The Twelve Steps, originated by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), is a spiritual basis for personal recovery from the effects of alcoholism, both for the person who consumes alcohol and for their friends and family in Al-Anon family groups. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), founded in 1935, was the first twelve-step program created. The steps, which are very similar to those already mentioned, were put in place at that time. In 1946, twelve traditions were created that governed the way groups functioned and related to each other as membership grew rapidly.
Traditions included the practice of anonymity using only one's first name and the tradition of “uniqueness of purpose”. This last tradition meant that AA would have “only one main purpose: to bring its message to the alcoholic who is still suffering. As such, this prevented the attendance of anyone who did not suffer from alcohol abuse and resulted in the formation of other 12-step programs. The best-known programs are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
There are many options available outside of the 12 steps. We've put together a full list of services and resources for people who may be looking for more than just a 12-step list of programs and services. However, below you will find a full list of 12-step programs. These programs range from drug and alcohol addiction to eating disorders and even love and sex addiction.
A 12-step program is a set of principles that helps individuals suffering from alcohol abuse and addiction by providing individual action measures. The Twelve Steps are described in the book Alcoholics Anonymous. They can be found at the beginning of the chapter “How It Works. The essays on the steps can be read in the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.
There are readings of the 12 Traditions and the literature of the 12 Steps, along with the serenity prayer and related announcements. Steps 1, 2 and 3 are considered the basis of a 12-step program and it is recommended to practice every day. The 12 Traditions speak to members of Alcoholics Anonymous as a group, unlike the 12 Steps, which focus on the individual. In general, the approach of working through the 12 steps in any 12-step program should not focus on the amount of time it takes to complete the steps once, but rather on how thoroughly you are doing your work in steps and how you use them to make a positive impact on your daily life.
If you or a loved one needs help finding the 12-step meeting, whether it's Alcoholics Anonymous, Faith-Based, Anonymous Marijuana, or any other gathering, Oregon Trail Recovery can help you find the right meeting in person or remotely. A sponsor is a person with more experience in recovery who guides the least experienced applicant (sponsor) through the twelve steps of the program. Although the list doesn't include all types of 12-step meetings that exist, they are great to start with. Although the 12 steps are based on spiritual principles, many non-religious people have found the program immensely useful.
While 12-step facilitation programs don't necessarily follow the steps, they promote the use of a 12-step methodology, in the hope that clients will move to a 12-step program after rehabilitation to help maintain sobriety. In their original form, the 12 steps came from a spiritual and Christian inspiration seeking the help of a greater power, as well as from peers suffering from the same struggles of addiction. While it is true that the 12 Steps were originally based on the principles of a spiritual organization, the world is not the same as it was in 1935 when AA and the 12 Step Program were founded. In addition, several non-religious 12-step groups have modified the steps to adapt them to a secular model that can help those who are agnostics or atheists practice the program without feeling obligated to adhere to a religion they don't believe in.
The 12 Steps were created by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous to establish guidelines for overcoming an alcohol addiction. In fact, most participants find that as they grow in their recovery, they will need to review some steps or even tackle more than one step at a time. Sometimes people need a break between steps, sometimes they need to spend more time in one step than another, some people never stop working on the 12 steps because they become part of life. Because recovery is a lifelong process, there is no wrong way to approach the 12 steps, as the participant tries to figure out what works best for their individual needs.
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