How 12-Step Works as Addiction Recovery Support?

Published on: 11 October 2018 Last Updated on: 31 October 2024

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), around 74% of inpatient drug rehab centers in America are based on the 12-Step approach. 12-Step is a philosophy pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) in the 1930s that has strong foundations in Christianity.

The objective of 12-Step recovery programs is to enable people to achieve and maintain sobriety through the support of others and their belief in a higher power. In many respects, the 12-Step movement has been shown to be a force for good which is why it remains one of the most popular choices for addiction recovery support in the world.

12-Step treatment centers are not for everyone, particularly if they do not subscribe to any particular religion and their needs can be addressed by a wide range of alternative inpatient drug rehab centers that do not have religious components. However, in this article, we want to take a closer look at traditional 12-Step in terms of what it offers people with addiction illness and how the world’s oldest recovery support system works.

The History of the 12-Step Program:

The principles of 12-Step treatment centers were designed in 1938 by Bill Wilson, who based the concept on his own experiences and understanding of alcoholism. In particular, Wilson had seen how positively people struggling with alcohol responded when sharing their stories and experiences with others. In the early days of 12-Step’s history, Wilson put his program into writing into what is now known as the Big Book.

12-Step rehab centers originate from the Christian view of spirituality and are designed to provide encouragement for participants to seek help from a higher power than themselves. Although the Big Book was originally intended for people who did not want to attend meetings, it has since become a model for all NA and AA meetings around the world. Offshoots of 12-Step treatment centers now include Heroin Anonymous (HA) and Gamblers Anonymous (GA). These days, members are expected to “work through” the steps using the Big Book for reference.

How 12-Step Approach Works:

12-Step rehab centers are designed to allow people to support each other in achieving and maintaining sobriety while calling on their higher power for help. This is done through meetings in which members share their experiences, talking through difficult issues and congratulating successes. According to the journal Addiction Research and Theories, the kind of abstinence practice 12-Step is based on often accounts for high levels of positive mental health or “flourishing.”

A particular benefit of 12-Step is that it provides a structured framework from which people can surrender their addiction, process the experience and move on from it for improved mental health. An article by Psych Central suggests that following the 12-Step model arms members with the following tools for mental and emotional transformation:

Being able to recognize and admit that the individual has addiction issues
Surrendering to this fact and deciding to seek control with outer guidance
Developing self-awareness of addictive behaviors and how they impact others
Practicing self-restraint and building self-esteem
Achieving self-acceptance and being able to make positive changes
Having compassion for those affected by the individual’s addiction and others who are struggling with substance abuse

Through providing members with these experiences and tools, 12-Step can promote significant changes, helping individuals seeking to overcome addiction find a path to sobriety.

The 12 Steps, as outlined in the original Big Book are as follows:

The admission that the individual is powerless over their addiction
The belief that a higher power can help overcome addiction
Making the decision to surrender control to the higher power
Making a personal inventory
Admission to the higher power, themselves and another trusted person the wrongs that were done through addiction
Being prepared for the higher power to correct shortcomings in character
Asking the higher power for help in removing shortcomings
Listing the wrongs done to others and preparing to make amends
Connecting with all those hurt by addictive behavior to make things right unless it is detrimental to the person to do so
Maintaining a personal inventory and admitting when the person is in the wrong
Seeking enlightenment from the higher power through prayer and meditation
Sharing the 12-Step mess with others in need of support

Although there is no “one size fits all” approach to addiction treatment, the efficacy of 12-Step is undeniable. The main reason for the program’s success is that it focuses on providing mutual support as a means of achieving and maintain sobriety. The 12-Step recovery program shifts focus from the individual and their addiction to the group as a whole, with members bound together by a common spirituality and a shared desire to live a substance-free life.

