Rehabilitation is a process that begins with abstinence and requires deep mental, emotional and spiritual change. For addicts struggling with substance abuse, entering rehab may be a daunting proposition but for thousands of people who go on to lead successful lives after active addiction, it is the beginning of a long-term solution. There are a number of rehabilitation options for substance abuse in South Africa. Some addicts turn to religion for the answer while others turn to psychiatry and alternative medicine for help. At Crossroads Recovery Centre, we believe that the most effective option is a combination of a number of therapeutic techniques and the integration of 12-step recovery.
A 12-step programme is a set of principles that assists people suffering from alcohol abuse and addiction by providing action steps, which will guide them into a life of recovery.
In 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous published its original 12-step method of recovery from alcoholism in the book Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism. Many programmes have started as offshoots of the original Alcoholics Anonymous programme. These problems include all addictions and support groups for families affected by addiction /alcoholism.
In 12-step drug treatment programmes, recovery is discussing the effects of addiction—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual—and responding with specific actions.
Dimensions of a 12-step programme:
- Step work: Doing written work from a 12-step guide book, which will help you to progress through the 12 Steps.
- Sponsorship: “A sponsor is simply another addict, who has completed the 12 Steps in his or her recovery process, and is willing to share their experience with another member and guide them through the Twelve Steps as they were guided.”
- A group setting: The 12 steps of recovery are discussed and members share their personal experience strength and hope with each other.
- Higher power: A personal concept of a power greater than yourself and your addiction that can help you to recover.
- Service: Being of service to others as referred to by the 12th step.
The 12-step programme serves as a guide to spiritual growth and fills the void created by addiction and gives an opportunity for a better way of life.
The 12 Steps
- Admitting our problem: We admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Finding hope: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Surrender: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of a power greater than ourselves.
- Take personal inventory: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Sharing your inventory: Admit to a higher power, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Becoming ready: Were entirely ready to have a higher power remove all these defects of character.
- Humility: Having the humility to ask for help with our shortcomings.
- Making a list of amends: Make a list of all those we have harmed and make amends to them all.
- Make amends: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continue inventory: Take a personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
- Conscious contact with a higher power: Through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious and contact with ourselves, humanity and/ a higher power.
- Helping others: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps we try to carry this message to alcoholics/addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
If you or a loved one are seeking help with rehabilitation options, know that help is readily available. If you or a loved one needs assistance with an addiction – know that help is readily available. We have an experienced team which includes medical staff to assist with safe medical detox where necessary. The road to recovery is not always an easy one but getting yourself or your loved one the best possible care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s only a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.
Reference
https://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/read-the-big-book-and-twelve-steps-and-twelve-traditions
