Religious Addiction: A Qualitative Analysis of an Anecdotal Concept

The concept of religious addiction was first written about in 1991, with subsequent authors echoing the concept (Booth, 1991; Linn, Linn, & Linn, 1994; Minor, 2007; Arterburn & Felton, 1991). However, no studies of the concept were ever conducted (Vanderheyden, 1999). With the goal of counseling being the overall health and wellness of the client (Myers & Sweeney, 2008), and the role of spirituality recognized as an integral part of wellness (Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling, 2009), the lack of research on a potential new form of process addiction leaves clients at risk. Thus, this qualitative study explored the concept of religious addiction through interviewing religious leadership about their perceptions of potentially religious addictive behaviors within their congregations.