12-Step Addiction Treatment in Boynton Beach

Home / Treatment / 12-Step Addiction Treatment

The Power of Support: How 12-Step Programs (Twelve-Step Programs) Help People Overcome Addiction

In the depths of addiction, a glimmer of hope often lies within the strength and support of a collective journey. 12 step programs have emerged as a pathway to guide and empower individuals battling substance use disorders.

The principal premise during the treatment and addiction recovery is to practice self-acceptance, receive community support, and experience a spiritual awakening.

While they first appeared as a way to address alcoholism, they’ve expanded to address a multitude of addictive issues and behaviors, including gambling, drug addiction, and compulsive eating disorders.

In this article, we’ll talk about all the aspects of 12-step programs, how they’re effective, and why addiction habits form in the first place.

WHAT IS A 12-STEP PROGRAM: HISTORY AND EMERGENCE

In the 1930s, two friends came together to cooperate against a struggle they were both facing. Bill Wilson and Bob Smith founded the Alcoholics Anonymous (Al-Anon) support group in 1935 to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals struggling with alcohol abuse.

They could come together to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes. Through regular 12-step meetings, members had the opportunity to connect with others who have faced similar challenges, fostering a sense of community and understanding.

While Alcoholics Anonymous works on alcohol addiction in particular, the 12-step programs have expanded to address a wide range of substance dependency issues like drug abuse. These include drugs, prescription medicine, and other addictive behaviors.

The principles and steps outlined in these programs are designed to be adaptable and applicable to various forms of addiction, offering a universal framework for the 12 steps of recovery.

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF A 12-STEP PROGRAM?

Alcoholics Anonymous published the following 12 steps in Alcoholics Anonymous:

• 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.
• Decided 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’re entirely ready to have God remove all these 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 alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

To make the steps applicable to other types of addictions, “alcohol” and “alcoholics” in steps one and twelve, respectively, are changed to the corresponding terms.

These include other groups such as:

• Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA)
• Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
• Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Marijuana Anonymous (MA)
• Heroin Anonymous (HA)
• Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA)

WHAT ARE THE TRADITIONS OF 12-STEP PROGRAMS?

The Twelve Traditions go hand-in-hand with the Twelve Steps. They serve as an outline for 12-step groups to make running the programs easier.

Alcoholics Anonymous came up with them to tackle any issues that may arise regarding religion, finances, and politics. These Twelve Traditions are as follows:

• Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.
• For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
• The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.
• Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.
• Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
• An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related  facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
• Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
• Alcoholics Anonymous world services should remain forever non-professional, but our service treatment centers may employ special workers.
• AA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
• Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
• Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always to maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
• Anonymity is the spiritual principle of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

WHAT’S IN A 12-STEP DRUG REHAB PROGRAM?

If you’re wondering what you or a loved one will experience in a 12-step program, here are some details that will help ease your mind: 

Acknowledgment: The first step in the program involves admitting powerlessness over addiction and acknowledging how it’s taking a negative toll on one’s life beyond an ability to manage it.

• Higher Power: Individuals are encouraged to develop a relationship with a higher power of their understanding. It can be religious, spiritual, or a broader concept such as the universe, nature, or one’s inner strength.
• Spiritual Connection: Participants then begin connecting with this higher power through prayer, meditation, and other practices.
• Moral Inventory: Each participant has to engage in a thorough self-examination. Through the process, they identify and admit their character defects, past mistakes, and harmful behaviors related to substance abuse.
• Making Amends: Participants begin taking responsibility for their actions and seek to make amends with anyone they may have caused harm due to their compulsive behaviors.
• Supportive Community: Community support is the pillar of 12-step programs, and people will get in regular meetings that enhance their sense of belonging and allow them to share and listen with others who understand their struggles.
• Mentorship: Many times, recovery can be expedited when a person has a mentor or has sponsorship to guide them through their recovery process.
• Personal Growth: The journey entails a lifelong quest for personal growth and continually striving to change for the better.
• Maintaining a Self-Reflecting Mindset: Participants should stick to the principles they learned in the program, remaining vigilant about triggers and potential relapse. They should also often self-reflect and be accountable for their actions.
• Service: Giving back to the community is one of the best ways to practice the program’s teachings. This entails helping others who are struggling with addiction and sharing their experiences, strength, and hope.

HOW EFFECTIVE IS A 12-STEP PROGRAM?

