12-Step Programs: What Are They And Why They Still Work

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) originated the idea for the 12-Step model in 1938, when founder Bill Wilson wrote out the ideas that had been developing through his experience with and vision of alcoholism. He wrote about the positive effects experienced when people struggling with alcoholism shared their stories with one another. “Defects of character” are reshaped by replacing old coping behaviors with healthier decisions. Learning new ways to behave is hard, so one might revisit this step multiple times. Examples of a higher “Power” include a religious God, the universe, or karma. Some may choose medical professionals, or the process of recovery itself.

An intervention that falls midway along the continuum between “doing” (e.g., getting the individual to meetings) and “understanding” is Making A.A. Easier (MAAEZ; Kaskutas & Oberste, 2002; Kaskutas, Subbaraman, Witbrodt, & Zemore, 254 Massachusetts Sober Living Homes Transitional Living MA 2009). MAAEZ is a relatively brief, structured, manual guided intervention. It consists of six 90-minute group sessions led by a counselor who is in recovery and has extensive personal experience with 12-Step meetings.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF 12-STEP PROGRAMS AND MEMBERS

Although such mutual support groups are readily available, an important question is whether they are effective in achieving their goal of members becoming alcohol and drug free. Each of the three main 12-Step programs conducts periodic surveys of its members to assess demographic characteristics and to determine the length of members’ abstinence. Table 1 provides information from the most recently available AA, NA, and CA membership surveys. Although viewed as not being scientifically rigorous and as based on self-selected convenience samples, the findings with respect to meeting attendance and length of abstinence are of interest.

Since its origin with AA, the 12-Step model has been adopted and altered by many groups to fit other programs – for addiction treatment and otherwise. Many groups, like Narcotics Anonymous, use the steps https://g-markets.net/sober-living/guilt-and-grief-making-a-living-amends/ exactly as they were conceived by AA. Others have come up with similar ideas to integrate the basic ideas of the 12 Steps into a cultural framework that makes sense for members of that culture.

1 Eight recommendations for integrating 12-step approaches

For me, steps 1-3 are about developing a relationship with a power greater than myself, steps 4-7 are about healing the relationship with myself, and steps 8-12 are about healing and supporting my relationships with others. My sponsor’s main role is to guide and support me through working the steps. (Anonymous 12-step group member, personal communication, November 23, 2020). Another well-known 12 step program is Codependents Anonymous program. “Codependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a 12 Step Fellowship for people seeking loving and healthy relationships” [22]. The concept of co-dependency has come under fire by feminist scholars.

A 2015 NA survey also found that 79 percent of U.S. members regularly used alcohol, the most widely used substance. The next most frequently used drugs were cannabis, cocaine, stimulants, opiates, opioids and crack. Researchers estimate that as many as 10 percent of people in the United States have attended an AA meeting. Today, support groups use these principles to address addictions to cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, marijuana and prescription painkillers.

Revisiting 12-Step Approaches: An Evidence-Based Perspective

Medicare and Medicaid are federal and state-funded health insurance programs that offer alcohol treatment assistance to those in need. Each state typically determines their own eligibility criteria and the amount of money disbursed. It is important to note that some rehab facilities may not accept Medicaid or Medicare as a form of payment, so it is best to check with specific programs prior to starting any treatment. The 12-Step movement can be a powerful and helpful force for many people, but some people struggle with what they interpret as a strong religious element of the program. Many addiction treatment programs offer alternatives to 12-Step methodology for those who prefer a more secular foundation for treatment.

For example, in 1851 the Order of Good Templars formed, and in 1877 Switzerland founded the Blue Cross. White also states that European culture, like American culture, formed mutual aid groups founded on moderate drinking rather than abstinence such as the German Order of Temperance, French Temperance Society, and the Irish New Ross Temperance Society. It is important to note that these two surveys are membership surveys and not designed for research. The purpose is to provide a snapshot of current membership rather than the general population of people with SUDs. Nonetheless, there exists important challenges to researchers who seek to study recovery via 12-step mutual aid programs. Jackson Bowen dealt with drug addiction and alcoholism in high school and college.

John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

• This step is structured around the belief that one is “powerless” over one’s chronic disease.
• White also states that European culture, like American culture, formed mutual aid groups founded on moderate drinking rather than abstinence such as the German Order of Temperance, French Temperance Society, and the Irish New Ross Temperance Society.
• Another variation comes from the fact that some people are uncomfortable with the specific, religious aspects of the 12-Step program.
• Thus, the idea of turning one’s life over to a male God may feel reminiscent of this history for some.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are by far the largest. A strength of 12-step programs is their wide availability across the globe. Estimated membership in Alcoholics Anonymous is 2,077,374 individual https://trading-market.org/4-ways-to-make-amends-in-recovery/ members and 125,557 groups as of 2019 [11]. After one semester of college, he went to rehab in West Palm Beach, Florida. He said that 12-step programs helped him stay sober after completing treatment.