The 12 Step Rehab approach was created by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. They viewed this as the best way to establish guidelines for overcoming alcohol addiction. Because of the high success rate of the program, other addiction groups and rehab centers began taking the approach and adapting it to meet the needs of their patients. Countless people have found that 12 Step Rehab is very effective for addiction recovery.
Many 12 Step programs have been developed for various kinds of compulsive behavior and addictions. While using those same 12 Steps, the programs are adjusted to meet the patient needs on different levels. While the 12 Steps do rely heavily on spirituality, many who are not religious have found the program to be extremely helpful in overcoming their addictions and behaviors.
The 12 Step approach has language emphasizing God’s presence – but it is as each participant understands Him – which in turn, allows different religious beliefs and interpretations to use the program successfully.
Looking at the 12 Step Rehab
Recovery is a lifelong process, and there is no wrong way to approach the 12 Steps of the program. An individual will need to figure out what best suits their specific needs in order to learn how the 12 Steps can help them and what approach they should take. Most participants find that they will have to revisit some steps more than once, and some patients might have to focus on more than one step at a time.
The 12 Steps as used by Alcoholics Anonymous are:
- Admit that you are powerless over using the specific substance and your life is not manageable as it is.
- Believe there is a greater Power than you who can restore your sanity.
- Make the decision to hand over your life and your will to God as you personally understand Him.
- Search yourself and do a moral inventory of the situation.
- Reach the point of readiness for God to remove character flaws.
- Ask God to take away all your shortcomings.
- Make a list of individuals that you have hurt, then be willing to apologize and make amends with those individuals.
- Make things right to those that you have wronged and hurt throughout life whenever and wherever possible, unless to do so would injure them or other people.
- Continue taking personal inventory and admit your wrongs.
- Use meditation and prayer to improve conscious contact with God as you see and understand Him. Then pray for knowledge about His will for you and the ability and power to carry it out.
- Because of these steps, you can experience a spiritual awakening, so try to carry this message to addicts and to practice these principles in your daily lives.
The Effectiveness of 12 Step Rehab
There have been many studies regarding 12 Step programs. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, those who participate in a 12 Step program are twice as likely to still be abstaining from using drugs or alcohol a year after starting the program. Much of the credit was given to the positive results learned in rehab. Combining the 12 Steps with rehab allowed for continued abstinence because of the psychological and spiritual mechanisms being intertwined.
There was a group of individuals who had entered a program that didn’t involve 12 Steps. A year later, between 20% to 25% of them were still abstaining from drug use. When a similar group that had undergone the 12 Step approach was interviewed, almost twice as many – nearly 50% – were still abstaining from drug use a year later.
The Veterans Administration has also published information that revealed patients who attended a 12 Step program more often in each three-month interval after finishing treatment were much more likely to abstain from alcohol use during that specific interval. The findings revealed that those who participated in such programs were much more likely to abstain from substance use for as long as 15 years after completing the program.
Choosing a Rehab Program
If you are struggling with addiction, finding the right rehabilitation center to work alongside you is essential to your recovery. In order to be successful, it is important to consider a program that uses the 12 Step approach. Ocean Hills Recovery utilizes the principles of the 12 Step approach in conjunction with other treatment methods and approaches.
We use the basics of the successful 12 Step program and will expand on it to develop a program that is even more effective for individuals that are ready to rid themselves of their addiction.
Ocean Hills Recovery understands that you can’t use a one-size-fits-all approach or a cookie-cutter approach because each patient comes to us with different needs. When you choose Ocean Hills Recovery, a thorough assessment will be done to determine which kinds of therapies and processes will work best for your specific needs and situation.
In order to come up with an effective approach, we take the time to consider your addiction history. We will look at your vocational needs, social circumstances, mental and physical health, family connections and living conditions, and other factors in order to provide the right treatment for you.
To learn more about Ocean Hills Recovery and the different treatment programs offered, contact us today.
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