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Folic Acid Deficiency Symptoms: Supplement the Deficiency Before It’s Too Late

The human body needs to continuously take supplements in order to function optimally as not all vitamins and minerals are taken in recommended daily amounts. One such very important vitamin is folate or vitamin B9 or folic acid. In order to prevent further complications brought about by the lack of certain vitamins, it is wise to be proactive and identify folic acid deficiency symptoms at early onset. Folic acid vs. folate Both folic acid and folate are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B. Folate, otherwise known as vitamin B9, naturally occurs in foods, while folic acid is the synthetic folate compound that is used in vitamin supplements because of its increased stability. Folate has been named after "folium," Latin for "leaves," because they were first isolated from spinach. Also, folate is the generic term used for both the naturally occurring folate that is found in foods and the synthetic form, folic acid. The vitamin B complex nutrients are needed by the body in small amounts in order to function and stay healthy. In fact, according to recent medical journals, folate is involved in a number of intracellular reactions as a cofactor. Deficiency potential Research has found that the potential for folate deficiency is high or very common. In fact, it can be a serious problem if left untreated. In a 2006 USDA analysis of obtained data, most people in the US obtained adequate amounts of vitamin B9. But there is still a risk for some groups obtaining insufficient amounts. Because folic acid is water-soluble, excess amounts of the vitamin in the body is excreted via human urine. This means that the human body needs a constant supply of this vitamin because the body cannot store it. And the recommended daily dose of folate is 0.4mg/d, which has been established for 20 years. Read More: Zinc Deficiency Uses of vitamin B9 in the body Vitamin B9 is vital for synthesis and repair of DNA and RNA, the body's genetic material. These vitamins also aid in the rapid cell division and growth and are important in the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. But folate is particularly important for pregnant women to avoid major birth defects in the baby's brain or spines, such as neural tube defects, including Spina Bifida and anencephaly. Combined with vitamin B12, it controls the blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which is associated with certain chronic conditions such as heart disease. Folate is also used to prevent eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD), to reduce signs of aging, to treat sleep problems, depression, AIDS, and inherited disease called Fragile-X syndrome. It is also used for age-related hearing loss, Alzheimer's disease, and memory loss. Folic acid deficiency symptoms It is widely known that prevention is better than cure. So in order to avoid any further complication due to the lack of vitamin B9 in the body, here are the most common folic acid deficiency symptoms to watch out for, however subtle they may be: Poor immune function, which includes frequently getting sick Chronic fatigue/low energy; also include chronic fatigue syndrome Poor digestion, including bloating, IBS, and constipation Early appearance of gray hair Pale skin Mouth sores and tender, swollen tongue Developmental problems during pregnancy and infancy, consisting of stunted growth Mood change often, such as irritability Anemia (severe cases) Causes of folic acid deficiency Diet. One of the most common causes is poor diet. Folate naturally occurs in a wide array of foods, and among its richest sources include dark green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, asparagus, and broccoli), beef liver and kidney, yeast, and beans. Among other sources are eggs, beet, milk and other dairy products, and whole wheat bread. Eating overcooked fruits and vegetables. Folate is easily destroyed by heat. Diseases such as severe kidney problems requiring dialysis, certain types of cancers, celiac disease, and Crohn's disease affect the absorption of the vitamin in the GI tract Too much alcohol consumption increases folate excretion via the urine During pregnancy, a lot of folic acids are used up by the growing baby Side effects of medication, which includes phenytoin (Dilantin), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, methotrexate, and sulfasalazine Diagnosis There are exams and tests taken to confirm folate deficiency in an individual. One of these is a blood test, to check the number of red blood cells and whether the body has enough vitamin B9. This is most common among pregnant women during their prenatal check-ups. But the most common procedure is the doctor checking the patient's history and current health condition. Read More: The 5 Best Herbal Remedies To Treat Acne 8 Home Remedies To Banish Acne Scars And Discoloration For Good (Info-Graphic ) How To Fix Being Skinny Fat 4 Reasons Why Food Handling Training Is Important Top 4 Natural Combination For You To Eliminate Blackheads (Infographics) How To Remove Acne Scars Naturally Top 5 Foods For Healthier And Thicker Hair Types Of Stethoscopes Must-Follow Tricks To Burn More Calories

