Addiction is a disease that affects the soul. Spiritual maintenance is essential to recovery. Many people recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring conditions use spiritual motivation to heal. Positive social interactions and peer support can lower the risk of relapse. Clients at rehabilitation facilities like Twilight Recovery Center often use 12-Step groups to ease the transition between residential and outpatient treatment programs. Attending therapy, serving others, and showing yourself compassion are a few ways to follow the 12-Step philosophy of holistic self-care.
What Is the 12-Step Philosophy?
According to Social Work in Public Health, the 12-Steps “specify that substance abusers must admit their powerlessness over alcohol and drugs. They take a moral inventory of themselves, admit the nature of their wrongs, make a list of individuals whom they have harmed, and make amends to those people.” Other beliefs shared by 12-Step groups include:
- Service to others improves mental and emotional health
- Finding healthy routines during recovery can ensure sustainable change
- You can learn to manage and control intrusive thoughts and cravings
- Everyone has worth and deserves compassion
- Hope and faith in a higher power are essential to recovery
The 12-Step philosophy looks at recovery as a journey toward self-acceptance and self-accountability. Attending self-help groups can encourage you to embrace your truth and use it to fuel lifelong positive changes that reduce your risk of relapse.
Popular 12-Step Groups
Thousands of self-help meetings patterned off the 12-Step method occur in cities worldwide. Most important, you can find a self-help group for almost every disorder, including:
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
- Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA)
- Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
- Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA)
- Emotions Anonymous (EA): for individuals who struggle with mental health issues
- Heroin Anonymous (HA)
- Marijuana Anonymous (MA)
- Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Families and friends of people experiencing active addiction or undergoing treatment for SUD can attend support meetings, including Al-Anon/Alateen, Nar-Anon, and Families Anonymous (FA).
12-Step Meetings During Rehabilitation
The detox portion of rehabilitation is mostly spent recovering physically from the side effects of withdrawal and undergoing one-on-one individual therapy. At facilities like Twilight Recovery Center, you have access to a nurse and other support staff 24/7 during detox. After the first few weeks of treatment, peer support and community-based recovery options become more important as you prepare to transition out of residential care.
Self-accountability is essential to continued sobriety, and attending local 12-Step meetings ensures accountability and motivates further positive lifestyle changes. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two of the most common types of 12-Step groups attended by people in rehabilitation and continuing care.
Alcoholics Anonymous
It is an international group that helps people abstain from alcohol. The group use their twelve spiritually motivated steps of recovery. Meetings are often held weekly or bi-weekly.
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous provides the same sense of fellowship. You can use NA as a support resource for recovering from the use of narcotics and other substances. Many other drug-specific groups exist, and you can choose whichever one best fits your circumstances.
Benefits of Attending Meetings
Guests at Twilight Recovery Center are encouraged to attend support group meets, group therapy, and individual therapy to ensure they have the necessary tools to cope with daily challenges related to recovery. For most clients, 12-Step meetings play a significant role in treatment. The benefits of attending meetings include:
- Improved communication and social skills
- Decreased stress and anxiety
- A sense of fellowship
- Reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation
You can use the experiences and advice of peers to get through moments of crisis. Simultaneously, you will also have an opportunity to be a role model or mentor to others who want to stop addictive behaviors.
Removing Ego From the Equation
Twilight Recovery Center uses personalized treatment plans. In our center we combine psychotherapy, support groups, and other therapies like anger management. We help guests overcome challenging emotions like ambivalence or resentment. The spiritual recovery offered by 12-Step meetings can enhance the effectiveness of these evidence-based treatments.
People who join 12-Step groups adopt the following 12 life-changing principles:
- Acceptance
- Hope
- Faith
- Courage
- Honesty
- Patience
- Humility
- Willingness
- Brotherly-love
- Integrity
- Self-discipline
- Service to self and others
The 12-Step principles provide a healthy blueprint for reclaiming your life. In general, people find it easier to maintain sobriety by removing ego from the equation and embracing acceptance and commitment to recovery.
Lean on a Higher Power for Emotional Support
12-Step groups like AA and NA show you how to live a spiritually fit life. They show how to live without the need for maladaptive behaviors like substance abuse. After all, peer groups allow you to gain insight and guidance from individuals who have moved past your stage of recovery. The personal experiences and spiritual support they offer can inspire change in your life.