12 Step Program Addiction, The First Five Steps

Everyone’s heard of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, but what do they really mean?  Though structure is not enough to solve every single case of drug or alcohol dependency, there are certainly enough accounts of success in california rehab centers that make the 12 steps of AA truly worth trying. Let’s take a closer look at the first five steps

1.We admitted we were powerless over our addiction – that our lives had become unmanageable.

For most addicts who enter 30 day rehab programs, the power of choice has totally vanished and willpower becomes non-existent. When we admit our powerlessness and the inability to manage our own lives, we open the door to recovery.

2.Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

The only guidelines are that this Power be loving, caring and stronger than ourselves. A person doesn’t have to be religious to accept this idea.

3.Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.

A common recovery phrase heard in long term drug rehabilitation, is “Turn it over.” For the recovering person, it means turning over every aspect of life to a higher power – whatever you understand that to be.

4.Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

This means taking stock honestly of our flaws. Perhaps for the first time in our lives. 

5.Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

The fifth step is not easy but allows us to live clean in the here and now by setting us free to live in truth.

These are just the first five steps, in some ways the most difficult, but there is much more knowledge to come in the following steps. Visit again to read more in the coming weeks, or get alcohol addiction help now, by contacting us.

More Myths About Alcohol Drug Detox

Myths keep millions of people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction from seeking the alcohol and long term drug addiction treatment they need. Rehab can be a positive and life-changing experience that leads to a long, happy life free of drugs and alcohol. While there is no “cure” for addiction, drug rehab is often the first step to this new life. Don’t let the following myths stop you from getting the help you or a loved one needs.

“I have to hit rock bottom before I can go to rehab.”

While hitting rock bottom can lead to powerful change, it’s not the only way. With the help and encouragement of family and friends, many people have gone entered California drug treatment before hitting rock bottom and successfully maintain their sobriety. Why choose to hit rock bottom before you decide to take control of your life?

“Rehab doesn’t work if it’s forced.”

Making the choice to enter drug rehab voluntarily is more pleasant for all concerned, but sometimes drug rehab is court mandated or forced. Those cases have as good of a chance of recovery as any, regardless of the situation that led to taking that step. Sometimes only a stay in drug rehab can make it possible for an individual struggling with addiction to fully grasp the severity of his or her problem.

“Rehab cures addiction.”

There is NO cure for addiction. Unfortunately, relapse happens. The fear of relapse, is not a valid reason to avoid 12 step recovery programs. The key to successful recovery is to stay dedicated to working the steps of your treatment program, surround yourself with support and focus your efforts on healthy behaviors. Recovery is always possible, but not without dedication and self-awareness.

“There is no affordable rehab available to me.”

Yes, there are costs associated with inpatient accommodations, supervised medical detox and therapy sessions, but some treatment centers will work with your individual financial situation. Some insurance policies cover most (if not all) drug and alcohol rehab and many rehab centers offer payment plans or other payment options.

Drug rehab educates the addicted individual and their loved ones, creates a strong support system, and imparts the life-skills necessary to lead a productive life without the use of alcohol or drugs. Don’t let a myth stand in the way of a bright tomorrow.

Help for Parents of Addicts: Alarming Trends from The NIDA

Looking for help for Parents of Addicts? You are not alone. According to the most recent findings from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug use among teens in the United States is on the rise – especially in young teens. The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey has measured drug, alcohol, and cigarette use and related attitudes among adolescent students in the U.S. since 1975.  At its inception, the survey included high school seniors only, but in 1991 it was expanded to include 8th- and 10th-graders as well.

One major factor thought to be impacting the current statistics is the overall lowering in perceived risk, perceived social approval, and perceived availability for several drugs. The more risky or less accepted a drug is thought to be, the less likely it will be used by teens. Perceived availability often correlates with social approval – meaning that a drug that’s readily available is considered socially acceptable and will be more commonly used.

Teens don’t just consider the physical risks when using drugs, but also emotional, social/relational, and aspirational factors. Physical risks include may include addiction, and social risks include disappointing friends or family, entry into long term addiction program and losing friends. Aspirational risks include losing a job, or getting in trouble with the law. All of these perceived risks – physical, emotional, social, and aspirational – are different with each drug, and contributing factors include things like anti-drug campaigns, family counseling and discussion.

The following information was gleaned from the most recent study may be frightening to parents, but you will do well to be armed with this information and be aware of behavioral changes in children. If you suspect your young teen is using drugs or alcohol, please contact our addiction counselors for information on affordable rehab.

Daily Marijuana use is on the rise in all age groups. Among 12th graders included in the study, use is now at its highest point since the early 1980s. The study also found that perceived risk of regular marijuana use is definitely on the decline, which may predict a future upward trend in use.

Second to marijuana, prescription and over the counter medications account for the drugs most often abused by 12th graders. While non-medical use of Vicodin has decreased slightly, OxyContin use remains steady across the 9th and 12 graders, and actually increased in 10th graders over the past 5 years. Non-medical use of Adderall and over-the-counter cough and cold medicines among 12th graders remains high.

After declining for several years, use of the dangerous party drug Ecstasy has risen among 8th and 10th graders. From 2009 to 2010, lifetime use of ecstasy among 8th graders increased from 2.2% to 3.3% which also demonstrates a marked drop in perceived risk in using the drug.

The challenge in curtailing teen drug use is that the so-called “benefits” of using a given drug spread faster than perceived risks. The “benefits” of a drug are immediately evident, and electronic forms of communication like chats and text messages allow these “positive” experiences spread quickly among groups of young people.  Gathering information about the drug’s risks takes time, but when aggressively distributed through discussion with friends and family, the results are dramatic and positive.

CA Drug Rehabs Save Lives

A California drug rehabilitation center knows that being an addict is one of the hardest things a person can go through during their entire lifetime. But, seeking treatment to come out of it sober and healthy can seem even harder to someone who has lived this life for as long as some addicts have. Even though substance abuse has taken away part of a person’s life that they can’t get back, they can build a new one that can be better because it will be free of drugs and alcohol.

If you are thinking it is time to make the step to becoming a clean and sober person who takes control of their life, looking in to a California drug rehabilitation facility is going to give you the confidence you need to finally make the right choice. Being able to be amongst the trees, scenic mountains, far removed from the preconceived notions you might have of California and relaxing while learning how to recover from the addiction is going to help you maintain the clear and level head that you need while still reveling in the beauty you might have missed while on drugs or abusing alcohol.

When you are looking in to a California drug rehabilitation treatment center to possibly bring someone you love, the objective you have is saving their life. You have watched them spiral downward and out of control for who knows how long, and all you want is for them to get better. Having medically trained professionals on staff who have the expertise and knowledge to not only take care of your loved one physically by helping them to get off of drugs and alcohol, but also treat them mentally to prepare them for becoming productive members of your family, friends, and the society in which they want live soberly should be make a great case for why this person should check themselves in.

No matter what substances you or your loved one may have been abusing, the one universal truth about all of them is that you cannot quit alone; you need help to become healthy again. Admitting that is the first step and getting therapy in a California drug rehabilitation clinic is the second. The third and final step is to take the teachings that you have learned from everyone you encounter inside of the treatment facility and putting them in to practice in the real world.

A California rehab is the best of all worlds: a beautiful location, amazing physicians, remarkable therapists, and people just like you or your loved one who are seeking to live a life free from the chains of addiction. California rehab centers save lives; as many as they can. Every time someone enters a clinic they are given the same opportunity to live a healthy life that the last person who walked through the doors was, and the next person to come in will. What they do with it is up to them and their loved ones.