Since the early 80s, a body of research has surfaced concentrating on the partnership between faith and medicine use. This literature states that there is a negative romance between religion and medication use. The history of drug use is entangled with faith and societal views on these manners often have their roots in spiritual or religious perspective. In Jewish and Christian scriptures, for example, the taking in of wine is assumed to participate ordinary life, and its own virtues are even adorned.
The central sacramental observance in both Judaism and Christianity entail the utilization of wine beverages. Other religions have designated sacred uses to other drugs as well, including cigarette and hallucinogens, such as peyote. Alternatively, many religions, such as Islam, strictly prohibit the use of alcohol drinks or other drugs, and other religious groups strongly advise against their use. Religious beliefs has also impacted our views of the issues associated with alcoholic beverages and substance abuse. Although Judeo-Christian culture approve of light to average alcohol use, there's a clear and consistence biblical condemnation of drunkenness, the utilization of alcohol in a fashion that cause impairment or damage. This is mistreatment of alcoholic beverages that is often denounced by spiritual teachings as sinful. Use of drugs that inflict damage or improve the possibility of injury to oneself or others is also put in this category. Given these longstanding links between religious beliefs and element use, and the top roles of spiritual and spiritual point of view in shaping our moral knowledge of addiction, research workers have always been fascinated in the relationship between faith, and drug use problems in populations (Fuller 17-91).
Evidence that religion may directly affect material use by providing as a moral compass comes mainly from studies which have looked at why people choose not to drink. Studies have been done to correlate attitude on medicine use with several steps of religiousness, including affiliation, chapel attendance, degree of satisfaction produced from chapel activities, and the extent to which people considered themselves spiritual.
Since faith has been acclaimed to be always a protective mechanism against medicine use and dependence, many research workers have conducted their tests by linking this problem with the adults in our culture. This is so since they are the ones who are generally affected by drug use. Their studies indicated that teenagers who are seriously committed in their religions will avoid using drugs than those who find themselves not. Why since they are students who have a tendency to avoid peer impact or groups which may lead them to engage in this behavior, and take part in other activities which may be of edge to them. It's been reviewed that students who succeed at school, and the ones who uphold on the idea of going to college are the ones who not as likely use drugs and possess been recognized to more religious (Maggs455).
An understanding of how religion affects medication use has been hampered by insufficient theoretical development. One of the major theoretical orientations used to examine religious drug use is interpersonal control theory. Relating to this point of view, individuals develop bonds to modern culture that restrain them from using drugs through the next. First, individual become mounted on a beliefs community and its members. Because of this attachment and the negative sanctions that could follow medication use, those who sign up for service are less likely to use drugs than those who do not. Second participation in spiritual activities allows less time for medication experimentation. Involvement also may provide a network of support that insulates folks from opportunities to use drugs.
Third, dedication to a religious organization and its goal provides existential meaning that makes drugs use less attractive. Fourth, the opinion system of all religious groups opposes medication use and their teachings may reinforce personal values against use. In short, religious organizations tend to require people in classic activities and public network that disapprove of illicit medicine use. If, through Religious activities, individuals create a network of friends who do not use drugs and whose attitudes are not tolerant of medication use, participation may reinforce attitudes against drug use. Even those who have friends who use drugs might refrain from the use if indeed they receive high levels of counterbalancing definitions from religious teachings and activities. Both of these theories provide insights into the procedure for how religion affects drug use. Social control theorist assumes that bonds to a religious organization and to others who are involved in the organization deter drug use.
Replacing health care with faith practice
In 1999 Haworth press published a journal the journal of faith and abuse. The problems stated that while regular membership in close spiritual groups may enhance social support for many who abide by prescription and proscription of the group, individuals who deviate from the accepted standard may be judged adversely and consequently be marginalized. If the spiritual person becomes unwell people of his cathedral pray for his curing if the individual receives restorative healing, the spiritual group affirms their beliefs. If no recovery is received the individual is often blamed for the sickness which is always blamed on him.
Religious practices have been used to replace traditional healthcare as well as physical attention. This isn't surprising since you can find such a great overlap between mental health and religious health, which is indistinguishable. Some religions have been known to prohibit their people from heading to the hospital and to from taking drugs. Believers of these religions state miraculous solutions where they seek help from trust healers, turning exclusively to spiritual activities instead of seeking timely medical assistance.
Other religions have been known to treat their participants with some drugs which are considered to be bad for the human bodies thus endangering the lives of the members. For instance a religious group in Mexico has been known to use tobacco for their rituals in their religious ceremony. That's where believers in this religious beliefs proclaiming that through utilization of this material one experience treatment of the mind and the body but on the hand we know that cigarette is a medicine (Hoyee 34-40).
Conclusion
With the studies done linking drug use and religion it has obviously established that religious beliefs takes on an important role in curbing and influencing the medicine usage in our society, most folks have been known to avoid the medicine use credited to faith teachings. Alternatively, we see also religious beliefs playing a big part in inducing medicine use by its users. This is where some religions permitting their customers to drink wine beverages, smoke tobacco and enjoy other medicine related practices that happen to be harmful to the human body. In ways, we can say religious beliefs plays a large part in influencing people in every facet of our lives.
Work cited
Ng, Ho-yee. From Coffin to Heaven: A Psychological Research of Christian Alteration in Drug
Rehabilitation. Hong Kong: the Chinese university or college press, 2004. Print out. 34-40
Fuller, Robert C. Stairways to Heaven: Drugs in North american Religious Record. Boulder, Colo.
[u. a. : Westview Press, 2000. Printing. 17-91
Maggs, Jennifer, John Schulenberg, and Klaus Hurrelmann. Health Risks and Developmental
Transitions during Adolescence. Cambridge: Cambridge College or university Press, 1999. Print. 455
