12 Step Education

One of the oldest and most commonly recognized forms of addiction therapy, 12-step models still present a valuable treatment option for many in recovery. Popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous, which was originally founded in the 1930s, 12-step recovery does just as the name implies – breaking the process of achieving sobriety down into 12 different steps. And there is a reason that these programs are still highly popular so many decades later: they have been proven time and again to be a very effective way to treat addiction. At Emerge Healing Center in Alpharetta, our 12-step rehab and immersion program helps clients navigate sobriety long after addiction treatment has ended.

What is a 12-Step Rehab?

What made 12-step rehab so revolutionary was its basis on the belief that overcoming an addiction to drugs or alcohol was easier and more effective with the help of a support group. Another core tenant is the belief that members must “surrender” themselves to a higher power. This means that 12-step rehab programs will often include discussions about God and religion, and how believing in them can help someone to get sober. The religious aspect may not appeal to everyone, but if it is something that you have an existing belief in or are willing to discuss openly, then a 12-step rehab program may be a good choice for you.

The 12 Step Rehab Model

The core belief of all 12-step rehabs is that people with an addiction can help each other to achieve and maintain sobriety. They typically meet at regularly scheduled days and times, with meetings serving as a way for members to discuss where they are at in their recovery, as well as their past experience with addiction and sobriety. Members are also willing and available to support other members of the group, give advice for ways to avoid the temptation to relapse, and celebrate sobriety milestones.

12-step rehab programs promote sobriety through abstinence from all potentially addictive substances. This approach has been shown to help keep members from relapsing, reducing relapse rates by as much as 40 percent over those who don’t attend 12 step rehab. The groups have also been shown to help improve members’ mental health thanks to the support the group provides and helps provide the much-needed structure that addicts need to avoid drug or alcohol use triggers.

What are the 12 Steps?

To be successful in a 12-step rehab program, members must follow 12 specific steps or goals, originally laid out by Alcoholics Anonymous when it was formed. These steps are also utilized by other 12-step groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous. The structure of these steps helps members to track their recovery progress and gives them tangible, achievable goals to work toward. The exact steps, provided to all members when they join a 12-step group, are:

1. Admitting that you are powerless over drugs or alcohol and that they have made you unable to manage your life.
2. Believe that a higher power can help you to achieve sobriety.
3. Agreeing to turn your life over to that higher power.
4. Take a personal inventory of yourself and your morals.
5. Admitting the wrongs you have done to yourself, others, and your higher power.
6. Be ready to allow your higher power to help you change these wrongs.
7. Ask your higher power to change your shortcomings.
8. Make a list of the wrongs you have done to others, and being willing to ask for forgiveness.
9. Contacting these people to ask for forgiveness, unless doing so would harm them in any way.
10. Continuously monitoring your choices and actions for missteps, and admitting when you are wrong.
11. Connecting with your higher power via prayer, meditation, or whatever works best for you.
12. Carrying on the 12-step message to others in need of help.

Is a 12-Step Rehab Program Right for You?

When it comes to choosing an addiction recovery program, many people are unsure of what treatment is going to be the best option for them. If you are someone who has a belief in a higher power, or an interest in learning more about the belief in how a higher power can help you find sobriety, then a 12-step rehab may be right for you. Countless people have found 12-step groups to be a very valuable asset in their addiction recovery over the last 90+ years, which means that you can be assured of the value and effectiveness of this approach to addiction treatment.

No matter what walk of life you come from, or what substance you are addicted to, a 12-step rehab can provide a valuable asset in your recovery. Perhaps one of the most appealing things about utilizing 12-step in rehab is the ready availability of 12-step meetings once you complete treatment. Continuing care after completing a rehab program is frequently cited as an essential part of maintaining your sobriety for the long-term, and 12-step groups are a very effective way to do this.

12-Step Rehab Program in Alpharetta

If you are interested in learning more about 12-step rehab, contact Emerge Healing Center. Our staff of highly-trained addiction treatment specialists are here to address all of your concerns, and to help you build an addiction treatment plan that meets all of your unique needs. Let us help you to achieve your goals of living an addiction-free life with our compassionate and effective treatment options.