The 12-step program was created by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to help establish a comprehensive set of guidelines to help overcome alcohol addiction. Since then, it has been used as a commonly recommended treatment modality for various types of support groups.
Patrick Lawrence Floyd is the founder of Endless Recovery, which aims to make addiction recovery affordable for those unable to access proper care, and believes that the 12-Step Program can provide individuals with the tools they need to sustain abstinence no matter their addiction.
An Overview
The founder of the 12-Step Program, Bill Wilson, wrote extensively on the positive effects experienced when individuals struggling with alcoholism shared their stories in a group setting. Wilson wrote his program in what became known as the Big Book, which originally functioned as a guide for individuals unable to attend Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. Patrick Floyd explains that due to the effectiveness of the program, various offshoots now exist, such as Narcotics Anonymous, Heroin Anonymous, and Gamblers Anonymous.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 12-Step Models are used by approximately 74 percent of addiction recovery treatment centres. Regardless of the addiction, the 12-Step Program has had major success in helping individuals recover through experiences of community.
Using the 12 Steps
Patrick Lawrence Floyd explains that the 12-step program can be achieved through regular anonymous meetings where participants share their experiences with one another and provide support in an ongoing effort of maintaining abstinence. Abstinence practices can account for high levels of positive mental health and can contribute to long-term recovery.
For many addicts, recovery is a life-long practice that has to be continually maintained. For this reason, there is no wrong way to approach the 12 Steps as a participant attempts to figure out what works best for their individual needs, notes Endless Recovery. Returning to the program throughout one’s life can aid in long-term adherence. In their original form, the 12 steps came from a spiritual and Christian inspiration that seeks help from a greater power as well as from peers suffering from similar struggles. Despite being Christian in origin, people of any faith can find a way to adopt the program to aid in their recovery.
The 12 steps are as follows: admitting powerlessness over the addiction; believing that a higher power (in whatever form) can help; deciding to turn control over to the higher power; taking a personal inventory; admitting to the higher power, oneself, and another person the wrongs done; being ready to have the higher power correct any shortcomings in one’s character; asking the higher power to remove those shortcomings; making a list of wrongs done to others and being willing to make amends for those wrongs; contacting those who have been hurt, unless doing so would harm the person; continuing to take personal inventory and admitting when one is wrong; seeking enlightenment and connection with the higher power via prayer and meditation; and carrying the message of the 12 Steps to others in need.
Endless Recovery’s Final Thoughts
The 12-step method is so powerful due to the strength of the community inherent in the program. Being able to relate to others allows people to build a reliable support system and remain accountable, notes Endless Recovery. As Patrick Lawrence Floyd points out, it’s purpose is to get you in touch with a power greater than yourself so that you are not trying to run your life on self will. Following these steps can provide participants with the ability to recognize and admit that they are experiencing an addiction problem, allowing them to practice restraint and build self esteem.
