The Effectiveness of the 12 Step Recovery Process
When it comes to treating alcohol abuse, the 12 step recovery program has been effectively implemented in a number of individual’s lives. This program originated from a faith-based perspective but has been modified so that it addresses all alcohol abusers, regardless of their faith or gender. There are those facilities and alcohol rehab centers in California that take a different approach to alcohol abuse but in some way or fashion one or even more of the original 12 steps is incorporated into the treatment.
Some of the key principles of the 12 step program are:
Some of the key principles of the 12 step program are:
- Making the decision to use your willpower to assist with the recovery.
- Admitting the behavior is wrong, self destructive and harmful to those you love.
- Seeking a higher power to assist with recovery.
- Making a list of individuals that were harmed in the process or time of alcohol addiction and then asking those individuals to forgive the harm that was caused.
- Continuing to recognize that you might still be harming another individual and be able to promptly admit and modify the behavior.
AA is the most infamous implementer of the 12 step process to treat and cure alcohol addiction. There are groups who believe that the success rate of the 12 step program alone is indicative of the fact that more is needed to truly release individuals from the cycle of alcohol abuse. One of the greatest issues has been that, culturally, the 12 step recovery program is blind to the particular issues that face certain types of alcohol abusers, and this blindness greatly reduces the effectiveness of the program. This is because it fails to address low self-esteem, cultural taboos and more. Everyone will respond to treatment differently, so there is a need for flexibility and treatment options.