Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

122 G. Rita Dudley-Grant
nature of the addictive behavior and the courage to break free of those
self-defeating actions.
A common but hidden aspect of all of these programs, the twelve step programs,
the practice of Buddhism and the development of spirituality in the
Judaeo-Christian traditions, is their emphasis on community. Each of these disciplines
requires participation in a group, a community of fellow believers, practitioners
or members with whom one shares the common bond and gains essential
support. In fact, in each tradition, the focus is on helping others as well as oneself.
In the Buddhist tradition, once the nature of reality and our interdependence
in it is understood, we come to realize that we cannot benefit ourselves unless we
focus on benefiting others. The twelfth step requires members to “carry this message
to other alcoholics [addicts, etc.], and practice these principles in all our
affairs” (AA, 1976, p. 59). Just so, the Judaeo-Christian tradition requires practitioners
to “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. It is clear that a focus on helping
others is a very healing activity. It appears to relieve the narcissistic self-interest
inherent in addiction. It fosters empathy and responsibility. A focus on others can
be very empowering to the individual, healing their self-esteem and providing
actions that are more altruistic. It appears to expand and improve one’s life
condition, harmonizing with the fundamental reality of oneness. This focus on
caring for others as well as oneself, and group participation and membership
are important aspects of research into understanding how spirituality can be so
effective in helping addicts achieve long term recovery. It is essential that such
research focus on the impact of commitment to others in the recovery process.
Summary
Buddhism and Psychology are great disciplines, which have concerned
themselves with the highest development of human potential and the alleviation
of suffering. This chapter has attempted to look at some of the contrasts and commonalities
from the perspective of the issues of self-control and addiction. Drug
and alcohol addiction continues to ravage our communities, particularly those
that are most vulnerable. Research tries to identify effective interventions that can
stem the tide of this scourge on our communities. Spirituality has been found to
be highly correlated with achieving and maintaining long-term recovery. While
spirituality has traditionally focused on the Judaeo-Christian orientation of a
higher power which is external to the individual that can guide them in recovery,
this chapter has examined ways in which a Buddhist view of paths to enlightenment
can also support the process of recovery. Recognition of the value of
the focus on others as well as oneself is consistent through all the traditions and
may prove a fruitful area for further research. A spiritual understanding and pursuit
of this line of research is exciting in that it offers a broadened approach to the