If you are struggling with substance abuse or addiction issues, you must have surely heard about the famous 12-Step Program for recovery. The idea is to mutually help one another in the group. Some peers lead these groups and they operate following a set of 12 guidelines. Meetings are held once or twice a week, and members are encouraged to achieve abstinence with the help of faith and honesty.
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How was the 12-Step Program initiated?
It was in 1939 that Alcoholics Anonymous published the original 12-Step Program for recovery. They published it in the book – Alcoholics Anonymous. It is the tale of How over 100 Men Recovered from Alcoholism. When the program was initially developed, many didn’t expect it to work. However, to everyone’s surprise, AA and many other 12-step programs worked very well. Today, there are nearly 2 million members in 115,000 AA groups.
Genesis Recovery is a certified, faith-based, non-profit alcohol recovery center. It is your best option when looking for a 12-step program in La Mesa, CA. Their zero-tolerance, long-term recovery program inculcates spirituality in members and ensures a lasting recovery. If you or your loved one is struggling with addiction, this is the place you want to consider.
Two unique features of a 12-Step Program
- A group setting
Recovery groups continuously discuss the 12 steps of recovery. Members are motivated to accept the fact that they have an addiction problem, and are recovering from the same.
- Sponsorship
A sponsor is like a mentor for other addicts in the group. This person is an addict as well, but he/she is an experienced recovering addict. A Sponsor is willing to share all about his/her journey, and thereby promote the 12-steps.
What are the 12 steps?
- Admit powerlessness – We accept the fact that we have no power over alcohol, and our life has become unmanageable.
- Find hope – believing that our sanity will be restored with the help of greater power.
- Surrender – dedicate our lives to the will of God as we know Him.
- Take inventory – catalog a moral inventory of ourselves.
- Share inventory – accept and admit all our wrongdoings in the presence of God, and other group members.
- Be ready – become entirely ready to have God take away all our defects.
- Ask God – ask Him to take away all our shortcomings.
- List amends – make amendments with people directly. However, ensure that making amendments will not harm us or them in any way.
- Continue inventory – be on track continuously and keep on admitting promptly whenever we were wrong.
- Pray and meditate – clear and improve our consciousness, and connect with God with the help of prayer and meditation.
- Help others – practice all the principles religiously, and help others find and follow these steps.
Lastly, understand that a 12 step program works very well. The support group increases your social network, and ultimately you are surrounded by people who are looking for recovery themselves. As per research, when you add 1 abstinent friend to your life, the chances of you becoming sober increase by 25%. So, there you go. Whatever the 12 step program is – it’s working.
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