When dealing with an addiction, whether it is to drugs or alcohol, most people at some point will want to stop and in order to do it will need to get professional help. The reasons behind someone turning to drugs or alcohol are as complicated and complex as the individual and each person’s journey to getting clean and sober is going to be different. Many individuals are willing to only endure so much and reach a point to where it makes sense to seek professional help and one of the most important parts of the services offered by a treatment program are 12-step meetings.
What are 12-step meetings? In short, these meetings are offered by most treatment programs located in the United States and are a vital part of the recovery process. A twelve step program is a complete set of guiding principles which outline a course of action for recovering from behavioral issues, compulsiveness or some type of addiction. These programs were originally offered by Alcoholics Anonymous as part of recovering from alcoholism, but the methods became adopted by other organizations and treatment programs and became the cornerstone of other programs like Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and others.
The outline of 12-step meetings involves an individual taking a look at the situation from an open and honest standpoint. Principles which guide twelve step meetings include admitting that the person is unable to control the addiction, recognizing a higher power provides strength, examining mistakes of the past with the help of another individual, making amends for past wrongdoings, and learning to live a new life which includes better behavior and helping others going through a struggle with an addiction. More than 200 different organizations utilize twelve step programs for individuals and the principles can be modified to suit various different addictions or compulsion scenarios.
First founded in 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous was the first organization to put to use the 12-step principles. Since that time, the idea and concept involving these programs have been instrumental in motivating life changes within many addicts and alcoholics. There are many benefits to be had from attending twelve step meetings and particularly during times of emotional crisis or in a moment of weakness. Having the chance to attend a group session can play an instrumental role in helping the person stay focused on sobriety an a twelve step meeting helps keep the individual strong and promotes the use of the skills and tools the person learned in rehabilitation.
The original twelve steps of alcoholics anonymous are designed to not only help a person live as a clean and sober individual, but are also crucial to the type of future an individual will have. In some cases where 12-step programs are utilized for other groups, the principles are altered to the point of being unique to that particular fellowship and devoid of gender or religious bias. Not only is it the goal of an individual in a twelve step program to experience personal and lifelong recovery, but also to carry the importance of sobriety to those still stuck in the clutches of an addiction problem.
For those that have no understanding of what a 12-step program is all about, it involves the whole individual, physically, mentally and spiritually. The problems a group of addicted people will go through are manifested within each element of a human and can present in a number of different ways. Some of the physical manifestations a person may experience can include; lack of impulse control, hyperactivity, insomnia, irritability, laziness and lack of motivated, mania, illnesses, procrastination, self-injury, destructibility, dysfunctional enabling, panic attacks, depression, and possibly suicidal thoughts or tendencies.
Part of the principles of a 12-step program is the mental obsession which makes an addict repeat negative behavior patterns and thinking they can go back to using or drinking and that somehow things can be controlled or will be different. With regular attendance of the meetings the addict or alcoholic learns that while they are powerless over the substance abuse and related behavior, it is a critical choice whether or not to do it. The goal of using twelve step meetings in the modalities of treating a substance abuse problem is to get the individual back on the path to living a clean and sober life and to help them maintain ongoing sobriety.
The premise of 12-step meetings is to allow the individual to learn new behaviors and gradually adopt a new way of living. While the habits and behaviors involving substance abuse are self-centered on the addict, the process of working in steps is to replace negative behaviors and to help the individual grow a conscience and the ability to be open and self-sacrificing towards others. When someone is attending twelve step meetings it is the hope of the program to help the individual experience a spiritual awakening, and this will happen slowly over a period of time.
Throughout treatment and after it has been completed and the individual becomes sober, it is important for a recovery client to regularly attend meetings with others in the same situation. Twelve step groups utilize a system in which a person admits to the problem they have and is open and honest about the situation with others. Once treatment has been completed and the individual intends on remaining clean and sober, 12-step meetings can be a very important part of ongoing recovery.
Another important aspect of 12-step meetings is the inclusion of a sponsor, which is a person with more experience in recovery that guides a newcomer through the program. Newly sober members of a twelve step program are encouraged and guided to establish a relationship with at least one, if not more, sponsor. Sponsors share with others life experiences, strength and hope to the new member of the program. A sponsor is not going to act as a moral compass, marital counselor, parent, enabler, social worker or fulfill any other role. The mission of a sponsor is to be willing and open to share their own personal experiences through a twelve step program.
The goal of a sponsor is to engage a newly recovered individual into activities that lead to spiritual and emotional growth. Some sponsors in a 12-step program will engage the individual in literary discussions, studying, meditation and writing in a journal to chronicle emotions and thoughts. The personal nature of the problems that lead someone to develop an addiction or alcoholism, results in helping the sponsor and recovery client to form a close and strong relationship. Twelve step programs are not only important in the clinical atmosphere, but also outside the walls of the treatment program as well.
Traditional 12-step meetings have been long utilized in the world of addiction and alcoholism treatment because of everything beneficial these programs provide. Through being responsible, proactive and regular attendance of the meetings and enlisting the help of others that care, the nightmare of addiction and alcoholism can finally end and a person can recover. When an individual becomes used to applying the skills, tools and principles learned at twelve step meetings to daily life, it is entirely possible to experience a lifelong recovery.
There is no reason for a person to be afraid of attending a 12-step meeting; it is not a place where people gang up on someone new. Nobody is judged, singled out, ridiculed or chastised, instead a person will find total acceptance, understanding and spiritual fulfillment from this type of environment. While it may be intimidating to think about attending a twelve step program, once a person becomes familiar with the goings on and sees how it is, they come to realize how important these programs are to long term sobriety and recovery.
Some people view 12-step meetings as a sign of failure or feel ashamed from having to go to a place like this, overcoming these hesitations will happen once the individual is ready to open up and allow the program to work miracles in their life. Countless numbers of newly recovered drug and alcohol clients will attend their very first twelve step meeting while in a treatment program, once they are ready to graduate to living in the outside world it is important to keep attending. Committing to a clean and sober life and regularly attending twelve step meetings are an instrumental way in which many individuals receive the foundation needed to remaining sober long after treatment is over.
Finding a 12-step program is not difficult, there are meetings located all over the country and locating one is as easy as checking online schedules or the local church or community center. Once an individual has completely gone through a professional alcohol or drug rehabilitation program, attending twelve step meetings are something which should be included in daily life. Putting and ending to drug and alcohol addiction is something that lies within the heart and soul of everyone, with time, treatment and twelve step meetings, the person can find the path to healing and enjoy all the benefits that come from having a clean and sober life.