One of the most widespread or famous approaches to substance abuse addiction recovery is a 12-step program. If you are looking for a drug abuse treatment center near you, it might happen that you have heard previously heard about this concept. Currently, approximately 75 percent of rehabilitation facilities worldwide use the 12-step program in treating their patients.
However, if you have never heard about the 12-steps, you might have heard of Alcoholics Anonymous, which developed the steps. Since most treatment centers depend on the 12-step addiction recovery model, it is critical to understand the details of every step and its benefits.
Admitting lacking power over addiction
People should admit to themselves on a deep heartfelt level that when left on their own, they will not have the power to overcome their addictions. In particular, they should discern that they are powerless over the addiction that controls their lives. By admitting complete defeat, people can access assistance and the motivation they require to change.
Accepting a greater power than oneself
People need to begin to believe in the existence of hope. In other words, they should identify a greater power than themselves, which can be a spiritual force of their understanding of the power inherent in a collective community, to believe in their ability to change. For instance, believing that a certain treatment plan has worked for several people can make others believe it can also work for them.
Agreeing to Accept the higher power
One should decide to use the newfound higher power to continue their path of transformation. When people surrender their will (actions and thoughts believed to cause their problems) and exchange it for another path, they can start recovery.
Self-reflection
It focuses on self-reflection, where one searches for a fearless moral inventory of themselves. For instance, when people review their lives, including fears, beliefs, situations, and people they have interacted with in the past, they start to see the truth regarding themselves.
Admitting wrongdoings to oneself, higher power, and others
One can try to read their written inventory to trusted friends. In reality, they are ready to release the baggage from their pasts symbolically, and their trusted friends can guide them to see beliefs, other people, and events from a new perspective. In this case, one will know that they need to change themselves to make a lasting change in their lives.
Becoming ready for a higher power to eliminate character defects
In this step, one will list the character defects in themselves that are hampering their growth. The defects can include issues blocking their ability to experience the life, relationships, and love they want.
Requesting the higher god to eliminate shortcomings
It entails becoming entirely willing and ready to remove or improve the identified defects. That means one will humbly request their higher power to help in removing the defects.
Becoming willing to make amends and listing the wrongdoings
It encompasses making a list of the people they have harmed and developed the willingness to make amends. Making the list of the wrongs helps one remain humble and reminds them of the frightening reality of their life with substance abuse. It also leads to the next step of seeking forgiveness.
Making direct amends
One has to determine the best strategy to amend their relationship with the people harmed. In this case, amends will involve admitting wrongdoing and demonstrating a sincere intention to change the behavior in ourselves that contributed to such pain.
Taking prompt personal inventory after doing wrong and admitting it
People have to take a daily inventory of themselves. That means one should relieve their beliefs, attitude, and conduct at the end of the day. In other words, they need to determine where they might have acted fearfully, dishonestly, selfishly with wrong motives. Therefore, by being self-aware, one can spot where they fall off track, preventing them from retaliating back to their past ways.
Praying to enhance contact with the higher power
It involves people strengthening their meditation and prayer practices. By doing that, people manage to speak and listen to their Higher Power, assisting them in conscious contact with the internal voice that guides their path.
Carrying the message to others
It involves servicing others and applying the principles learned from the eleven steps in their daily lives. The therapists would expect the patients to be more kind, compassionate, honest, and selfless at this step. Therefore, they will urge others to get joy and freedom found in drug addiction recovery.
Incorporating the 12-step model into addiction recovery can benefit most addicts. If you have tried other recovery programs but have not maintained sobriety, you can consider involving yourself with a local recovery group. In that way, you can benefit from a treatment model which incorporates the 12-step approach. However, you look at Infinite Recovery to read more about addiction treatment strategies.