Health & Lifestyle


eg: UK or Brides UK or Classical Art or Buy Music or Spirituality

Business & Money

Technology

Women

Health

Education

Family

Travel

Cars

Entertainment

The 12 Step Program

View:

The Alcoholics Anonymous devised their 12 Step Program for the first time in their book of the same name in 1939. The basic intention of this program was to get people out of their addictions and look at leading a healthier life. The program was intended mainly for bringing people out of their alcohol dependencies, because after all it was a program made by the Alcoholics Anonymous.

But within a short while, the program reached dizzying heights of popularity. Many people used the program, mostly within the environs of the Alcoholics Anonymous itself, and found that they benefited hugely from it. The program was very soon adapted by other addiction treatment modes, the most notable of them being the Cocaine Anonymous and the Narcotics Anonymous. There are also versions of the 12 Step Program for treatments that have nothing to do with chemical dependency too, such as for people with an eating disorder or even for people who find acne to be a serious problem!

It is quite clear that the 12 Step Program is a very popular program; in fact, it is a program nonpareil, but it is also very important to see why the program is popular. For that, you must know the 12 steps of the program first. Here they are, in a simplified format:-

1.Admit the lack of power over alcohol and admit that the life has become difficult to manage because of the addiction.

2.Believe that there is some Higher Power that can help remove this condition and bring meaning back to life.

3.Decide to accept the superiority of this Higher Power and decide to follow in the guidance that is provided by Them with complete understanding and conviction.

4.Probe into the true essence of self.

5.Confess to the Higher Power and to another person that the addiction has been wrong and that there has been a lot of wrong committed under its influence.

6.Trust in the Higher Power to right those wrongs.

7.Request the Higher Power to right the wrongs.

8.Become aware of all the people hurt due to the condition and then get prepared to set on a journey of implementing corrective measures.

9.Start on the journey. Make corrections wherever possible, but where correcting the wrongs will lead to distress to the person, let it be.

10.Do not stop the process of realizing where the wrongs have been done and making amends.

11.Continue in prayer and meditation to come closer to the Higher Power, asking Them specially to bring in the power that can help come out of the dependency.

12.Try to reach out to as many alcoholic persons as possible and remove their conditions.

Upon reading these points, you can very well understand that the 12 Step Program of the Alcoholics Anonymous is deeply spiritual in nature. This is one program where the patient overtly relies on the Higher Power to bring in the recovery within themselves. This Higher Power could be the God the person believes in. But here, it must be noted that though the 12 Step Program of the Alcoholics Anonymous is a spiritual program, it is definitely not a religious program. It is not affiliated to any religion. Also, it is not affiliated to any political belief. Perhaps it is the aloofness of the program from religion and politics that has made it so popular.

The 12 Step Program begins with what we know as intervention. Here the patient is made aware of the problem within self and made aware that they need to take some corrective measures. The 12 Step Program for alcohol treatment is also quite commended for the way in which it makes the patients correct the wrongs that they have committed. Even the sense that they have done something to hurt others is sufficient to bring them closer to recovery. Confession is a proven method of self-correction, and this is what the 12 Step Program entails.

A human person is needed for the success of the 12 Step Program. This person could be someone that the person trusts and believes in, such as a member of the family. In fact, some treatment centers that use this program urge their patients to attend the sessions with a family member in tow so that that person could act as the representative that the patient has to confess to. This also helps to add more meaning to the treatment program. It is no wonder that other forms of addiction also use this program that was initially devised for alcohol treatment all over the world.

The 12 Step Program

Alcoholics Anonymous is an organization well-known for helping people with addiction problems. The 12 step program is the operational basis for the organizations program. Countless people attribute their success to the program. Many individuals have incorporated the 12 step program into their lives for all kinds of addictions besides alcoholism and drug problems. Anyone who wants to take control of his life and behavior may benefit from following a 12 step program.

As suggested by the title, there are twelve levels to the program. The first step is to surrender power. In other words, the persons life spins out of hand when alcohol, drug or other damaging elements take control. People like to pretend that they can manage the situation. However, there are certain cases in which trying to effect any kind of control is impossible. Admitting that cold hard fact is the first step towards success.

The next two steps urge the person to attempt to reach a higher power. Many critics of the 12 step program claim that in this respect, the system is too religious in nature. The second step asserts that the person needs have faith in a higher power and the third insists that the person needs to hand his life over to God.

The forth step is the moral inventory. This step is another one closely affiliated to religion as anyone who has attended a confessional session will testify. The moral inventory leads to the fifth level of the 12 step program in which the individual honestly confesses his wrong-doing to himself, those close to him and to God as well.

The sixth step is ironically similar to step one. The individual surrenders power. Instead of being powerless to the harmful element, he admits himself to be powerless to God. The higher being is entrusted with the responsibility of removing the negative aspects from the individuals character. This passive approach to recovery has been under heavy criticism as well.

The next three levels involve making apologies and trying to compensate for the wrong doings the individual had committed. From there, the tenth level seeks another moral inventory and the eleventh step encourages prayer and sense of oneness with God. The twelfth level of the 12 step program promises a spiritual revelation and encourages the individual to spread the word of his success to others.

Critics of the 12 step program claim that the system is too religious in nature. Others criticize the program because the individual is viewed as helpless instead of pro-active. He does not really take matters into his own hands when he surrenders and leaves everything up to the mercy of an invisible higher power.

Related Articles
Author
Most Popular

•	12 Step Addiction Program, by Todd Lange
•	12 Step Addiction Recovery, by Bill Urell
•	12 Step Alcohol Program, by Todd Lange
•	12 Step Program Addiction, by Todd Lange
•	12 Step Recovery Program, by Todd Lange

About Author

Both Todd Lange & John Wellington are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Todd Lange has sinced written about articles on various topics from Disease & illness, Alcohol Treatment and Medicine. To read more informative articles like this one on , visit. Todd Lange's top article generates over 823000 views. to your Favourites.

John Wellington has sinced written about articles on various topics from Distance Learning, Acid Reflux and Acne Treatment. provides our readers with the latest reviews, articles and write-ups on all health and health-care related issues. John Wellington's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.

Bait Tanks For Sale
To prevent the ammonia build up that is lethal to shad, at the first sign of loss of scales, red nose, dead fish, or dirty water, buy Ammonia Sorb or Ammonia Kill, and use it according to package dir...