Available Treatment Options for Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine in itself is a dangerous drug if taken for a long time, it becomes more dreadful when the drug dealers mixed it with other opioids to enhance its effects. If you don’t know about such illegal mixing, the overdose of the drug may be fatal, which is becoming common nowadays. It’s a common belief that it’s hard to combat cocaine addiction as compared to the other drug addiction that is not true in all cases. Still, the research studies are undergoing to find out the best and authentic treatment for cocaine addiction, as there are no registered medications by the FDA to treat such kind of addiction, but there are other therapies available like behavioral therapy, group counseling, etc. special treatments are still underway for the cocaine addiction due to the availability of the limited resources. Outpatient Treatment Facility The outpatient treatment setting is arranged for those cocaine abusers who cannot stay in the rehab center. While they are allowed to stay at home or in a community area during the period of their treatment, where they have scheduled visits to a rehab facility for treatment like individual or group therapies. The treatment varies from person to person, so you may require to visit the center once or twice a week for around six hours in one sitting. The duration of outpatient treatment may last from weeks to even months with gradual recovery progress. Inpatient Treatment Facility The inpatient facilities are not equivalent to the hospital but basic addiction recovery treatments are available there. Infinite Detox Austin provides settings that offer pharmacological treatment, mental and social support, occupational support, etc. this type of recovery program mostly lasts for about six months. For simple cocaine abusers, detoxification and other short-term treatments are enough, but for chronic cocaine addiction along with comorbidities inpatient rehab centers are preferable. This kind of individual-based one-to-one therapeutic program is helpful for you to regain the body equilibrium before going back to the hometown. Recognized Treatment or Therapy Methodologies 1. Contingency Management This approach is related to the management of high-risk situations and can be used in several types of treatment settings. During this therapy, individuals are rewarded for not using the drug. This is used to formulate the ability of each patient to deal with the drug cravings and the root cause behind them. This treatment is found to be a realistic and auspicious one. 2. Cognitive-behavioral Therapy This therapy approaches change the behavior of the individual towards the use of the drug and force him/her to develop new plans to cope up with the ongoing treatment. This may be done in group settings or on an individual basis at both inpatient and outpatient recovery programs. This approach may include gaining knowledge about new methods to handle the drug cravings, suicidal thoughts, and lethal withdrawal symptoms, which may lead you towards relapse. 3. Matrix Model This model is based on the principle of self-discipline, which involves features of many other treatment approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, and 12-step programs, etc. This model includes emotional support, personal counseling sessions, and family education. It is seen as a proven treatment of addiction so it gets a lot of attention in society. 4. Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT) Pharmacological therapy is used to provide you with the prescribed medications to combat drug usage. This method is still under consideration especially in the case of opioid addiction as the trials for cocaine abuse have not all been steadily efficacious and have not been extensively studied. However, if effective medications are developed for long-term use then MAT would become the most demanding and essential treatment option. Read Also: Are You Sick and Tired of Drugs? 4 Tips to Find an Effective Drug Therapy Cannabis can Help in the Fight Against Drug Addiction Four Effective Things To Recover From Heroin & Drug Addiction Treatment

