Substance use disorders affect many of us, whether it’s ourselves, a friend, a family member, or a work colleague.
The good news is this: there is hope for recovery.
One of those vehicles involves 12-Step Recovery, most recently touted in a December meta-analytic study, identifying greater remission outcomes for long-term sobriety than clinical intervention alone.
A Little Background of My Journey
For those of you who are new here, let me give some background about myself. My journey into the career of counseling came about after years of working as a choral director in public education. I had spent the majority of my life as a part-time professional musician and educator, until my late 40s, when I developed what’s clinically termed as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
Of course, that recovery journey led to my change in careers, because of the incredible and positive changes that have happened due to recovery. I’m in the unique place of understanding addiction (or now referenced by clinical terminology as substance use disorders – SUDs) both personally and professionally.
What is Twelve-Step Recovery
Originally developed through the organization Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Bill Wilson (a co-founder of AA) wrote a book describing the specific way that over 100 men and women recovered from Alcoholism. That book was published, and AA was founded over 80 years ago. But the research into this particular resource and its efficacy in the remission of SUDs has been fairly recent, within the last 35 years.
12-Step Facilitation Therapy is a viable therapeutic approach used by many treatment facilities and clinicians involved in private practice. According to the research of this therapeutic modality, 12-Step group involvement and participation are encouraged as well as supported by therapy.
How Twelve Step Recovery Works
The emphasis of 12-Step Recovery is threefold:
1. Acceptance of a chronic, progressive disease that is uncontrollable by willpower alone, and complete abstinence is a viable path to recovery.
2. Surrender, which involves turning over oneself to a Higher Power.
3. Active involvement in 12-Step meetings and related activities.
It’s important to note that 12-Step groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous), do not identify themselves as religious organizations. They have no doctrine, nor do they ascribe to a particular faith. To sum up, one way in which this is described is, “AA doesn’t tell you what a Higher Power is, only that you are not it.”
Other Considerations
Of course, 12-Step Facilitation Therapy and 12-Step groups are not the only avenues of treatment for SUDs, and clinical interventions can prove beneficial. However, this model of help extends beyond those who suffer from SUDs. 12-Step Recovery has impacted other peer-supported recovery groups such as Al-Anon (family members of those who suffer from a SUD), Gambler’s Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, Neurotics Anonymous, and Codependents Anonymous.
If you or a loved one wishes to have more information about SUDs, treatment options, and/or is just interested in learning more about the 12-Step recovery model, feel free to contact me. Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend. Take time to experience joy!
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