A twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. Originally proposed by Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement claiming over 2 million members and declaring its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety". AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith (Bill W. and Dr. Bob) in Akron, Ohio. Along with other early members, Wilson and Smith (AA) as a method of recovery from alcoholism Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disabling addictive disorder. It is characterized by compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcohol despite its negative effects on the drinker's health, relationships, and social standing. Like other drug addictions, alcoholism is medically defined as a treatable disease. The term ",[1] the Twelve Steps were first published in the book, Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism in 1939.[2] The method was then adapted and became the foundation of other twelve-step programs This is a list of twelve-step groups based on the set of guiding principles for recovery from addictive, compulsive, or other behavioral problems that was originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous. The twelve-step method has been adapted widely by fellowships of people recovering from various addictions, compulsive behaviors, and mental health such as Narcotics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step program of recovery from drug addiction, modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It describes itself as a nonprofit "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem", and it is the second-largest 12-step organization. As of 2007[update] there were more than 43,900 NA, Cocaine Anonymous Cocaine Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who seek recovery from drug addiction. CA is patterned very closely after Alcoholics Anonymous, although the two groups are unaffiliated. While many CA members have been addicted to cocaine, crack, speed or similar substances, identifying specifically as a cocaine addict is not required, Overeaters Anonymous Overeaters Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people with problems related to food including, but not limited to, compulsive overeaters, those with binge eating disorder, bulimics and anorexics. Anyone with a problematic relationship with food is welcomed, as OA's Third Tradition states that the only requirement for memberships is a desire to, Co-Dependents Anonymous Co-Dependents Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who share a common desire to develop functional and healthy relationships. CoDA was founded in 1986 in Phoenix, Arizona. CoDA is active in more than 40 countries, with approximately 1200 groups active in the United States.[citation needed] and Debtors Anonymous Debtors Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who want to stop incurring unsecured debt. Collectively they attend more than 500 weekly meetings in nine countries. Those who compulsively incur unsecured debt are said to be engaged in compulsive debting and are known as compulsive debtors. As summarized by the American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the U.S. and is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 152,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students and has an annual budget of around $115m. The American Psychological, the process involves the following:[1]

