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Drug Rehab and the 12 Step Program

The original Twelve Steps were published by Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939, and due to their unprecedented success, almost every community recovery and support group now follows some adaptation of these guiding principles. Al-Anon, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Emotions Anonymous all have similar approaches to support the recovering addict in whatever area needs specific attention.

The Canyon incorporates 12-Step methods into every drug and alcohol rehab program so that you can begin to formulate your own personal roadmap to recovery. The goal is to introduce new methods and skills for learning to cope with life's stresses, tools that you will take with you when your drug and alcohol addiction treatment is complete.

The Definition of a 12-Step Program

A 12-Step program is a specific outline that guides a person from addiction to recovery, using a progression of twelve separate steps to help free the addict from the grip of drugs and alcohol.

The American Psychological Association has identified the most important aspects of a 12-Step support program as follows:

• Admitting that you are not in control of your addiction or impulses
• Recognizing that a higher power can help you overcome your weakness for drugs
• Examining your mistakes
• Making amends to those you have harmed
• Learning to make new choices
• Helping others overcome their own struggles with addiction.

The 12 Steps in a Drug Rehab Program

These are the original Twelve Steps first used by Alcoholics Anonymous almost 60 years ago:

• 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
• 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
• 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
• 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
• 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
• 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
• 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
• 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
• 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
• 10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
• 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His Will for us and the power to carry that out.
• 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Many groups today have replaced gender-specific or religious language to appeal to a broader audience, while others emphasize certain principles more than others that relate to their specific mission.

How The 12 Steps Work in Relation to Drug Rehab

The human body is typically characterized as having three dimensions: the physical, mental (or emotional), and spiritual realms. Physicians help ease the physical signs of illness, while counselors focus on mental/emotional disorders.

It is the spiritual dimension that 12-Step groups are most focused upon, with the assertion that self-centeredness is the primary manifestation of an ill spirit. An emerging moral conscience that places self-sacrifice before the self is the spiritual awakening referred to in the twelfth step.

Drug Rehab and the 12 Step Program at The Canyon

Statistics show that without a solid plan to avoid or cope with addiction triggers, patients often relapse into the same behavior that brought them to the drug rehabilitation facility. The Canyon's balanced approach to rehabilitation addresses chemical dependency, mental health issues, provides individual and group therapies, immersion in 12-step recovery work and self help support groups, and introduction to a variety of mindfulness and spiritual philosophies and practices to enhance personal spiritual connection and personal growth.

If you think this approach might be right for you, don't hesitate to call us at . Our call center is open 24 hours a day to assist you with any questions and get you started on the road to recovery.