Twelve-step programs help addicts beat their addictions.
Twelve-step programs can help people overcome their addictions. Through participation in these programs, those with addictions can join with others who share their struggles and work through their problems together in a safe and supportive environment. To help participants deal with their struggles, program organizers generally engage them in discussions of topics related to their addiction or addictive behaviors. As they discuss these topics, participants not only learn deal with challenges but also what they must do to beat their addictions once and for all.
Addictive Behavior Replacement
Replacing addictive behavior is often an effective way to quit and stay quit. For many individuals, part of the challenge of giving up their addiction is knowing what to do during the time they would have dedicated to feeding that addiction. By engaging participants in a discussion of the productive activities they can use to fill previously addiction-dedicated time, organizers can assist them find new activities, and reduce the likelihood they will venture back to their addictive behaviors. For example, an alcoholic may choose to fill the time that she once spent at the bar with an art or physical fitness class to ensure that boredom doesn't lead her to relapse.
Family History of Addiction
Many addicted individuals have familial experience with addiction. In some cases, this family history contributed to the individual's spiral into addiction. As group members join together and discuss the history of addiction within their families, they are given the opportunity to see that they are not unique in their struggles. As these addicted individuals realize they are not faulty, but that others have the same experiences, they begin to build their self-esteem and self-worth. These positive personal feelings may assist the individual in getting and staying on the path towards beating their addictions.
Relationships
Forming and maintaining productive relationships can be challenging for individuals working to overcome addiction. Through a discussion of the challenges with others in the group, these individuals can see that they are not alone in their struggles. This realization that others in the group are battling to establish and maintain productive relationships can help individuals overcoming addiction avoid feeling as if they have done something wrong, or that they are alone in their endeavor. Program organizers can also present an array of helpful relationship tips, giving participants assistance as they continue to re-establish relationships that were injured during their period of addiction.
Spirituality
While religious affiliation isn't a requisite to participate in a 12-step program, many of these programs are spiritual in nature or contain a spiritual component. Program organizers can help their participants sort through their religion-related troubles by discussing the concept of spirituality, and allow members to share their thoughts and beliefs on the topic. This practice can help these individuals continue to re-establish and re-affirm their beliefs as they work to set their lives right again.