Contents

Overview

Twelve-step methods have been adopted to address a wide range of substance abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts. The terms have a huge range of definitions related to taking a psychoactive drug or and dependency problems. Over 200 self-help Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders organizations–often known as fellowships This is a list of twelve-step groups based on the set of guiding principles for recovery from addictive, compulsive, or other behavioral problems that was originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous. The twelve-step method has been adapted widely by fellowships of people recovering from various addictions, compulsive behaviors, and mental health–with a worldwide membership of millions, now employ twelve-step principles for recovery The Recovery Model as it applies to mental health is an approach to mental disorder or substance dependence that emphasizes and supports each individual's potential for recovery. Recovery is seen within the model as a personal journey, that may involve developing hope, a secure base and sense of self, supportive relationships, empowerment, social. Narcotics Anonymous was formed by addicts who did not relate to the specifics of alcohol dependency.[3] Similar demographic preferences related to the addicts' drug of choice has led to the creation of Cocaine Anonymous Cocaine Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who seek recovery from drug addiction. CA is patterned very closely after Alcoholics Anonymous, although the two groups are unaffiliated. While many CA members have been addicted to cocaine, crack, speed or similar substances, identifying specifically as a cocaine addict is not required, Crystal Meth Anonymous Crystal Meth Anonymous is a twelve-step fellowship of recovered and recovering methamphetamine addicts. Participants meet in local groups of varying sizes in order to stay clean and help others recover from methamphetamine addiction. CMA encourages complete abstinence from methamphetamine, alcohol, inhalants, and all other drugs not taken as, Pills Anonymous Pills Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who seek recovery from prescription drug addiction. PA is patterned very closely after Alcoholics Anonymous, although the two groups are not affiliated and Marijuana Anonymous Marijuana Anonymous is a Twelve-step program for people with common desire to maintain abstinence from marijuana. Behavioral issues such as compulsion for, and/or addiction to, gambling, food, sex, hoarding Compulsive hoarding is the excessive acquisition of possessions (and failure to use or discard them), even if the items are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary. Compulsive hoarding impairs mobility and interferes with basic activities, including cooking, cleaning, showering, and sleeping. A person who engages in compulsive hoarding is commonly, debting Debt is that which is owed; usually referencing assets owed, but the term can also cover moral obligations and other interactions not requiring money. In the case of assets, debt is a means of using future purchasing power in the present before a summation has been earned. Some companies and corporations use debt as a part of their overall and work The term does not always imply that the person actually enjoys his work; it can imply that he simply feels compelled to do it. There is no generally accepted medical definition of such a condition, although some forms of stress, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder can be work-related are addressed in fellowships such as Gamblers Anonymous Gamblers Anonymous is a twelve-step program for problem gamblers. GA began in Los Angeles on September 13, 1957. As of 2005 there were over 1000 GA meetings in the United States and meetings established in the United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Kenya, Uganda, Korea and Japan. The only requirement for GA membership is a, Overeaters Anonymous Overeaters Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people with problems related to food including, but not limited to, compulsive overeaters, those with binge eating disorder, bulimics and anorexics. Anyone with a problematic relationship with food is welcomed, as OA's Third Tradition states that the only requirement for memberships is a desire to, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, Clutterers Anonymous Clutterers Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who share a common problem with accumulation of clutter. CLA does not exist to provide housekeeping hints, tips on sorting and filing, or lectures on time management, but instead focuses on the underlying issues made manifest by unnecessary physical and emotional clutter. CLA was active in, Debtors Anonymous Debtors Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who want to stop incurring unsecured debt. Collectively they attend more than 500 weekly meetings in nine countries. Those who compulsively incur unsecured debt are said to be engaged in compulsive debting and are known as compulsive debtors and Workaholics Anonymous Workaholics Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people identifying themselves as "powerless over compulsive work, worry, or activity" including, but not limited to, workaholics–including overworkers and those who suffer from unmanageable procrastination or work aversion. Anybody with a desire to stop working compulsively is welcome. Auxiliary groups such as Al-Anon Al-Anon/Alateen, known as Al-Anon Family Groups, is an international "fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their common problems." They "help families of alcoholics by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and Nar-Anon Nar-Anon is a twelve-step program for friends and family members of drug addicts. Nar-Anon is complementary to, but separate from, Narcotics Anonymous ; Nar-Anon's traditions state that it should "always cooperate with Narcotics Anonymous." Nar-Anon was originally founded by Alma B. in Studio City, California, but her initial attempt to, for friends and family members of alcoholics and addicts, respectively, are part of a response to treating addiction as a disease that is enabled by family systems Alcoholism in family systems is the conditions of families that enable alcoholism, and the effects of alcoholic behavior by one or more family members on the rest of the family. Mental health professionals are increasingly considering alcoholism and addiction as diseases that flourish in and are enabled by family systems. Family members react to.[4]

History

For more details on this topic, see History of Alcoholics Anonymous The history of Alcoholics Anonymous has been documented in books, movies, and AA literature from its founding in 1935 as a solution for alcoholism by Bill Wilson (known as Bill W.) and Dr. Robert Smith (known as Dr. Bob), through early struggles and worldwide growth.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the first twelve-step fellowship, was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson Wilson achieved sobriety on December 11, 1934 and maintained it throughout his remaining 36 years. Despite the success and notoriety afforded him by the accomplishments and growth of AA under his leadership, he continued to suffer from episodes of depression, the most serious of these between 1944 and 1955. In 1955 Wilson turned over control of AA and Dr. Bob Smith Robert Holbrook Smith was an American physician and surgeon who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous with Bill Wilson, more commonly known as Bill W. He was also known as Dr. Bob, known to AA members as "Bill W." and "Dr. Bob", in Akron, Ohio. They established the tradition within the "anonymous" twelve-step programs of using only first names "at the level of press, radio and film."[5]

