Author: James Anderson

The Twelve Steps Alcoholics Anonymous

The Oxford Group had a broad focus and was designed to help people overcome their problems by confronting their fear and selfishness. Ultimately, Wilson broke away from the group to develop an organization specifically formed to contend with alcoholism, a problem rampant during his era and one that continues to plague millions in the U.S. and abroad. People interested in partaking should speak with a relevant organization or healthcare professional about ways in which to treat and manage their substance and alcohol use disorders. While participating in the 12 steps of recovery can be beneficial for many people, consider the advantages and disadvantages of these programs before you decide if this approach is right for you. Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) addresses compulsions related to relationships, referred to as codependency.

Alternatives to 12-Step Recovery Programs

After getting to know its principles, you may want to try the program, or include it as part of your post-rehab aftercare plan. To find out, it’s important to carefully explore the principles of AA. For Wilson and Smith, surrendering to a ‘higher power’ was an integral part of their plan’s development. Today, some critics of the program find that aspect of AA problematic, arguing that self-empowerment is an effective way to manage addiction and achieve lasting recovery. If you’re looking for more support, contact American Addiction Centers (AAC).

What Are the Twelve Principles of AA?

Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. The purpose of the 12 traditions is to help provide guidelines about the relationships between the group and the community and between individual members of the group. The Twelve Steps themselves are the essence of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the directions meant to provide members a path to lasting sobriety and a substance-free lifestyle. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

1. God or a higher power is mentioned several times throughout the 12 steps.
2. The 12-step program is a strategy for overcoming alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders.
3. For Wilson and Smith, surrendering to a ‘higher power’ was an integral part of their plan’s development.
4. This intervention provides a supportive social network and fosters bonding among group members, which adds to the benefits.

Step 12: Service

People who are not religious or spiritual may struggle with this concept. Alcoholics Anonymous developed the first 12-step program, but such programs now exist in many different forms. Seeking help for addiction may feel daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support. One study also critiqued the 12-step program for being too inflexible and marginalizing and for including nonnegotiable beliefs and ideologies.

God or a higher power is mentioned several times throughout the 12 steps. In some steps, the term “God” is used directly, while in others, a more general term like “higher power” is used to allow for a broader range of beliefs and perspectives. With the publication of the organization’s principles and writings, word began to spread about its success. Once AA managed to help 500 people achieve sobriety, it attracted a more national audience. By 1950, the organization could boast of having helped 500,000 people overcome their dependence on alcohol. That said, there are an estimated 2 million AA members worldwide, with even more people belonging to similar organizations.

Support for Loved Ones

Basically, this last step instructs its members to carry the message to others and put the principles of the program into practice in every area of their lives. For those in recovery programs, practicing Step 12 is simply “how it works,” as the founders of the fellowship discovered for themselves in those early days. While 12-step recovery programs can be helpful, they are not always the best choice for everyone. They are an affordable, available, and convenient resource while people are recovering from substance use, but their emphasis on admitting powerlessness and leaning on a higher power can be a problem for some individuals. Thanks to AA and other substance recovery programs, you’ve probably at least heard of the Twelve Steps even if you aren’t quite sure how they work. First published as Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in 1953, the 12-step framework has helped countless alcoholics and addicts achieve and maintain sobriety since Alcoholics Anonymous’ founding in 1935.

Sponsors have typically gone through the recovery program themselves and can lend firsthand insight and support. Indeed, members may wish or find the need to revisit the 12 Steps throughout their sustained recovery—rather than a one-time process, they simply become tenets of everyday life. There are also Al-Anon Family Groups designed specifically to provide resources and support to the friends and families of alcoholics. Even those not directly affected by alcoholism or addiction may find value in AA’s 12-step approach to working through any struggle. With AA, not everyone has the ability to understand what it means to keep all of the steps in mind after completing them. The 12 spiritual principles package these steps into digestible virtues and provide a road map to lifelong health and sobriety.

SMART Recovery is a secular alternative to 12-step programs like AA. Rather than emphasizing powerlessness and embracing a higher power, the SMART Recovery approach emphasizes viewing substance use as a habit that people can learn to control. It draws on aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and helps members to build motivation, cope with cravings, change addictive thoughts, and adopt healthy habits. He based his principles on that work and on his meetings with Smith, whom he also helped to achieve sobriety. He believed strongly that alcoholism affected the body, mind, and spirit.

The 12 Steps are grounded in the practices of humility, acceptance, and forgiveness (among others), making it easier for alcoholics to acknowledge their addiction without fear of judgment or reprisal. They provide tactics for alcoholics to combat the destructive symptoms of their disease, as well as a sense of community and accountability that they otherwise may not have. The focus on the overall health of the group ahead of any individual member or chapter reinforces the idea that addiction, while incredibly lonely, can be overcome with the help and support of others.

For many members of 12-step recovery programs, these steps aren’t merely a way to overcome addiction—they are a guide toward a new way of life. Some of the best-known 12-step programs include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA). They are not abstract theories; they are based on the trial-and-error experience of early members of A.A. They describe the attitudes and activities that these early members believe were important in helping them to achieve sobriety. Experience suggests, however, that members who make an earnest effort to follow these Steps and to apply them in daily living seem to get far more out of A.A. It has been said that it is virtually impossible to follow all the Steps literally, day in and day out.