Why Do They Call Alcohol "Spirits", Anyway?

What if the very thing you're running from holds the key to your recovery? That’s the idea Carl Jung, the father of analytical psychology, shared with Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, when he described alcoholism as a spiritual thirst.

Sobriety And Spirituality

If you've had a chance to read my new eBook Sobriety Doesn't Have To Suck!, you've seen that a main point I address in the book is the difference between relying on something outside of ourselves to change how we feel versus getting our good feelings from within. And that ultimately leads to a discussion on the relationship between spirituality and addiction, which can become a lightning rod for opinions and controversy around recovery circles. 

For many, the religious overtones of some recovery approaches can feel alienating, creating a barrier to sobriety before they even begin. But spirituality in recovery doesn’t have to be tied to religion. Taking the time to explore what "spirituality" truly means can help remove these obstacles and open the door to meaningful, lasting change.

Carl Jung And "The Spiritual Thirst"

One of the most valuable stories I've been sharing with treatment clients for years is about a fascinating interaction between Carl Jung and Bill Wilson that sheds some light on the spiritual aspect of the 12-Step program.

In describing his views on alcoholism, Jung told Bill Wilson he saw the alcoholic's craving for alcohol as being "not unlike the spiritual thirst of our being for wholeness, as expressed in medieval terms as: the union with God." I know that sounds pretty religious, but Jung even qualified that by referring to that statement as a "medieval" way of putting it.

Ironically, a statement I often hear around recovery circles is, "I had a God-sized hole I was trying to fill with alcohol." I'm willing to bet the majority of people that say that are not familiar with Jung's medieval hypothesis about using alcohol to satisfy "the spiritual thirst of our being for wholeness and union with God." 

Perhaps Jung was on to something. 

The Sacred And The Profane: A Dichotomy Of Spirit

But here's where things really get interesting. 

Jung then went on to give Bill Wilson a little lesson in Latin. It turns out the Latin word for alcohol is "spiritus"—the same word that's used to describe the highest religious experience.  

From Jung's Letter to Bill Wilson:

“You see, "alcohol" in Latin is "spiritus" and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. The helpful formula therefore is: spiritus contra spiritum.”

The ancient alchemists regarded alcohol as a vile substance that deadened the senses. Not unlike mineral spirits (paint thinner)—it was regarded as a consuming substance that creeps into recesses and dissolves whatever it comes in contact with. Many who suffer from addiction identify with the idea of having been consumed by an obsession for changing how they feel through chemical use, which ended up dissolving all things worthwhile in their lives. 

The Latin word 'spiritus' connects alcohol and spirituality, showing how the same word exists on two ends of a spectrum that ranges from the highest form of inspiration to the most destructive poison. 

The sacred and the profane. 

At one end we have "Spirit." The "spiritual experience." Something that comes in and fills us. We are "consumed with Spirit." We are "taken over by Spirit." At the other end, addiction is something that comes in and consumes as well. Many an alcoholic knows the pain of being taken over by "spirits." 

I see the addict who has "hit bottom" as being stuck between these two polar opposites. They know what they want. But at the same time they know there's no way they can get there. They're trapped in their addiction. 

I used to do stage productions with young people in treatment of a rock musical I wrote that tells a story about addiction and recovery. The "hitting bottom" scene shows the lead character sitting on a park bench, having been kicked out of her house, all her friends have turned their backs on her. She's painfully holding a holding a joint in front of her face as the music and song lyrics come to a crescendo:

"Fill me up, make me feel brand new. Like only you can do."

I use this scene to illustrate this concept of being stuck between the sacred and the profane. She knows what she wants; she knows the good person inside of her that she desperately wants to be. Yet outside, she also knows her addiction has her firmly in its grip, and she doesn't see any way out. 

For many, it takes what they refer to as a "moment of clarity" to help jog them out of this purgatory between the sacred and the profane. Perhaps this is more along the lines of what Jung was referring to; in the AA Big Book they recount him as using terms like "psychic rearrangement," or "huge emotional displacements." What he doesn't say is that you need to convert to some specific religion when he talks about the relationship between alcohol and the spiritual experience.

Spiritus Contra Spiritum: Jung's Formula For Recovery

Finally, Jung's formula "Spiritus contra spiritum" suggests a solution to overcoming addiction: "Spirit against the ravages of spirit."

