Just like in the non-Pagan community, sometimes Pagans and Wiccans find themselves battling addiction and treatment. However, many recovery plans are aimed at those who follow a Judeo-Christian philosophy. Often, asking God for assistance is included in the process, as well as atonement for "sins," which people on a Pagan path may not find valid for them. If you're a Pagan or Wiccan, you may find yourself feeling less than comfortable joining a support group that follows the Judeo-Christian idealogies -- and let's face it, it's hard to find a Pagan recovery group. However, they are out there. There are also several books and websites dedicated to Pagans battling addiction (more on those in a moment).
Because most Pagan spiritual paths encourage balance, harmony, and personal responsibility, for some Pagans, recovery is more than just "getting better." It becomes a part of the spiritual practice itself. For a lot of Pagans fighting addiction, the problem lies not in the twelve-step program itself, but in the interpretation of how those twelve steps should be followed. There are a number of books available for Pagans in recovery from dependence and addiction as well. You may want to check some of these out for ideas:
- The Recovery Spiral: A Pagan Path to Healing by Cynthia Jane Collins
- Recoven: The Wiccan Recovery Program by Medicine Hawk Wilburn
- A Woman's Way Through the Twelve Steps by Stephanie Covington, Ph.D.
- The Zen of Recovery by Mel Ash
For online resources, check out some of these Pagan-focused support groups:
- Pagan Sanctum Recovery
- Pagans in Recovery
- Isaac Bonewits on Recovery
- A Wiccan 13-Step Path
- Spiral Steps
- Pagan One Day at a Time Group
- The Healing Grove, an online rape crisis support group for Pagan survivors*
Finally, many Unitarian Universalist Churches offer Pagan-friendly recovery support group meetings. Check with your local UU Church to see if this is an option in your area.
*Note: although certainly rape and sexual abuse victims fall into a completely different category from people who may be battling addiction, in some cases there is some overlap between the two. Until I am able to put together a list of resources for rape victims, the Healing Grove listing will remain on this page.
