Coming to Believe in a Post-Belief World: Mysticism, Recovery, and Clinical Applications of Step 2
Addiction Research & Theory March 31, 2025 DOI: 10.33425/2639-8451.1046 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | Argues that the paradoxical nature of belief in a "Power greater than ourselves" in Step 2 of Alcoholics Anonymous can be therapeutically productive rather than a barrier, and proposes that embracing paradox instead of resolving it may activate neurobiological mechanisms associated with resilience and recovery, offering clinicians a multidisciplinary model for addressing spiritual concerns in trauma, addiction, and chronic pain. |
Abstract
This paper examines the theological and existential tensions embedded in “Step 2” of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12- Step program within a clinical framework, particularly exploring the neurobiological, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of recovery from trauma, addiction, and chronic pain. Drawing on a multidisciplinary approach that integrates evidence from addiction medicine, Jungian psychology, post-Holocaust theology, Hasidic mysticism, and Eastern contemplative traditions, this paper explores how patients navigate the paradoxical nature of belief in a "Power greater than ourselves" within a fragmented and morally compromised world. Clinical research on spiritual coping, neuroplasticity, and existential distress is synthesized with mystical traditions to provide healthcare practitioners with evidence-based approaches to address the spiritual dimensions of suffering in clinical practice. The paper proposes that embracing paradox rather than resolving it may activate neurobiological mechanisms associated with resilience and recovery, offering a clinical model for addressing spiritual concerns that acknowledges both the science of healing and the mystery of transformation.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The Heart Cannot Reach the Spring: A Normative Case for an Irreducible Ayin and Yesh Journal of Psychology and Neuroscience August 6, 2026
- Trees, Divine Presence, and Higher Power : A Comparative Study of the Giving Tree and 12-Step Spirituality Journal of Psychology and Neuroscience February 23, 2026