Substance use disorder (or addiction) is a multi-layered challenge – it not only injures the life of the person, but also the family and community. However, here is the thing – healing also lies in finding one another during these times of despair.
12-Step groups and meetings emerged from the desire to find a listening ear when things seem overwhelming. Inspired by the power of fellowship and the healing found in sharing struggles and achievements became the core of fostering a community that emboldens members to journey toward a life free from the grip of all substances.
What Is the 12-Step Program?
A 12-Step program is a fellowship that brings together those members who wish to learn about or recover from substance use and other kinds of behavioral addictions, like gambling, eating, shopping, sex, and so on.
These programs offer a goal-oriented, structured approach based on the philosophy of 12 Steps, where each step builds on the other toward healing and personal growth within the setting of a supportive community.
Anyone who desires to overcome addiction is welcome into the 12-Step programs. Members respect each other’s journey, privacy, healing, and growth. This trust-filled setting connects those who understand where the other has been and where they are going, thereby providing the solace and strength that says, “You are not alone in this!”
Common examples of 12-Step programs include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Gamblers Anonymous (GA), Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA), and more.
Who Can Benefit From the 12-Step Program?
Anybody who is willing to recover and maintain recovery can benefit from a 12-Step program. When you regularly attend, participate, and engage in 12-Step meetings, you are more likely to achieve and sustain recovery.
However, please remember that 12-Step programs are not a replacement for clinical care or therapy, but can co-exist with these other recovery options. In fact, staying involved in 12-Step meetings can ensure that the program works for you in sustaining your recovery.
A Step-by-Step Overview of the 12 Steps
The 12 Steps are the founding philosophy of 12 Step groups, like AA and NA. However, in recovery, you may have to visit each of these steps more than once. The 12 Steps are as follows:
- We admitted we were powerless over the substance or behavior – 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.
- We were entirely ready to have God remove all those defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do 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 others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Note: These 12 steps have been adapted from The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
The Role of Support Groups in the 12-Step Program
Support groups are integral to 12-Step programs, as the crux of step work is that it is done within a community setting. You work with other members and sponsors who encourage you to participate and take personal ownership of your recovery.
It is this support system that is fostered by the strength and resolve to abstain from substances. This is why a lot of studies have indicated that 12-Step programs like AA are as effective and cheaper than other recovery options like cognitive behavioral therapy.
How to Get Started With a 12-Step Program?
To get started with a 12-Step program, you can reach out to your primary healthcare provider or family and friends for reference. Or, you can Google, “12-Step programs near me,” to find the list of 12-Step meetings near you.
You can explore these meetings and attend the one that clicks with you. It may not be the case that you will find the right meeting right away; you may have to switch back and forth to find one where you feel right at home.
The Long-Term Benefits of Practicing the 12 Steps
You stand to gain a lot of long-term benefits of practicing the 12 Steps, such as:
- A supportive sober community that will encourage you to take personal responsibility for your recovery. You can also rely on them during times of crisis.
- 12-Step meetings provide a structure in your life that prioritizes recovery every day.
- The 12 Steps also help you develop healthy coping mechanisms that allow you to cope with life’s ups and downs without having to resort to substance use.
- You can introspect, identify the areas of progress, and those where you need improvement.
- You build personal ownership of your recovery, where the motivation to sustain your recovery comes from within.
Final Reflections
If you are struggling with substance use disorder or behavioral addictions, then the 12 Steps can become crucial to your recovery. However, they cannot be a replacement for clinical care or therapy – they can co-exist with these options to provide a well-rounded path to your recovery.