There’s no formal research that confirms or denies the effectiveness of the program, as it’s entirely anonymous. Yet, there are plenty of success stories that suggest 12-step programs can indeed be quite effective.

So, you must stop to wonder how effective 12-step programs are since they’re time-consuming and can take a toll on your finances as well.

While some people greatly benefit from 12-step programs, the progress depends on each individual’s response.

The effectiveness of 12-step programs lies in their ability to foster a sense of belonging, understanding, and shared purpose among individuals struggling with various types of addictions.

The regular meetings encourage people to open up and receive support and encouragement from others who understand their struggles.

PROS AND CONS OF A 12-STEP PROGRAM

Although 12-step programs are good at their core, the process could have some drawbacks. So, what are the pros and cons of these programs?

Pros:

• Provide a structured and supportive environment for recovery.
• Help people identify and address the root causes of their addiction.
• Teach people how to develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and temptation.
• Provide a sense of community and belonging.

Cons:

• Participation could be harder with chronic health or mental health conditions.
• Might not work for those who aren’t ready to admit the accountability of addiction and recovery is on them.
• Could bring about feelings of disempowerment due to the emphasis on letting go, while focusing on a higher power could be less effective for some people.
• Doesn’t include physical aspects such as withdrawal and drug detox.

ALTERNATIVES TO 12-STEP PROGRAMS

There are plenty of alternatives to 12-step programs that you can resort to during your battle with addiction. There are other methods and programs that you can look into, including the following:

SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery offers a secular alternative to 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Instead of focusing on powerlessness and spirituality, SMART Recovery empowers individuals to take control of their substance abuse.

SMART Recovery encourages people to think that addiction is a learned habit that they can modify.

The method is rooted in behavioral health therapy principles, which help members develop motivation, manage cravings, challenge negative thoughts, and establish great importance to healthcare specifically when it comes to behavior.

Secular Organizations for Sobriety (S.O.S.)

Secular Organizations for Sobriety method focuses on helping individuals overcome addictions by aligning their actions with their values and principles. It omits the reliance on a higher power.

The method empowers participants to make sobriety their top priority and take proactive steps to stay on the path to recovery.

The S.O.S. method can be an excellent alternative for those who aren’t religious or spiritual, or people who were harmed by the ideas of powerlessness that 12-step programs impose on individuals.

Professional One-On-One Treatment

You can seek medical professional treatment even while you’re in a mutual aid group, whether it’s a 12-step program or an alternative approach.

Hand-in-hand, both methods can increase the likelihood of recovery.

Professional treatment is tailored to individual needs, and it can include therapy, medication-assisted treatment, or inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation.

WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME ADDICTED?

There are a myriad of reasons why someone could become an addict. These range from personal predispositions to the influence of external factors.

• Genetic Predisposition: Genetic predisposition plays a significant role in addiction susceptibility. The likelihood of developing the disorder yourself increases if there’s a family history of addiction.
• Brain Chemistry: Addiction alters the brain’s reward system, causing an intense surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Upon engaging in the addictive behavior, the surge of dopamine reinforces the behavior, making it harder to resist.
• Environmental Factors: Environmental factors like stress, trauma, early exposure to addictive substances, and peer pressure can increase the risk of addiction.
• Mental Health Conditions: Mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often co-occur with addiction, as individuals may use substances to self-medicate.
• Personality Traits: Certain personality traits, such as impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and low self-esteem, may increase the likelihood of developing an addiction.

HOW TO PREVENT ADDICTION

The best way to prevent addiction is to be well-aware and well-educated about the early warning signs, whether in yourself or others.

• Positive Relationships and Support: Having strong social connections and supportive friends and family members can provide a sense of belonging. This reduces the risk of isolation, which can contribute to addiction.
• Healthy Activities: Engaging in enjoyable activities is a healthy source of dopamine. It also allows an individual to have a positive outlet for emotions and reduces the likelihood of addictive behaviors.
• Self-Care: Prioritizing self-care or self-help practices such as getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly can promote overall well-being and reduce stress levels.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In conclusion, 12-step programs have been proven to be a powerful and transformative resource for individuals struggling with addiction.

By providing a structured framework, a supportive community, and a pathway to personal growth, these programs offer a lifeline for those seeking recovery and aftercare.

Through self-reflection, accountability, connection, and proper follow-up people can find hope for a better future and embark on a journey toward a healthier, more fulfilling life.