Drug Addiction Treatment and The Number of Steps to Recovery
By now, everyone knows—at least, on the most basic level—what the 12 steps are. The basis of almost every traditional drug and alcohol rehab, it is an approach to recovery that requires the person struggling with addiction to begin by admitting that they are powerless over their addiction and continue through another 11 steps until they are prepared to pass along what they have learned to others. Some attend 12-step meetings for just a little while at the beginning of their recovery. Others stay “in the rooms” for decades, even the rest of their lives, working on the principle that since it seems to be working, why change it?
Some, however, find the 12 steps overwhelming just because of the sheer number of steps in the process. So John Cloud at Time.com poses the question: are 12 steps too many?
12 Step Drug Addiction Recovery Approach: The Basics
Alcoholics Anonymous was the first and over the last century this has evolved into a number of spin-off groups, not only for different drugs of addiction but for other addictions and still other groups for the friends and family members of people who are addicted. Each group shares the same idea: addiction is a medical disease with a spiritual solution, one that is achieved by “working” the steps with a sponsor or mentor who shares the same disease and has already worked the steps.
Some say, however, that the spiritual steps in the 12 steps are unnecessary. Without them, the program would be far more streamlined and more effective.
Spiritual Versus Secular Drug Rehab Approaches
Research has shown that when groups who undergo secular psychotherapy or non-spiritual 12 step are compared to spiritually-based therapy or 12 steps there are differences in outcome according to Cloud’s Time.com article:
“While both groups eventually benefited relatively equally from their treatment — abusing substances on fewer days — it took longer to see improvement among those in the spiritual group. What’s more, those who received spiritual guidance reported being significantly more anxious and depressed after four months than those who got secular help. Those problems abated at about the eight-month point, but because substance abusers are at high risk for suicide, some worry that it may not be a good idea to put them through demanding spiritual calisthenics in the early months of their recovery.”
How To Stop Drinking and Using Drugs
The studies say that about one in five people or 20 percent of those who have a problem drinking can stop without alcohol addiction treatment. For those who have tried to do this and failed and for those addicted to other drugs, the other 80 percent, is the 12 step model of treatment the most effective? Is a spiritual component to treatment the most beneficial for a long lasting abstinence? So far, it looks like just a medical detox alone or a solely spiritual regimen will not work for long. Cloud says, “The answer almost certainly lies deeper inside ourselves.” The combination of self discovery and self discipline with medical treatment and a spiritual development still seems to be the best way to a life without drugs and alcohol.
Tags: 12 step treatment, Alcohol Rehab, alcohol-addiction-treatment, Drug Addiction Treatment, drug-rehab
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