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Addiction is a widespread problem that doesn’t seem to stop. Many people already lost their lives while others struggle to get rid of substance use disorder.
Drug or alcohol dependence is never good for your body, health, or mind. It has devastating effects on those caught in its cycle. Thankfully, different treatment programs help people overcome their addiction issues. An effective solution is the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program that helps people struggling with addiction and get rid of substance abuse.
AA’s twelve-step program is a support-group-based solution for alcohol and drug addiction. It helps people recover from drug use, behavioral addictions, and co-occurring mental health problems. The 12-step meeting AA isn’t the right addiction treatment for everyone. But it does help people who are trying to get rid of substance abuse.
This support group program for drug and alcohol addicts causes a sort of spiritual awakening that is considered necessary for the recovery process. To learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous’s 12-step program, you should read the post below.
What Is The 12-Step Program For Drug Addiction?
The 12-step program is created by Alcoholics Anonymous to help people suffering from illicit drug use. This 12-step treatment is based on spiritual principles and uses prayer and meditation to overcome addiction.
Narcotics Anonymous program is for alcohol and drug use, and other dysfunctional and addictive behaviors. The principles outline the twelve steps to overcome addiction, avoid drug and alcohol use, and live a healthy life.
12-step groups provide an anonymous, supportive, and safe environment to maintain sobriety, build bonds, and share knowledge with others in similar situations.
AA 12 steps are self-help programs and therefore, members manage the group themselves. In a 12-step facilitation setup, members help and encourage each other to share their experiences and feelings about addiction. They work together and follow 12 traditions to make the addiction recovery process easy.
Twelve-step facilitation programs work by making each member experience a ‘spiritual awakening.’ This inspires them to make personal changes and overcome addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Alcoholics Anonymous made a big book that consists of the details of twelve-step programs. This book carries this message to alcoholics and helps them get rid of alcohol problems. The good thing is that these residential programs are free and accessible to anybody who needs help. You follow the steps in the book to maintain abstinence from substances.
Addiction treatment centers provide substance abuse and mental health services, including 12-step programs for alcohol. 12-step AA members provide book alcoholics anonymous to people attending 12-step meetings. The book contains the guiding principles that teach the use of a 12-step program to the members of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The 12 Steps
The original 12-step program is adapted over time, but the premise of each step remains the same. Anybody who desires to stop drinking, practice these principles to overcome substance use disorder. It gives them purpose and the strength to recover.
The 12 steps are:
Honesty
Step 1 requires you to admit that you are powerless over alcohol or drug problems.
Faith
You believe in a higher power to help you overcome substance abuse.
Surrender
You decide to surrender yourself to god and let him take control.
Soul Searching
You identify your problems and how it affects you and the people around you.
Integrity
You admit your wrongdoings in front of god and another person.
Acceptance
You accept yourself the way you are and trust loving god as he may remove the shortcomings in your character.
Humility
You ask god to help by doing things that cannot be done by mere determination or self-will.
Willingness
You list the names of people you hurt before coming 12-step self-help group.
Forgiveness
You make amends to heal your relationships.
Maintenance
You contact the people you hurt unless doing so is bad for them.
Making Contact
You seek help and make a connection with god through prayer and meditation.
Service
You carry the 12-step program message to people wherever possible.
The 12 Traditions
The 12-step program has 12 different traditions for the group members. The 12 steps focus on each person individually, but the 12 traditions speak to the whole group. These traditions are mentioned in the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book. Most 12-step self-help programs adapted these traditions for their benefit.
The 12 traditions are:
- The group’s welfare is the priority and personal recovery depends on AA unity.
- For group purposes, there is but one higher power – God. He leads and governs us.
- AA members should have the desire to stop drinking.
- Each group is autonomous except in matters that affect other groups as well.
- A 12-step AA group should never finance or endorse the AA name to any other facility, or divert the purpose from the group.
- Every AA member ought to be self-sufficient, and not rely on outside contributions.
- Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional. However, they do employ special workers.
- If needed, AA groups may create committees or service boards to serve their purpose.
- Alcoholics Anonymous has nothing to do with outside issues, and therefore, members shouldn’t drag the name into a public controversy ever.
- The public relations policy is based on attraction, not promotion.
- Anonymity is the foundation of AA groups and their traditions.
History Of The 12 Step Programs For Alcohol
The 12-step program for alcohol is created by Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1938, Bill Wilson tried to carry this message and wrote out the ideas to share his own experience with others. He mentioned the benefits experienced when addicts shared their stories.
Wilson’s Big Book contains a 12-step program that has the power to carry his teachings and ideas. The original 12 Steps are based on spiritualism and involve seeking help from a higher power and others suffering from the same addiction problem.
The Big Book is a guide for people who cannot be a part of AA fellowship online meetings. It is the model for the 12-step program and is used by several mutual support programs and support groups.
Alcoholics Anonymous made the 12-step model, but now we have other offshoots, including Gamblers Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, and Heroin Anonymous.
Final Words
The 12-step program is beneficial for people who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction problems. This program is different from other substance abuse treatment services for many reasons. The 12-step program involves AA support groups and members follow 12 steps and traditions to overcome addiction. The aspects of the 12-step program are based on spirituality.
FAQs
The 12-step program by Alcoholics Anonymous may not be beneficial for everybody. People should rely on it only if they see results.
The 12-step addiction program provides a group set up and members follow twelve steps and twelve traditions to experience spiritual awakening to get rid of their problems.
The twelve steps book by AA is called the 'Big Book.' It contains the 12 steps that the group members follow.
New AA members are required to attend 90 meetings in 90 days.
No 12-step groups are religious. But they do follow spiritual traditions and steps for healing addiction.
