12 Step Programs - Can They Help You?
12 Step Program success blow away high cost treatment programs. W In just my city, Indianapolis, Indiana, there are over 300 different 12 Step meetings every week. The Promises, which are a part of the original AA Big Book actually come true for those willing to put in action the steps. What’s their secret?
What started it all? Well, back in the 1930’s two men came together, Bill and Bob. If you’re a movie fan watch the movie, “My Name Is Bill W.” with James Woods starring as Bill W. This is a great movie about how AA came into existence. Both these men have passed away, but Bill W. lived long enough to see AA spread across the globe.
Most people attending 12 step programs today really have no idea how close this program is tied to religion. And that’s good, because so many have had such a negative experience of the church that if they knew this going in, they’d never show up for the first meeting.
The early beginnings of 12 step programs centered around The Oxford Group, a religious group that offered a sequenced set of steps that would lead one to a fantastic life.
Twelve step programs today encourage the use of the word “spiritual” vs “religious” As it turns out, this opens the meeting doors wide to those who may ever consider the 12 steps due to issues with modern-day religious institutions. This may be a bit misleading because each meeting includes readings that still reference God or Father. I know that many instantly tune out from 12 step programs once they hear these words, but if they stay around long enough they soon realize that religion is definitely not pushed on any members.
The 12 Step Program worked so well that it wasn’t long before people suffering from other types of addiction began to create their own 12 step program. If you were to be a fly on the wall at 7 different types of 12 step programs you would notice that all the meeting follow the same format. For most every addiction there is now a 12 step program for it. If you suffer from a compulsion that you cannot seem to get over on your own, I’d strongly advise seeking out a 12 step program. You won’t regret it.