As AA was growing in the 1930s and 1940s, definite guiding principles began to emerge as the Twelve Traditions. A Singleness of purpose The Twelve Traditions of twelve-step programs provide guidelines for relationships between the twelve-step groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large. Questions of finance, public relations, donations, and purpose are addressed in the Traditions. They were originally written by Bill Wilson after the founding of the emerged as Tradition Five: "Each group has but one primary purpose -- to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers."[6] Consequently, drug addicts The related concept of drug addiction has many different definitions. Some writers give in fact drug addiction the same meaning as substance dependence, others for example provide drug addiction a narrower meaning which excludes drugs without evidence of tolerance or withdrawal symptoms who do not suffer from the specifics of alcoholism involved in AA hoping for recovery technically are not welcome in "closed" meetings unless they have a desire to stop drinking alcohol In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl functional group (-O .[7] The reason for such emphasis on alcoholism as the problem is to overcome denial and distraction. Thus the principles of AA have been used to form many numbers of other fellowships for those recovering from various pathologies In medicine, pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease. The related scientific study of disease processes is called "general pathology". Medical pathology is divided into two main branches, anatomical pathology and clinical pathology. Medical pathologists work through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids, and whole bodies, each of which in turn emphasizes recovery from the specific malady which brought the sufferer into the fellowship.[8]

In 1953 AA gave permission for Narcotics Anonymous to use its Steps and Traditions.[9]

Twelve Steps

These are the original Twelve Steps as published by Alcoholics Anonymous:[10]

  1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism as we understood Him.
  4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character Moral character or character is an evaluation of a particular individual's durable moral qualities. The concept of character can imply a variety of attributes including the existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty, or of good behaviors or habits. Moral character primarily refers to the assemblage of.
  7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
  9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  11. Sought through prayer Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional connection to a God, deity or spirit, through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, formal and meditation Meditation is a holistic discipline during which time the practitioner trains his or her mind in order to realize some benefit 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.
  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.

In some cases, where other twelve-step groups have adapted the AA steps as guiding principles, they have been altered to emphasize principles important to those particular fellowships, to remove gender-biased or specific religious language.[11][12][13]

Twelve Traditions

Main article: Twelve Traditions The Twelve Traditions of twelve-step programs provide guidelines for relationships between the twelve-step groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large. Questions of finance, public relations, donations, and purpose are addressed in the Traditions. They were originally written by Bill Wilson after the founding of the

The Twelve Traditions accompany the Twelve Steps. The Traditions provide guidelines for group governance. They were developed in AA in order to help resolve conflicts in the areas of publicity, religion and finances.[14] Most twelve-step fellowships have adopted these principles for their structural governance.[15] The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are as follows.[5]

  1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.
  2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
  3. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.
  4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.
  5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
  6. An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
  7. Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
  8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
  9. AA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
  10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
  11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
  12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

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If we're addicted to oil, our twelve-step program should begin with admitting that we have a problem. As the price of oil creeps higher ... video.google.co​m.

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One Response to Q&A: In A . 12 Step. . Program. ? Is A Family Member? Please Read On ? Helen W.: August 16, 2010 at 1:23 am. What I found when I left AA (I know you're not leaving, but I did, once I realized how limiting AA really is) was ...

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Are there twelve-step programs for laziness or shyness?
Q. Are there twelve-step programs for laziness or shyness?
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A. There is a very good 12-step program called Emotions Anonymous. Check the webpage and find a group near you. Yes, this will work for what you are calling laziness or shyness. There is nothing in the world like group support. Good luck!
Answered by NA - Tue Jan 15 13:50:43 2008

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