Drug and alcohol addiction are devastating disorders that millions of Americans fall victim to each year. Without quality addiction treatment and intensive therapy, recovering from substance abuse and addiction is fundamentally impossible. The recovery process requires a comprehensive approach to treatment that is tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual patient. There is a wide selection of treatments and therapies that can be included into a person’s individualized rehabilitation treatment plan. What works for one person in addiction treatment, may not work for someone else. Traditional addiction treatment therapies, including the 12-step program, are commonly found at most drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities.

Community-based programs, such as the 12-steps, help build strong social networks, which encourage abstinence and provide addicts in recovery with positive coping skills to assist them in dealing with cravings and environmental triggers. Due to its proven high success rates, Restore Treatment Center regularly incorporates the 12-Step program into addiction treatment models.

What is the 12-Step Program?

12-Step facilitation therapy is an active engagement strategy that can help people who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction. When applied in combination with drug and alcohol treatment modules, the 12-Step program has shown to promote effective and lasting change. The creators of Alcoholics Anonymous originated the 12-steps with the intention of giving addicts in recovery access to a program that was faith-based, had step-by step guidelines that could be worked through at one’s own pace, and that took place in both a group and individual setting. The program motivates people to become actively involved in self-help groups, thereby promoting abstinence.

The three main components behind the 12-Step philosophy:

1. Acceptance: This includes the realization that drug and alcohol addiction are chronic, progressive diseases, over which one has no control; that life has become unmanageable because of drugs and alcohol, that willpower alone cannot defeat the problem, and that abstinence is the only alternative.
2. Surrender: This involves giving oneself over to a higher power, accepting the fellowship and support structure of other addicts in recovery, and following the recovery activities and steps that make up the program.
3. Participation and Engagement: This requires a person to be actively involved in the 12-step meetings and related activities, as well as engage with others in the program.

While the 12-step program was originally intended for the treatment of alcohol dependence, its efficiency led to further research, which discovered that it could also benefit treatment for other forms of drug addiction. 12-Step programs have been proved effective in helping people with substance use disorders to sustain recovery.

How Do The 12-Steps Aid In Addiction Treatment And Recovery?

The 12-Step program is a valuable tool used at the Restore Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center. We believe that this form of therapy supports the course of addiction treatment, because it emphasizes on accepting addiction as a disease, helps addicts work through the necessary steps towards abstinence, and forms strong social bonds. It also provides encouragement and immense support from others who are working to overcome similar obstacles while fighting the same battle. Having a strong support network while in recovery is vital for maintaining sobriety, and the 12-Step program offer each member sponsorship and accountability for supplementary support. Benefits of the program include:

• Having a powerful support group that embraces you, helps you remain sober, and provides encouragement and counsel throughout each day of your recovery.

• It is a self-help group, meaning that it teaches you to take responsibility for your own actions and your own addiction, so that you can make positive lifestyle changes to improve your own recovery.

• The program introduces you to a new group of people, which allows you to form positive relationships with others who have the same mindset and goals as you. It is important to avoid old friends who you associate with drug or alcohol abuse. Oftentimes, the people you meet in 12-Step meetings can become your new social group.

• One of the 12 steps requires you to make amends and rebuild healthy relationships with people you hurt as a result of your addiction.

• Each member will usually have a sponsor who they can turn to for guidance, or for when they are faced with cravings or urges to use drugs or alcohol.

• 12-Step meetings allow you to express what you are going through to people who understand, and also give you the opportunity to learn about other people’s struggles and successes.

• There are 12-Step meetings held every day, all over the country, making it easy and convenient to attend a session.

Who Would Benefit From 12-Step Programs?

Similar to most addiction treatments and therapy programs, 12-Step programs will not work for every person in recovery. Because this is a faith-based program, it is especially helpful for people who have, or who once had, a religious background or upbringing. However, it can help people who previously did not have religious ties, to find hope and guidance in a higher power that can lead them to a successful recovery. Faith-based treatment programs are also a beneficial option for people who do not have a healthy support system at home, or who have no support system at all. A recovering addict who chooses to join a faith-based addiction treatment program, must be willing to accept God or a higher power into their life.

12-Step Programs Promote Lasting Recovery

Once an addict completes treatment, the recovery process is not over. He or she will need to continue attending and participating in aftercare programs and support groups to ensure that sobriety is maintained. One of the most important aspects of life after addiction rehab, is having a stable support group. 12-Step meetings, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, are easily accessible and provide a level of support, guidance, and care that most other programs are not equipped to deliver. Even after a person has completed each of the 12-Steps, he or she can continue attending meetings throughout the course of their lifetime. Additionally, members have a sponsor that they can turn to and who will help them for the years that follow treatment. Becoming another member’s sponsor also promotes long-term recovery, as it holds you responsible for someone else, and therefore, serves as a method of encouragement for sobriety maintenance.

Overcoming alcoholism or drug dependence requires the help of trained professionals. While addiction treatment assists people in initially achieving sobriety, relapse prevention techniques and aftercare services promote ongoing sobriety. If you are suffering from drug or alcohol dependence, and believe that you can benefit from the 12-step programs offered at Restore Treatment LA, help is only a phone call away.