Whether it's a dependency on alcohol, drugs, or gambling, or something seemingly harmless like social media or shopping, any compulsive behaviour and addiction can have a devastating impact on people's lives.
Such behaviours can impact family and friends as well as wider society too. Now, one church in Chatham is trying to respond and is already seeing hopeful signs.
Christ Church, Luton is currently the only one in the Diocese of Rochester - which covers Medway, north and west Kent, and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley - to be running The Recovery Course.
For the Rev Andrea Leonard, it’s a need her church has been seeking to address for some time:
“We live in a very deprived area where drug and alcohol use are very prevalent, however, we have people who have asked to join who have very different addictions.
She adds:
“To me, this is the Gospel in glorious technicolour, offering freedom to the captives and recovery of sight for the blind.”
The Recovery Course is a free 15-week course for adults, offering guided teaching, practical insights, and support for anyone seeking freedom from addiction of all kinds.
Founder, Nigel Skelsey, believes that anyone affected by addiction deserves the help they need to overcome it.
"We believe that with access to support recovery can be possible for everyone who is battling addiction.
"This is not just another course; it is literally saving lives."
The Recovery Course works with churches and other organisations to run The Recovery Course in their local community to help bring about the change so badly needed to help more people and families find recovery.
For Andrea, she is already seeing the impact:
"The course is going so well, I am so thrilled with the changes that we are seeing in the lives of the attendees. You can tell that people are relieved to be in a safe place where they can share their struggles.”
Advertising through their local GP surgery, the church now has 10 people coming along, "So far we have no one who has dropped out, and three more potentials who would like to join. We have become a tight knit group."
Many of the group have decided to join the church’s Alpha course – a Christian discipleship course - as they do not want to stop meeting.
Pete Shearman, who was a attendee at The Recovery Course in Tonbridge, is testament to the restorative impact of the course, having himself been a drinker from a young age.
“I played football at a young age, men's football. So that really introduced me to a pub at an early age. My drinking went up and my attendance of church went down.
“After the first session of the course, I had a complete meltdown and I thought I can't do this, and I went straight to a pub and got drunk.
He continues,
“I got a booklet with the course and the morning after I got drunk, I started to pick up a booklet and I said, 'Okay God, I'm gonna give this a go.' And I said, 'If you really want me to stop this, you'll have an influence on this.'
“And that was the last time I drank.”
Pete says it is a combination of the tools and companionship of the course that really helped him:
“There's been testing times, there's been temptation but partly because of the practical side you learn and just to know that there's people that care about you as a person first of all, really helps.
“Rather than Pete the alcoholic, they saw Pete with potential. And that was massive, that was
massive.”
Andrea says that at her church, the course has significantly changed the lives of at least four people already.
She now hopes the course will become a regular offer at the church, "My vision is for the course to be run every year at Christ Church, next year being run by those who are suitable who have completed it this year.
With the local GP network also impressed with the impact on patients, Andrea hopes they will be even more keen to send people along.
“I am so grateful for the support and the resources that The Recovery Course offers, and I believe it will be very fruitful going forward into the future here in Chatham.”
The Diocese's Community Engagement and Social Action Lead, Magali van der Merwe, believes that the positive experience at Luton is one that could happen elsewhere in the Diocese:
“Although a church may not think they have a drink or drugs problem in their area, addiction takes many forms. It means that addictive behaviour can be anywhere, meaning The Recovery Course is relevant to every church and community.
"The experience at Christ Church is being replicated by many churches around the UK and so I hope this is a great encouragement to others to consider how their own church may like to play a part in this exciting journey."
Free online sessions are available on ‘How to run The Recovery Course’ to help churches learn more about the course and to if it may work in their setting.
The next training session is on Saturday 14 September 10am to 12pm. More details can be found at www.therecoverycourse.com/training or churches can also contact Magali on magali.vandermerwe@rochester.anglican.org