Carl Jung had very insightful things to say about addiction—and his ideas continue to influence modern psychology, recovery programs, and spiritual approaches to healing.

Jung saw addiction not just as a medical or moral issue, but as a deep spiritual problem.

He believed addictions often arise when people seek a substitute for a spiritual experience they lack—what he called a “thirst for wholeness”.

In his view, alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors are misguided attempts to fill an inner void and connect with something greater.

One of Jung’s most famous contributions to the field of addiction came from a letter he wrote in 1961 to Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

In the letter, Jung explained that the Latin word for alcohol, “spiritus”, relates both to alcoholic spirits and to the human spirit.

He wrote that the craving for alcohol was really a “thirst for union with God” or a spiritual need.

This insight deeply shaped AA’s emphasis on spirituality and the idea of relying on a Higher Power in recovery.

Jung also explained addiction in terms of the shadow, the unconscious parts of ourselves we avoid or repress.

If the shadow is not acknowledged and integrated, it can manifest in destructive behaviors, including compulsions and substance abuse.

Healing requires bringing unconscious desires and pain into the light, rather than masking them.

Jung suggested that real healing for addiction comes through:

Spiritual Awakening – Connecting with something larger than the self.

Wholeness – Integrating the shadow and reconciling inner conflicts.

Meaning – Finding purpose in life beyond substances or destructive patterns.

Community & Symbolism – Ritual, myth, and group belonging can support recovery by providing a spiritual framework.

✅ In summary: For Carl Jung, addiction is not just about the substance—it’s about the soul’s longing for connection, wholeness, and transcendence. Recovery, therefore, requires more than abstinence; it calls for a deep inner transformation and a spiritual path.

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Angels are Among Us Coloring Book

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