THE ROLE OF PASTORAL CARE IN SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH NICOTINE ADDICTION
Keywords:
role, nicotine, nicotine addiction,, recovery, pastoral careAbstract
This paper centred on the role of pastoral care in supporting individuals struggling with nicotine addiction. The objectives that guided this study are to discuss factors influencing nicotine addiction, effects of nicotine addiction, the role of pastoral care in addition support and challenges facing pastoral care in nicotine addiction recovery. The methodology adopted for this paper is secondary research as it gathered data from existing studies. The theory adopted is biopsychosocial model formulated by Engel (1977). Factors identified to be influencing nicotine addiction are genetic, parents/peers, depression/other mental illness among others. The identified effects are dizziness, sleep disturbances, change in blood flow, headache, increased risk of blood clotting and some other psychosocial effects. The pastoral care role identified includes spiritual counselling and guidance, payer and worship as tool for recovery, community and accountability, crisis intervention and relapse prevention. Playing these roles, pastoral care giver faces challenges which bothers on psychological, spiritual, social and religious in nature. For effective pastoral care rendering, the paper came up with effective referral system, creation of Nicotine Anonymous community and rehabilitation centres among other recommendations.
References
Adeloye, D., Auta, A., Fawibe, A. E., & Gadanya, M. (2019). Current prevalence pattern of tobacco smoking in Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 19(1), Article 1719. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8010-8
Ajeigbe, O. O. (2017) “Pastoral Care Functions as a Panacea to Pornography Addiction Among Christian Youth”, Ogbomoso Journal of Theology vol. XXII,No 1, Ogbomoso: nbts publications.
Ayankeye, S. O. (2013) Counselling Practicum: A Handbook for Christian Counselors Ibadan: Baptist Press (Nig.) Limited.
———2023 “Definition of Addiction” Ph D. 2 Lecture Note at NBTS, Ogbomoso, Sept. 6. (Unpublished work).
Benz, J. (2015). The recovery-minded church: Loving and ministering to people with addiction. Illinois: InterVarsity Press.
Blaha, M. J. (2023) “5 Vaping Facts You Need to Know” on https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-truths-you- need- to-know about-vaping Retrieved 10/10/2023.
Clebsch, W. A. and Jaekle, C. R., eds. (1994) Pastoral care in historical perspective. USA: Jason Aronson Incorporated.
Collins, G. R. (2007). Christian Counselling: A Comprehensive Guide, Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Cook, C. C. H. (2006). Alcohol, Addiction and Chistian Ethics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dunnington, K. 2011. Addiction and Virtue: Beyond the Model of Disease and Choice, Illinois: Inter–varsity Press.
Gateway Foundation, July, 15 2023 “DSM 5 Criteria for Substance Use Disorders” on https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/addiction-blog/dsm-5-substance-use disorder/ Accessed on 23/09/2023.
Hartney, E. (2023). DSM 5 Criteria for Substance Use Disorders on https:// https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-substance-use-disorders-21926 Retrieved 30/10/2023.
Holy Bible (New International Version).
May. G. G, (2007). Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Additions, New York: Happer Colins Publishers.
Mayo Clinic “Nicotine dependence symptoms” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases- conditions/nicotine-dependence/symptoms-causes/syc20351584# Retrieved 30/10/2023.
Mishra, A, et. al. (2015) “Harmful effects of nicotine” in Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology Jan-Mar; 36(1): 24–31.doi: on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4363846/#ref16Retrieved 30/10/2023.
National Tobacco Control Act, 2015. On https://www.fao.org>results.details Retrieved 6/12/2023.
Odejobi, A. Interviewed by Researcher, Kolara–Ogbomoso, October 27, 2023.
Odunlami, E. (2017) “Pastoral Care Response to Addiction Related Sins” in Ogbomoso Journal of Theology vol. xxii No 1, 46–61. Ogbomoso: nbts publication
——— (2021). “Confronting: A Biblical–African Virtue Necessity for Ministering Care in the Contemporary” in Perspectives to Ministering Care, (intellectual Contribution in Honour of Ass. Prof. S. O. Ogundipe). Lagos: Powerlink Press & Publishers.
Ogundipe, S. O. (2014) Pastoral Perspectives on Caring and Counseling for Humans and Sustainable Nature. Lagos: Danobish Creative Prints.
Oyedele, S. O., (2011). Principles and Practices of Pastoral Care and Counselling: Resources for Effective Pastoral Ministry. Ogbomoso: Samark Press and Publishers.
Pratt, D. E. (2024). Providing A Paradigm of Pastoral Care for the Marginalized Through Jesus Centered Eyes at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Church.
Siliconbeachtc, “Four Cs of Addiction” on https://siliconbeachtx.com/four-cs-of-addiction Retrieved 30/10/2023.
Solomon, G. (2023). “Pastoral Care: A Catalyst for Alleviating Crises during Pandemic among Members of Grace Community.” Joseph A. Reni, Ijasini J. Jantiku, Samson A. Iliya and Jonathan A. Abbas (eds), The Church as Grace Community: A Festschrift in Honour of Rev. Prof. Reuben Ishaya Chuga. Kaduna; Oriel Printers.
The Nation Newspaper “Baptist boys march against social vices, preaches virtues” on httpsboys://thenationonlineng.net/baptist-boys-march-against-social-vices-preach- virtues/ Accessed on 21/10/2023.
Ungvarsky, J. (2018). Pastoral care: Spiritual healing Faith (Christianity). Salem Press Encyclopaedia of Health, 2018. http://0-search.ebscohost.com.wam.seals.ac.za
Walter, S. E. (2019). Addiction and Pastoral Care, Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Wilson, D. R. (2022) “Everything you need to know about nicotine” Beth Sissons’ updated on July 29, on https://www.medicalnewstodaycom/articles/240820. Retrieved 30/09/2023.
Guenzel, N. & McChargue, D. [Updated 2023 Jul 21]. Addiction Relapse Prevention. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551500/
Marcovitz, D. E., McHugh, K. R., Roos, C., West, J. J., & Kelly, J. (2020). Overlapping Mechanisms of Recovery Between Professional Psychotherapies and Alcoholics Anonymous. Journal of addiction medicine, 14(5), 367–375. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000000601
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, adaptation, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors are permitted to post their work online in institutional/disciplinary repositories or on their own websites. Pre-print versions posted online should include a citation and link to the final published version in Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication as soon as the issue is available; post-print versions (including the final publisher's PDF) should include a citation and link to the journal's website.