
FAQs
The list of possible addictions is limited only by our imaginations
Sleep Nicotine Meth Shopping Social Media Ambition Sex TV Pornography Anger Work Pot Cocaine Shoplifting Pain Excercise Romance Gambling Weightlifting People Sugar Caffeine Pain Medication Approval Religion Risk Success/ Winning Chaos Alcohol Relationships Crisis Food Volunteering Materialism Plastic Surgery Bulimia. Anorexia Video games Phone
Do you have an addiction?
Do you continue using knowing the negative impact on your family, finances, health, mental health, friends?
Does it take more and more to get the same affects?
Do you spend more and more time planning, using, and suffering consequences?
Have you tried to stop but can not?
Do you experience cravings or withdraws?
Do you try to justify, minimize, or rationalize your use?
Has it become your god?
Do you hide your use or lie about it?
Staggering Numbers
21 million have an addiction only 10% seek help
Drug and alcohol abuse cost the US economy 600 billion every year
88,000 die annually from alcohol
130 people die daily from opioids
There are 100,000 new heroine users each year
Smoking claims 480,000 lives each year
About 5 million Americans use Cocaine regularly
About 774,000 Americans are regular Meth users. About 16,000 of them are between the ages of 12 and 17
Inhalants contribute to about 15% of deaths by suffocation every year
10,200 annual deaths are a direct result of an eating disorder
The economic cost of eating disorders is $64.7 billion every year
Eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdose
45% of people use cutting as their method of self-injury
Divorce rate where one person is a work aholic is 40% higher
35% of all internet downloads are pornographic
18-24 million Americans are sex addicts
Does the Bible address addictions
An addiction is an idol we worship. Idolatry is a sin of the heart. It is anything we depend on for comfort, love, worth, and significance. When we rely on anything other than God, we are breaking the second commandment. God gives us warnings throughout the Bible about idol worshiping and false gods.
Idolatry is a sin. When we call it a sin, there is an eternal solution Jesus. Jesus death and resurrection offers forgiveness for sin, a new life, a fresh start, a way out, hope and life. We have the Holy Spirit, the comforter, the leader into truth our counselor. We have a Heavenly Father that is merciful, grace giving, slow to anger, patient, gentle, close, caring… We have scripture that gives us all the wisdom, encouragement, teaching, knowledge… we need. We have fellowship with other believers to share our burdens.
https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/addiction-statistics/
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/self-harm/self-harm-statistics/
https://clockify.me/workaholism-facts#workaholism-chapter-3
https://www.addictionhope.com/sexual-addiction/
