Addiction is a disease. As such, it can strike anyone at any time; it doesn’t discriminate. But like any disease, substance abuse or addiction is highly treatable. Thus, what matters most is finding the right support and help to recover. If you or someone you know has a drug or alcohol addiction, learning how a 12-step program helps recovery is important knowledge to help with the process. This type of treatment holds many benefits for those struggling with an addiction. Programs follow a strict set of rules, each a vital piece to lead to recovery.
What the 12-Step Program Is About
Alcoholics Anonymous invented the original 12-step program in the 1930s. It is a guideline list of ways to overcome alcohol addiction. Due to the success of AA, other addiction recovery organizations also adopted the 12 steps, including Narcotics Anonymous. While the points are altered slightly to address a specific addiction, the core of the steps remains the same.
The 12 Steps has a spiritual background. The language used in the steps uses the word “God” and is extremely religious in nature. However, those who are nonreligious still gain benefits from following the points in the program. The religious portion is written in a way that allows for interpretation depending on a client’s specific beliefs.
The 12 Steps
The 12-step program consists of twelve different points to help someone get through an addictive struggle. These include:
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings
- Made a list of persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when doing so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
How a 12-Step Program Helps Recovery
Many people wonder how a 12-step program helps recovery. Using these twelve points as a guideline gives a person accountability for their actions. Both individual and group therapy sessions center on a specific step. Through this process, all of the recovering members learn from each other to uncover the triggers of their addictions.
Where to Attend A 12-Step Program
At Recovery Ranch PA, we use the 12-step program as a part of our addiction treatment plan. We also offer the following addiction therapy programs:
- 12-Step Program
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program
- Evidence-Based Therapy Program
- Nutrition Therapy Program
If you have questions about how a 12-step program helps recovery, or if you wish to speak to one of our professionals about the treatment options we have available, contact Recovery Ranch PA at 717.969.9126. We believe a mix of compassionate care and therapeutic measures will help you or someone you love, get on the road toward recovery if addiction is an issue.
