When you begin your journey to recovery, you have a lot of questions about the road ahead. You may have heard that 12-Step programs are an effective tool for many struggling with addiction. But could this really be the right path for you?
And what happens after the 12 Steps are through?
What Are the 12 Steps?
The 12 Steps were originally outlined by Alcoholics Anonymous. Today, these steps are used in programs for treating more than alcohol dependence, including drug abuse, mental health disorders, gambling addictions, and much more.
- We admitted we were powerless over our addiction — that our lives had become unmanageable
- Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
- Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
- Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
- Continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted when we were wrong
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs
What Should You Expect from a 12 Steps Program?
The truth is that 12-Step programs have helped millions of people, and they can help anyone who’s open to the process.
At your first meeting, the group may be discussing a single step or how several steps fit together. You’ll hear from one or more people about their journey, and you’ll be given the (optional) opportunity to speak as well. Every meeting is different, but they share one rule in common: respecting others.
So What Comes After the 12 Steps?
Those who follow the 12 Steps are encouraged to revisit them at any time. Some people feel a need to complete the Steps within a set timeline and get them out of the way. But the truth is that the Steps will be vital to your life throughout your journey in recovery.
Many people never truly “finish” with the 12 Steps. You may come back to a step years after you believed you were through with it. These steps are not designed to be started and completed one after another until you are suddenly “better.” The steps are a guide to a life in recovery, and that means it’s okay—and even expected—that they’ll be part of your journey throughout your life.
Call the team at Rosecrance at (866) 330-8729 when you’re ready to make a change and find your path to recovery.