10 healthy habits to improve your health

Your health is the single greatest asset that you can ever possess. It can determine how successful you will be in business and whether you will live to achieve your lifetime resolutions or not. You should, therefore, never gamble with your health by failing to take due caution to lead a healthy lifestyle. As part of the good health practices that you should endeavor to keep in your life, being disciplined forms the foundation for ensuring that you safeguard your health. Here are 10 healthy habits that can help improve your health. 1. Observe your diet: Your dietary habits have a direct effect on your health. Whatever you consume or fail to consume consequently affects your ability to lead a healthy lifestyle. When thinking about diet and its effect on your health, emphasis should be put on particular issues such as the kind of food you eat, eating habits or schedule, and the portions you consume. As part of the initiative to lead a healthy lifestyle and improve on your health, you should endeavor to consume a balanced diet in fair and well-distributed portions during breakfast, lunch, and supper. Your daily servings should comprise portions of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vegetables, minerals, and water or fluids. 2. Exercise well: Physical exercise forms the backbone of maintaining a perfect body physique. Well-structured physical exercises impart your body with numerous health benefits including helping keep your muscles active. Aerobic exercises can also help with cardiac health through the maintenance of a good distribution of blood across every organ including the skin. Well-focused physical exercises can also help in maintaining a perfect balance of certain physical attributes such as body weight and overall body shape. When thinking about exercises as part of your routine, you should endeavor to maintain a perfect balance between the different kinds of body exercises you have, including aerobic exercises and body-trimming exercises. 3. Slotting time for health check-ups: Irrespective of whether you feel sick or not, health checkups are crucial when it comes to improving your health. Finding time to either visit a health facility for a health checkup or even utilize the Home Doctor Service for convenience when securing appointments with your nutritionist or doctor allows you to evaluate the progress you have gained so far in your bid to lead a healthy life. 4. Get sufficient sleep: Your sleeping patterns do directly or indirectly influence how healthy you will be. Without sufficient sleep on a daily basis, you will stand to lose out on your productivity while detrimentally affecting your physical health. As a recommendation, your body needs not less than eight hours of uninterrupted sleep to maintain the right physiological condition for body growth. Lack of sufficient sleep compromises your immune system, thereby leading to vulnerabilities to disease conditions. 5. Meditate often: Meditation is often disregarded when it comes to the observation of healthy lifestyles. However, research has shown that sufficient meditation on a daily basis does have physiological and mental benefits. Meditating sufficiently gives your body an opportunity to deeply relax, something crucial for your immune system. The practice is also crucial in helping control stress, anxiety, and other forms of emotional suffering that can take a toll on your health. Besides, meditating sufficiently helps in building mental awareness while improving your ability to control addictions. 6. Taking water, lots of water: Staying hydrated is a crucial factor in maintaining your body's health. The human body is 60% water while all other crucial organs in the body such as the brain, lungs, kidneys, bones, and muscles are comprised of between 60 and 85% water. The only way to stay sufficiently hydrated is to take not less than 2 liters of water on a daily basis. To help nature this habit well, you should endeavor to drink water even when you do not feel thirsty. 7. Socialize effectively: Being social, surprisingly, has a huge benefit on your health and can help much when it comes to your health improvement habits. Socializing with your friends helps brighten your moods through laughing and playing. This practice helps improve your mental capacity and general immune health through the production of certain hormones. Such hormones, when circulated in the body, help maintain a perfect physiological condition for a healthy life. Such a social life also helps keep away detrimental health practices such as stress and being frightened. 8. Cook for yourself more often: Sometimes, it pays to give yourself an additional challenge when it comes to your diet. You may, therefore, prefer cooking for yourself rather than eating out. Hotel or restaurant-prepared food does not offer you much of the flexibility that you often desire. Cooking for yourself ensures that you observe the strict dietary habits that you so much need to lead a healthy lifestyle. Also, the experience of cooking in the kitchen gives you a positive mental challenge. It also serves as an opportunity for social development that is crucial for your general body health. 9. Have a proper schedule: Whereas it may sound unbelievable, the kind of schedule you lead on a daily basis can directly influence your ability to live a healthy life. To enhance your health, you should endeavor to ensure that your day is well planned with activities being slotted rightly. Such planning comes in handy in helping keep away unwanted habits while also taking charge of your health. A properly planned schedule is the right platform that ensures that any health-based resolution you set in place is upheld and regarded accordingly. 10. Have a good interaction with nature: Nature has an indirect way of helping keep your body healthy. Interacting with nature more often as part of your routine schedule gives your body an opportunity to experience some benefits. You should, therefore, endeavor to factor in much time to take a break from your office or home enclosures and have a nature walk. Any sightseeing events such as strolling down the forest and beholding trees and birds help your body to relax as much as possible. Read Also: The Top 6 Vitamins And Minerals All Women Over 40 Should Take How To Live Healthily Even If You Have A Full-Time Job The Health Benefits Of Figure Skating Explained

How 12-Step Works as Addiction Recovery Support?

The History of the 12-Step Program:

How 12-Step Approach Works:

11 Foods You Must Incorporate Into Your Diet for Great Skin

The Role Of Nutrition Therapy In Eating Disorder Treatment

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Folic Acid Deficiency Symptoms: Supplement the Deficiency Before It’s Too Late

Available Treatment Options for Cocaine Addiction

10 healthy habits to improve your health

How 12-Step Works as Addiction Recovery Support?

The History of the 12-Step Program:

How 12-Step Approach Works:

Share this Article

11 Foods You Must Incorporate Into Your Diet for Great Skin

The Role Of Nutrition Therapy In Eating Disorder Treatment

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

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