12-Step Recovery Programs and Their Relevance in Addiction Recovery

Many addiction recovery centers consider 12 steps as an effective strategy in addiction recovery. The history of 12 Steps begins in 1935 when a man named Bill Wilson nearly drank to death and tried to commit suicide. After hospitalization, he along with Dr. Bob came up with Alcohol Anonymous (AA) which provided guidelines for alcohol addiction. 

The 12-step program is designed to help an individual suffering from addiction and provide a pathway to life-long sobriety. Many recovery centers resort to 12-step programs for recovery and they combine it with other treatments like behavioral therapies and medication-assisted treatments to get the best result.

Today, many recovery centers like the TruPath Recovery Center take a holistic approach to addiction recovery. They use behavior health treatment programs, therapeutic services, detox, a customized holistic approach, and 12-step programs for lifelong sobriety.

The recovery center tries to empower addicted individuals and help them lead their best life without the support of drugs and alcohol. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, look for a 12-step group or detox locations near you and get help as quickly as possible before the situation gets worse. 

Go through the article if you are wondering what exactly are 12-step programs and how they are beneficial to addiction recovery.

What are 12-step recovery programs?

There are many types of 12-step programs and one of the most famous 12-step programs is Alcohol Anonymous. Now, let us look what are the common 12-step recovery programs.

The first and most important step is acceptance where you need to accept that you are struggling with alcohol addiction. Understand that you have become powerless and you are under the control of the substance completely

Deciding to get help is the second step. Understand that you cannot deal with it alone and get outside help to treat addiction.

The third and very effective method in the 12 steps is to consult someone who was a former addict and recovered to become your sponsor. The sponsor will be your mentor throughout the treatment and recovery process and will give you support and proper guidance.

The next step in this recovery program is to make up for the mistakes made. While using alcohol or some other substance, you may hurt a lot of people, especially the ones who love you. Your family and friends must be saddened to see you getting addicted to alcohol and destroying your life. Try to stop using alcohol or drugs, but if you cannot control or stop it, then it’s time for you to seek help from an addiction treatment center for recovery.

Continuing to stay sober without using alcohol or other substances makes the next step. You should try to stay sober by attending meetings, reading books, talking to other people in the same situation, and more.

In the sixth step, you will have to get medical help and therapy for treating depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues caused due to prolonged alcohol or substance abuse.

In the next step, you need to leave behind all hopes of recovering quickly. Remember that recovery is a very long process. Thinking that you will be able to free yourself from addiction will only make you depressed and hopeless.

Next, you need to take note of everything that comes to your mind while thinking of drugs or other addictive substances. You need to write down all the triggering factors.

The ninth step is where you have to face god. You are surrendering completely and asking Him to forgive you for all the mistakes that you did due to your addiction.

You accept your part in getting to the problem. Nobody likes to admit their faults and shortcoming. But it is a vital part of addiction recovery.

Finding the purpose of your life and discovering who you truly are is the eleventh step. While under influence, your actions and thoughts were only centered on the substance of addiction. Now, you have to take control of your life, take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, and find a new purpose in life.

The final step in12-step recovery program is seeking a superior power to help you get over your addiction and other concerns.

Now let us learn why a 12-step program is effective.

Why does a 12-step program work?

While every group is different, generally every group will provide the opportunity for the addicted individual to acknowledge their problems and share their stories and challenges. This will create a sense of group and hope in the individual. Further, there will be sessions for meditation and prayer which will help them relax and reduce their stress and anxiety.

Also, the group provides a non-judgmental space where the person can share all their issues. Moreover, the participants are not allowed to advise others or talk about an individual outside the group, making it a very safe space.

The 12-step program is an effective treatment program for addiction recovery, making it highly relevant. It provides peer support, provides encouragement, and hope, and instills accountability in people who want to recover from their addiction. The member of the program along with sponsorship meetings will provide social and emotional support for them to stay sober.

So, if you or your loved one is struggling with addiction, contact rehabs that take a holistic treatment approach to recover from addiction and stay sober.