The solution to alcoholism, according to Jung, lies in having some type of "spiritual experience." Our friends in recovery who say they have a "God-shaped hole they were trying to fill with alcohol" are implying they've found something else more effective to fill that hole with. This is where we find the value in taking the time to really unpack what is meant by all this spirituality talk. Because as I alluded to at the beginning of this piece, here's where things can go off the rails for the person who doesn't like "the God part" of recovery. This deserves a more involved discussion than I can get into here, but I will share one quick way of looking at this that can be helpful in at least getting the conversation started. 

Inside vs. Outside: Where Do Good Feelings Come From?

Andrew Weil said in his book The Natural Mind that man has an innate tendency to alter consciousness. In other words, we like to change how we feel. We all want to feel good. This becomes even more relevant when we do not like how we're feeling—whether it's the result of emotional wounding, feeling unfulfilled, guilt, shame, fear, and so on. 

And there are two ways we can go in the pursuit of feeling good. 

One way is looking outside of ourselves to find things that will change how we feel. Using substances or engaging in other mood-altering behaviors can be quite effective for altering our consciousness and changing how we feel. The problem with this is that when we go outside of ourselves to change how we feel, we cut ourselves off from our authentic self. To borrow another lyric from The Journey, my musical recovery program:

"I thought I was trying to find myself

Looking back now, I can see that's where I began to lose myself"

(A good question to ponder when starting your own spiritual work would be: What ways have you experienced loss of self when you thought you were trying to find yourself?)

The other way is learning how to feel good from within. 

This can range from good old fashioned self-esteem to advanced meditation or spiritual practices that can produce profound altered states of consciousness. One of the most effective techniques I use to introduce this difference between within and without is with drumming. For years I would do drum meditations with young people in my treatment groups. I'd have them lay on their backs and I would usher them into a deep meditative state using the drum. It was not uncommon for them to come out of these states of altered consciousness and excitedly describe a profound experience:

"That was so cool! It was like being high, but it was different. It was like... pure!"

That statement indicates the difference between looking outside of ourselves for something that's supposed to come from within. That's one way I would introduce this idea of what we're trying to achieve through substance use, but that there is perhaps a more effective way of doing this. To me, this is about lighting a spark that gets them inspired to want to keep growing in this area. 

The important thing is it doesn't have to be meditating with a drum. There are many ways to grow in this area: Learning mindfulness techniques, journaling, practicing yoga or meditation, artistic expression, or simply developing a new appreciation for spending time outside in nature and allowing that to feed your soul. These are all things that can help facilitate the shift from outside to inside and achieving new levels of being in touch with ourselves. 

Spiritual Versus Religion: Finding Your Own Path

As I said earlier, this kind of talk can turn a lot of people off when getting pushed into recovery. A major focus of my career has been to clarify exactly what Jung meant by the term "spiritual experience" in the context of addiction recovery. The example I gave about the drumming meditation shows how it's possible to dispel the common misconception that the spiritual aspect of sobriety is about adopting some form of religion or having to "believe in God." 

I define spirituality as "my relationship with myself, as well as with the rest of creation." Or to put it even more simply: It's about feeling good—from inside. 

Ultimately, sobriety's supposed to make you feel good. Otherwise why bother to give up something that you've been relying on to make you feel good? That's why I wrote Sobriety Doesn't Have To Suck—because it's not uncommon to struggle with feeling good and getting fired up about recovery in the early days of sobriety. But it's possible to get there, and this spiritual element can play a big part in that if we can get past the obstacles.

Understanding the role of spirituality in addiction isn’t about adopting a religion—it’s about finding a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you. Whether through meditation, drumming, or simply reflecting on your inner needs, there’s a path to fulfillment that doesn’t require looking outside yourself. Start exploring today—you may find the key to recovery is already within you.

 A Deeper Dive Into The Spirituality Of Addiction

For a more in-depth discussion on the ideas presented in this article, watch my video "The Spirituality Of Addiction"

In addition to sharing the whole Carl Jung story and why they call alcohol "spirits", I go pretty deep on:

• "Spiritus contra spiritum": Jung's prescription for recovery from addiction 
• The search for transcendence: Our innate desire to alter consciousness
• "Moment of clarity": The transcendent function
• "There's a hole in my soul where the wind blows through": A musical portrayal of addiction

Click Here To Dive Deeper: WATCH NOW: The Spirituality Of Addiction