12 Step Programs

The Origins of 12 Step Programs

The 12 steps program was inspired by a Christian evangelical movement called the Oxford Group. One of the guiding principles of the program is that the individual needs the help of a higher power in order to defeat their addiction. Alcoholics Anonymous came into existence during the late 1930s and this was the first 12 Step group. AA attracted a lot of positive media attention, and this helped it grow rapidly. Soon other 12 Step groups were developed to deal with problems other than alcoholism.

Types of 12 Step Programs

There are now many groups that use the 12 Step program including:

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Food Addicts Anonymous
• Gamblers Anonymous
• Cocaine Anonymous
• Nicotine Anonymous
• Workaholics Anonymous
• Debtors Anonymous
• Sex Addicts Anonymous
• Clutterers Anonymous
• Neurotics Anonymous
• Online Gamers Anonymous

There are also 12 Step groups for the family of addicts such as Alateen and Adult Children of Alcoholics.

The Aim of Twelve Step Programs

The aim of the 12 Steps is not just to help the individual escape addiction, but to allow them to build a satisfying life in recovery. Addiction is only actually mentioned in the first step, and the rest of the steps are devoted to self-improvement. The individual is asked to willingly develop a new more spiritual way of living; a path that involves humility and an acceptance of whatever happens in life. Members are asked to become more conscious of their higher power and to allow this to guide their life. They are also asked to develop a willingness to make amends for any wrong they have done in the past.

Spiritual Awakening

The ultimate aim of the twelve steps is for members to experience a spiritual awakening. It is claimed that such an experience is necessary for the individual to truly experience freedom from addiction. Talk of ‘spiritual experience’ can conjure up images of visitation by angels, but the meaning here is more subtle. It can happen slowly over many years and just implies that the individual has been able to break away from addiction and rebuild their lives.

AA Higher Power

Although the program was inspired by evangelical Christians it aims to be non-denominational. The member is encouraged to believe in a higher power as they understand this concept. Even those who are uncomfortable with talk of God can choose the energy of the group as their higher power. The only requirement is that the member believes that there is something out there more powerful than they are, and that this can help them beat their addiction and live a good life.

12 Step Meetings

A vital component of the 12 Step program is regular attendance at group meetings. Those who are brand new to the program are encouraged to attend 90 meetings in 90 days. The member never graduates and so lifelong attendance is advised. The meetings follow a structure that is common to most groups. It starts with a guest speaker; a member who shares their history and then talks about how their life has changed. The meeting is then open to anyone who wants to share about whatever is on their mind. These groups are managed by volunteers, and are kept going by voluntary contributions. Some meetings are open to the general public, but most are only for those who are looking for help.

Twelve Steps and the Disease Model of Addiction

The early members of AA were inspired by the work of American physiologist E.M. Jellinek. His work helped popularize the idea of alcoholism as a chronic disease, and this led to the increasing medicalization of addiction. Alcoholism is viewed as progressive condition where the only reliable treatment is complete abstinence. There is no cure for the disease, but there is the possibility of remission. Supporters of the 12 Steps suggest that the only way to stay in remission is lifelong attendance at meetings and following their program.

The 12 Steps

The 12 Steps are outlined in Chapter 5 of the AA Big Book. This chapter is titled How it Works and the following steps are prescribed for recovery from addiction:

• Step 1 – We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable
• Step 2 – Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
• Step 3 – Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him
• Step 4 – Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
• Step 5 – Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
• Step 6 – Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
• Step 7 – Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings
• Step 8 – Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
• Step 9 – Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
• Step 10 – Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
• Step 11 – Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out
• Step 12 – Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs

The original 12 Steps are aimed at alcoholics attempting to beat their addiction. Groups where the aim is to deal with other problems will change the wording of the steps slightly.

Twelve Steps and Sponsorship

Members of 12 Step groups are encouraged to get a sponsor. This is usually a more experienced member of the group who can provide one-to-one assistance. The sponsor also usually helps the individual through the steps and will listen to their moral inventory. The sponsor is somebody to talk to if the sponsee ever feels on the verge of relapse.

The AA Promises

On pages 83-84 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous there are a number of promises for what will help if the individual faithfully works the twelve steps. These benefits from working the program include:

• A new improved way of looking at life
• No regret about the past
• No more fear of people, places, and things
• No more financial worries
• Less selfishness and self-seeking
• Happiness
• An end to self-pity
• Intuitive knowledge for how to handle every situation
• An end to feelings of uselessness and the ability to help others
• Serenity

Criticisms of 12 Step Groups

Twelve Step groups do not seem to be a solution that will work for everyone battling an addiction or compulsive behavior. The most common criticisms of these groups include:

• One of the cornerstones of these groups is anonymity. The problem is that this is impossible to enforce. People do talk about what is said in the meetings. This can mean that embarrassing, or potentially damaging, information about an individual will end up in the wrong hands.
• Some members take advantage of their position to exploit vulnerable new members. Thirteenth steeping is where older members try to sexual favors from newcomers.
• 12 Step groups have been accused of sharing many similarities with cults. Critics complain that members seem as addicted to the group as they once did to alcohol or drugs.
• Many individuals object to the emphasis of spirituality in these groups
• Members of the group can be made to feel guilty if their life is not going well. Their problems can be put down to not working the program properly. There are believed to be many individuals in recovery who have an undiagnosed mental health condition. Just following the program will often not be enough to get them well again.
• The disease model of addiction is not universally accepted.

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