Twelve Step Recovery Programs

The twelve steps is a program to quit addictive behaviors and habits that has helped many people world wide. Learning to live a life free from alcoholism or active drug addiction was its intended purpose. The original foundation, which has allowed many more systems of recovery to work, was started by Bill Wilson when he wrote Alcoholics Anonymous over 75 years ago. Now regular group meetings and other forms of peer support are available for those who need it, thanks to this man's effort to organize the help.

History

Just as the name states the person going into a twelve step meeting is known as anonymous to other members. This may sound strange, but a large part of changing these dangers patterns of addiction in some's live is to do it this way. Bill Wilson looked onto a spiritual experience when hospitalized from his alcoholism to rationalize his desire to help others. The Oxford Group in Akron, Ohio was the first series of twelve step meetings that Bill and a few other supporters started up around the time his book was published. It was aimed to invite people who were facing life threatening results from drinking or other toxins in the days of the early 1940's to attend and participate in abstinence. One movie to watch for the full explanation of the beginning of the twelve step process is "My name is Bill W." I recommend this movie to anyone who is facing trying to get and stay sober, or anyone who knows someone who is.

How it works

The program has many systematic structures of peer support that regulates its operations. Meetings are usually open to the public, for those who believe that they may have an addiction to alcohol or other drugs. Some people have found their roots here from courts judgments are required attendance. Others may be there voluntarily or after being hospitalized from life challenging relations with their addictions. Claiming a date at which they decided to stay sober gives the members a clean date. Many find that the twelve works is best when trusted to another member of the same sex, who has at least one year sober. This person becomes a guide to learning new behaviors and enjoying freedom from addiction.

What are the Twelve Steps

There are actually twelve separate steps that symbolize the recovery process. It is this method that has been shared throughout many programs to change a person's addictions. The first step is to admit the lose of control. The second step and the third step both help the person to adjust life under the control of a greater power than their self. As it continues the process adjusts the person to admitting what else they have done wrong, to people in their life or in various situations. Making a connection with the effort to make an amends and then finding a way to bond with your spiritual experience continue the steps. Onto the twelve steps the goal is to help another person in the program. The involvement of completing the twelve steps is merely granted by the relationship formed of other addicts or alcoholics. No one simple technique has been approved for these accomplishments. While Hazleton, a major publishing company working with twelve step organizations, has printed several booklets aimed at focusing certain material towards the working on each step.

Finding help for those who need it is a vital part of making a transition. Giving up on smoking, over-eating, alcoholism, drug addictions and many others are all that twelve step groups focus on. Tragically it alcohol and drug related deaths that claim the lives of the highest fatality rate in our nation. To learn more about staying sober or finding meetings and organizations in your area please visit: www.aa.org or www.na.org.