Sometimes enough is enough. Even for the most hardcore of addicts, the bottom eventually comes. The state of that bottom can be as simple as un-manageability or as extreme as a near-death overdose or an under the influence car crash injuring others. It’s a good sign if a person is able to recognize they need help with an addiction, but it often does take something drastic, and in many cases, that person ends up in an inpatient drug rehab center, either as a family decision or perhaps court appointed. Either way, the amount of the different recovery resources embraced, the better the chance that a full and true recovery can be made that sticks.

Depending on the resources available, inpatient treatment offers the best chance for initial success. Removal from the previous substance abuse environment and being surrounded by medical professionals initially helps people get sober and to lose the cravings.

If a person has significant financial resources, there is no better option. Not only is there constant help, but the patients received individual and group therapy, different kinds of classes, topic-based discussions, and more that don’t just help you stop, but educates you.

If the money is not a problem, why not? A patient can leave anytime they feel comfortable and ready and take the time to create a plan and have a solid support system in place once they return home.

A Free Option?

Not many of us have this option, however, and is one of the reasons why quality 12 step treatment centers incorporate some form of A.A. to help prepare for the time after rehab. Many in recovery will testify to the fact that the hardest part is not stopping, it is maintaining sobriety long term. This is where the power of running a comprehensive recovery program comes into play and is why 12 step rehab centers have a significant edge up on “just getting sober.”

Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) has helped millions upon millions of people recover from the disease of addiction whether it be alcohol, heroin, meth, or whatever the drug of choice may be. Not everyone requires A.A. to stay sober, but for many of us, it is a great option and free. Given a chance, A.A. is not just a one trick pony but instead offers many different things beyond the 12 steps that assist in staying sober and maintaining hope for the future.

What Can a 12 Step Recovery Program Provide?

To many newcomers’ surprise, a 12 step recovery program is not entirely about your addiction. Many if not all addicts share so many of the same qualities such as selfishness and arrogance. Those qualities can appear in daily life causing interpersonal issues and many times, leading back to using. Many have abandoned their families and responsibilities to maintain their addictions! However, only the first 3 steps deal with our addictions. The rest are simply ways to keep “your side of the street clean” and to help maintain a level of consciousness that helps maintain sobriety. There is a lot of value in a 12 step recovery program.

Loosely grouped, the first three steps are to admit you have a problem which may be the hardest step of all. Since it was so hard to stop, the second and third steps are about admitting that help was needed to stop and could not be done alone. Steps four through six are about admitting the terrible things a person did as an addict and cleansing them from your system. Steps seven through nine are about apologizing and taking ownership of those actions. Steps ten through twelve are about maintaining sobriety.

As presented, the steps are a good guide for all kinds of things. 12 step treatment centers will help the patients to understand them and carry them out. Many of the steps can be applied by people, not in A.A., for example, learning to apologize is a good thing to be doing whether you are an addict or not, and taking personal inventory and meditating are things we can all benefit from.

A.A.’s Power in Helping Run a Comprehensive Recovery Program

Inpatient drug rehab centers are often filled with quality personnel who have been through the terrors of addiction themselves and who understand the value the steps bring. But, it is often more than that. If fully embraced, a person will see lots of other benefits.

First and foremost, going to meetings shows that the addict is not alone. It is often said that addiction is the disease of loneliness and knowing there are other, many others, out there helps immensely.

Another benefit of going to regular meetings is that there is a whole group of people who can understand what a fellow addict is going through and how they feel. This is an incredible resource to have as the ‘normal’ people in a person’s family is much less likely to understand what that entails. They may initially have had a small amount of education at family therapy with the addict, but it’s usually limited.

Most of all, a whole new group of friends is made – people that value sobriety and care. These new friends will become much more of a support system that is often realized. An inpatient drug rehab center can only provide so much long term and is why 12 step rehab centers introduce the steps as part of a comprehensive recovery philosophy. Continued focus is key to long term sobriety, and the 12 steps are one of the best ways to achieve that.

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