The 12-step programme was created by alcoholics anonymous (AA), and is specifically designed to aid addicts in achieving and maintaining abstinence.
The central ethos behind the programme is that participants must admit and surrender to a divine power to live happy lives.
Individuals are to acknowledge and improve behaviours by attending AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings and joining support groups.
Ideas and experiences are shared in meetings, and help is sought in an attempt to achieve abstinence.
What are the 12 Steps by Alcoholics Anonymous?
- 1We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
- 2Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- 3Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- 4Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- 5Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- 6Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- 7Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- 8Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- 9Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- 10Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- 11Sought 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.
- 12Having 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.
The core idea is to motivate recovering addicts to follow its tenets and join peers to attain a state of abstinence and overcome progressive illness.
Addiction experts admit that a belief-based treatment programme, personalised to the patient’s needs, allows people to attain and maintain abstinence compared to the other treatment options.
The 12-Step Approach to Alcohol Addiction
The approach to alcohol addiction helps in learning how to deal with addictions, cope with triggers and maintain abstinence.
Addiction treatment aims to help patients experience a spiritual foundation or “spiritual awakening” – Alcoholics Anonymous used this phrase to represent the personality changes needed to overcome alcohol abuse, substance, and other addictions.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are usually arranged in public places by addiction professionals and addiction counsellors, such as churches, schools, national institutes, and community centres.
History of the 12-Step Programme for Alcohol Addiction
This programme was designed in 1935 by Dr Robert Holbrook Smith and Bill Wilson.
Since then, several other organisations have followed the Alcoholics Anonymous approach for overeating, compulsive gambling, and drug addiction.
In 1946, the twelve traditions, later named the 12 spiritual principles, were formally established to help addicts cope with addiction issues.
Alternatives
SMART Recovery
SMART stands for “Self-Management and Recovery Training.”
SMART Recovery meetings are based on a four-point programme that combines coping strategies, motivation, cognitive-behavioural management, and models for living a sober life.
RIA Health
RIA Health is an app that combines counselling and anti-craving medication.
With this programme, the addicts get access to medical counselling, online support groups, addiction counsellors and a personal recovery coach from home.
Addiction experts and healthcare professionals manage RIA health.
Treatments are individualised to the patient’s drinking goals.
The programme is evidence-based and works on psychological and physical factors.
Weekly group calls are arranged for peer support and 1 by 1 recovery support is offered.
Participants of the programme learn:
- To cope with triggers and cravings,
- Self-managing strategies to reduce anxiety levels and break habits
- To deal with triggers, stigma, and shame
Moderation Management
Moderation Management is designed for drinkers who are in the initial stages of addiction.
It involves a 9-step treatment programme where the patient sets goals, manages individual suffering, and learns coping strategies, self-management strategies, and drinking limits.
Naked Mind
This online programme comprises a community and various informal products (addiction medicine).
The treatment provider helps remove cravings and triggers by belief deconstruction about alcohol by addiction professionals and support groups.
Women for Sobriety
This is exclusively for women with substance abuse disorders.
The updated Life Programme has been designed based on 13 acceptance statements targeted to promote growth.
The programme aims for abstinence, and the addicts are offered chat leaders, addiction counsellors, certified moderators, and in-person support groups.
Members learn to address problems, problem-solving strategies, and cognitive-behavioural strategies.
The Tempest Sobriety School
This school has designed an 8-week online course for addicts and aims for abstinence.
The programme includes weekly lectures, an online course, Q&A sessions, a support community, addiction counsellors, and breakout groups.
Patients learn intention-setting, mindfulness and meditation, craving strategies, and creating a sober road map.
Harm Reduction for Alcohol (HAMS)
HAMS is a group led by peers advocating harm reduction who provide information and support to those who want to change drinking habits.
HAMS consists of 17 steps, and its goal is abstinence or moderation.
The individuals are self-directed with peer support and resources, email groups, chat rooms, private Facebook groups, official HAMS articles and books, live meetings, and regular recovery plans.
IGNTD Recovery
The programme is designed to maintain abstinence or moderation.
It offers live group support chats, online addiction courses, how to live shame-free, and a variety of teaching approaches to an individual’s recovery to meet self-needs.
With mindset coaching, the patients learn meditation, hypnosis, mindfulness, dialectical behaviour strategies, cognitive-behavioural strategies, and habit change strategies.
LifeRing
LifeRing offers in-person, peer-to-peer support, online resources and meetings.
The programme aims for abstinence and includes email groups, forums, online and local meetings, addiction counsellors, and peer-to-peer support.
SOS Sobriety
This programme is for those looking for non-religious alternatives to anonymous alcoholics meetings.
The primary purpose of this programme is the maintenance of abstinence.
The patients are served with online groups, local groups, reliable treatment facilities and mutual support. They learn to maintain or at least achieve abstinence, rational decision making and follow a cycle of sobriety that includes acceptance, admittance, and prioritizing abstinence.
12 Step Terminology
Altruism—This principle promotes the continuation of 12-step groups within local communities. It outlines the desire to help others without expecting anything in return.
Acceptance – known as the key to recovery. Personal acknowledgement that a problem with substance use occurs is vital to ongoing recovery.
Denial – pretending a problem does not exist or minimalising it stops the personal acknowledgement required early in recovery. Denial can also be used to blame others or situations for the substance use, i.e. It’s his fault…it’s her fault…if I hadn’t lost my job.
Self-honesty – rehab promotes self-honesty. Recovery needs to be based upon the truth and not lies.
Willingness – recovery requires action. Talking in groups, attending self-help meetings, and maintaining abstinence all require willingness.
Open-mindedness – learning a new philosophy requires an open mind. The philosophy of total abstinence from all alcohol and drugs and connectivity to a broader group of like-minded people requires a mind receptive to new ideas.
Spiritual Principles—Different principles are found throughout the 12 Steps, such as honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, acceptance, hope, faith, trust, courage, integrity, humility, love, and perseverance.
Implementing these principles into a sober way of living promotes long-term recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
In rehab the person will hear a lot about 12 Step self-help groups as mentioned above i.e. AA, CA, GA & NA. If attending one Aftercare group (with Abbeycare) per week a person will be encouraged to join a local support group and go as often as possible to promote long term sobriety.
12 Step groups use Sponsors to guide a person through the programme. In short, a sponsor is a person who has completed the 12 Steps and has good sobriety.
SMART Recovery groups do not require a person to have a sponsor.
The 12 Steps are known as spiritual in nature not religious. Although the word God is used many times throughout the 12 Step Programme it is not a religious programme and follows no organised religion.
The 12 Steps use ‘a power greater than’ as a concept, when considering the word God, a perception of ‘a power greater’ immediately springs to mind.
Members who regularly present as Atheist can choose any ‘power greater’ than oneself and replace that word with the word God.
Also, the use of Acronyms is encouraged when considering God such as; Get Off Drink, Get Off Drugs or Good Orderly Direction.
The 12 Steps are designed to be all inclusive reaching all who attend regardless of personal beliefs.
Family members are concerned at all times for the well-being of their loved ones. Entering into a rehab programme can be an uncertain time for all.
At the Family Support Group held within Abbeycare loved ones are informed about the benefits of community-based recovery and how the 12 Steps can help promote long term sobriety.
It has been identified that the 12 Steps utilise a number of different treatment modalities such as CBT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, MI Motivational Interviewing and Peer Led.
When facilitating groups, the trained professionals will draw upon the similarities in each model.
If you wish to learn more about our Addiction Treatment or 12 Step rehabilitation programmes call our free 24/7 Helpline on 01603 513 091 or request a free pricing guide below.
