You’ve been diagnosed with something that many people are referring to as an illness, a sickness, and even a disease. You realize this is different from any other medical condition because it feels as though it lives in every single part of you, from your brain to your bones to the way you feel about yourself inside. Full of shame, fear, and guilt, you believe that this is of your own making, but you can’t find a way to make it stop. There is a way, you are told, through receiving treatment. Making the decision to invest in your health, you choose to go to treatment. However long it takes, whatever it has to do. People are saying this thing you have is deadly! If you don’t change it now, it will only get worse.
A diagnosis begs treatment of any kind. Any kind of illness, especially one that can lead to overdose and death, should be treated from every angle. Most treatment centers today run on a mind, body, and spirit model, approaching addiction from every position possible. In order to recover, one must do whatever they can to create the changes necessary in life to avoid relapsing into using drugs and alcohol again. Like many other medical conditions, treating addiction requires a change in lifestyle. Changing lifestyle means learning to live in new and different ways. People don’t just do this on their own. They have to find tools, develop new habits, and put all of their information into practice.
The twelve step program created originally by Alcoholics Anonymous are a specific set of tools which have proven to be useful to many people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Within each step is a principle and an action. In the treatment setting, working through the 12 steps and gaining a deeper understanding of the 12 step philosophy is an effective and supplemental tool to add to the clinical tools and spiritual tools being gained. From fitness and nutrition to cognitive behavioral therapy and meditation, the 12 steps can be applied as well as incorporated.
Using the 12 steps in treatment is controversial because many scientists claim there is no validity in the use of it as a treatment program. Some people find success strictly attending 12 step meetings and working the steps. Many more do not. When treating a deadly issue like addiction, there is little harm in looking at, investigating, and incorporating as many tools as possible. As we often say in recovery, take what you need and leave the rest!
When you decide to take action on your addiction and call for help, change imminently follows. Change is possible, because recovery is possible for everyone. Call Design For Change today to learn about our recovery services and treatment programs for addiction and alcoholism: (877) 267-3646.