Do the 12 steps work?

Working the 12 step programme

 

Do the 12 steps actually work?
A question that can provoke a plethora of responses depending on the opinion of the individual asked. It’s not always as straightforward as a simple yes or no.

 

 

My early experience with a 12 Step programme was with Alcoholics Anonymous way back in the early 1980’s. Did I want to stop drinking or taking drugs? No. So why did I go? I remember one particular evening when I was filled with despair, more than what I usually felt. My life was spiralling out of control, my then husband threatened to kick me out of our home and take our two-year-old daughter away from me permanently; I got scared, so scared that I contacted Alcoholics Anonymous who agreed to send someone round to talk to me. These kind people took me to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and I hated it, I believed it to be a cult, I left notes around the house informing whoever found them that in the case of my disappearance “they had got me”. Bottom line was I didn’t want abstinence; I wanted to get the family off my back and wanted to learn how to control my drinking and drug use. I also recoiled at the word God, furthermore, I latched onto it to justify why AA and the 12 Steps were not for me.

God???
Religion????

I only actually heard the “God” word about twice but it gave me the excuse I was looking for.

 

Fast forward 17-18 years and I’m sat in a 12 Step Drug and Alcohol treatment facility, forty years old, homeless, divorced and my two children no longer in my care. I had heard my story told by other men and women when I first went to Alcoholics Anonymous all those years ago but in my arrogance, I believed that would never happen to me.  I had been in the system for multiple years and was desperate

On July 18, 2018, I will celebrate 18 years of recovery from alcohol and drugs. I have no doubt that without meetings and a programme I would not be where I am physically and emotionally. The Steps are a guide to living, about doing the right thing, about being considerate of others, to learn to love yourself and to become a productive member of society and so much more. If I am asked to name just one thing that the 12 Steps have given me, then my reply would be the gift of freedom and anyone who is or has been trapped in the cycle of addiction will know exactly what I am talking about.

So do the 12 Steps work? Yes, they do if you want them to.

Amanda Thomas

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from Western Counselling https://www.westerncounselling.com/blog/recovery-2/do-the-12-steps-work/
via Alcohol

Why am i an addict?

Why am I an addict, when my friends use drugs too?

Understanding drug addiction.

 

Drug use in the UK is extremely common, almost considered a rite of passage for our youth.

With drug use evident on our streets, and drug-related deaths in the UK higher than anywhere else in Europe, it’s interesting to note that according to government statistics drug use is on the wane.  Or am I cynical? Is it just the stats saying what everyone wants them to say?

Use of legal highs is huge, cocaine use is growing amongst young adults and cannabis is no longer considered a drug by our young people. Government data, however, concentrates on Problematic Drug Use (PDU’s) and that is heroin and crack cocaine.

Not everyone who uses drugs and alcohol will have issues or become addicted to those substances. For many, they are a relaxant, part of a social scene.

 

 

There is a very definite line between recreational/social us and addiction.

There is little doubt about what drug use and addiction can do to an individual, from the physical health risks and psychological toll it takes on the addict and their family to the dangers of overdose and death. However, most people who use drugs and alcohol will either remain unscathed through a short period of experimentation or learn to accommodate their use into their lifestyle, adjusting their patterns of use so it doesn’t interfere with daily obligations with work, family or education.

We, therefore, have to ask…how can some people avoid the hazards of addiction and “use responsibly” and function normally?

 

Why is it that some people become addicts and others don’t?

The main reason why some people get trapped in a cycle of substance dependence and abuse is due to the fact they have pre-existing vulnerabilities or risk factors that increase their risk.

For example, people that don’t have a family history or multi-generational history of drug and alcohol use will have a low risk of developing addictive behaviours.

People that have excellent social support–from family, relatives, peers and other important people in their lives–are also less likely to develop drug and alcohol problems.

Age of first use can also play a role. Teens who start using drugs before the age of 14 are at much higher risk of addiction than those who wait until their late teens or twenties.

Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) or trauma can lead to a self-medicating cycle, as can underlying untreated mental and emotional health issues; this, in turn, can lead to an addictive cycle of drug and/or alcohol use leading to dependency.

Addiction isn’t limited to class, economic status, environment or culture, however, there is a prevalence in the poorest communities linked to poor housing, education and employment opportunities.

 

Paul Hayes -IFL Science website: Most drug users are intelligent resourceful people with good life skills, supportive networks and loving families. These assets enable them to manage the risks associated with their drug use, avoiding the most dangerous drugs and managing their frequency and scale of use to reduce harm and maximise pleasure. Crucially they will have access to support from family and friends should they begin to develop problems, and a realistic prospect of a job, a house and a stake in society to focus and sustain their motivation to get back on track.

In contrast, the most vulnerable individuals in our poorest communities lack life skills and have networks that entrench their problems rather than offering solutions. Their decision making will tend to prioritise immediate benefit rather than long-term consequences. The multiplicity of overlapping challenges they face gives them little incentive to avoid high-risk behaviours.

 

In reality we have no clear determinant of addiction, however if we all take a step back and look at our own behaviours with honesty, many of us will see how we use substances (maybe food, carbohydrates, sugar), shopping – retail therapy is often considered a joke, however, be clear, it isn’t if you have an addictive personality – people, relationships, sex and love to feel better, to “fix our feelings”, many of us will realise that we have the markers for an addictive personality and will on occasion (some maybe  frequently?) behave compulsively.

 

Some people are able to manage their addictive behaviours, however many will find themselves sliding into negative patterns of use. Some individuals will notice the downwards progression and take remedial action, others will find themselves in need of a detoxification programme and period of rehabilitation to review, address and heal their issues that have caused or arisen as a result of their drug and/or alcohol use.

 

Whilst it may be said that some people are “born to be addicts”, the truth is that addiction can affect ANYONE, no matter their age, race, sex, or socioeconomic background.

Get information on why you cannot stop drinking.

Amanda Thomas,
Western Counselling

from Western Counselling https://www.westerncounselling.com/blog/addiction-2/drug-addicted-addictions/
via Alcohol