What is the 12 Step Program?

The primary purpose of the 12-step program is to offer people struggling with addiction, a process through which they manage and understand their substance use disorders, along with finding social support for recovery through others who are facing the same struggles.

The 12-step program comprises of group meetings, as the name suggests, anyone who joins a 12-step program is guided through all the 12 steps that are designed to overcome substance addiction. The 12-step program list is below.

• Admitting powerlessness over addiction.

• Finding hope through a greater power or higher goal.

• Turning the power to manage life over to the higher power.

• Analyzing the self and behaviors objectively, described as taking a moral inventory.

• Sharing the results of the analysis with another person or the higher power.

• Preparing to allow the higher power to remove the negative aspects discovered in the analysis.

• Asking the higher power for these negative aspects to be removed.

• Making a complete list of wrongs done to others.

• Making amends for those wrongs, if it is not harmful to the recipient to do so.

• Making self-analysis, removal of faults, and amends regular practices.

• Meditating or pray for the continued ability to recover.

• Helping others in need to go through the same process.

Advantages of 12-Step Programs?

Its been a few years since 12-steps programs such as AA started and helped a lot of people get sober. Since the program started, there have been many advances in the field of addiction recovery. Today we have many evidence-based treatments to assist people in getting sober and staying that way. Some of these methods include cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and medications such as methadone, antidepressants, naltrexone, and buprenorphine. With all of these novel evidence-based treatments becoming more accessible, the advantages of 12 steps have also doubled. Some of them are:

A Sober Community

Probably the most significant advantage of joining a 12-step program is that they offer a ready-made sober community. A vital and sober network is probably one of the best predictors of a fruitful recovery, and it’s also one of the biggest challenges people face while starting the recovery process. Their old friends still use alcohol and drugs, and it’s often hard to meet new people. Being a part of the 12-step program provides social contact with others who can relate to your sobriety goals and are often willing to assist you when you feel tempted or stressed.

Easily Accessible

You can easily find a 12-step program in every city as they’re almost everywhere. This removes a significant excuse for not participating and even making the participation extremely convenient. In most cities, there is probably a meeting within walking distance, making it very easy to incorporate into your daily routine.

Commitment to Recovery

When a person who is struggling with addiction goes to a regular meeting, it renews their commitment to recovery. People go to church every week, so they are reminded of their beliefs and values while seeing their fellow parishioners. Likewise, going to a 12 step meeting regularly will remind you of the many hard-earned lessons that you’ve learned in the program, further pushing your commitment to stay sober.

Provides Structure

The structure is everything when a person is in recovery. Isolation and boredom commonly lead to cravings, which can make the person stress out. Having a fixed schedule that tells where you need to be at the regular time and seeing others who support your recovery provides additional structure to your day while keeping you grounded.

Long-Term Sobriety

For most addicts, it is difficult to stay sober for 24 hours, let alone 50 years, but that’s what you exactly get in the rooms of 12-step programs. In almost any given 12-step room, you might be sitting next to someone with 30 years of sobriety on your right and 50 years of sobriety on your left. These people didn’t get to decades of sobriety by accident – they worked hard with the program. Talking to someone who is content in his/her life and has years of sobriety under their belt could be an inspiration for you to accomplish on your own long-term sobriety goal.

Helping Others

A 12-step program is also an opportunity to be of service. Providing help, counseling, volunteering, or even sharing your journey even in a small way helps in improving your self-esteem and sense of gratitude. It also helps you get outside your own head by forgetting your problems and focusing on helping others instead.