Do You Have to Like the 12 Step Programs to Recover
When you mention Alcoholics Anonoymous or Narcotics Anonymous to people sometimes they just get turned off. Seeing, “Hi. My name is Phil and I have a problem”, in a lot of movies and tv skits can make some people feel they are hopeless. Others don’t feel comfortable with a spiritual approach or saying they are powerless. The 12 steps is not the only approach to addiction recovery.
There are approaches that are holistic with acupuncture and yoga as well as more scientific and less religious programs. Some prefer cognitive-behavioral approaches. Don’t feel you have to be locked into one treatment modality to recover. There are different approaches, just as in psychotheray you can choose from Jungian, Freudian, behavioral and new age therapies.
Try out a meeting to see if it clicks for you and see if your misconceptions may dissolve. If you are uncomfortable with some of the language such as admission of being powereless, translate it in your own mind to thinking about your own feelings of helplessness that you experience. Many addiction problems stem from feeling like you have to perfect and admitting powerlessness may not feel right to you. But, it is also a burden to constantly try and be perfect as well. Try to look at that a little and reflect.
The main thing is to not be in denial and take steps to get health again- whether it is the 12 steps or a different approach. Getting out of denial is the first thing to do whatever support or treatment option you embark upon.
I am trying to withdraw from hydrocodone. I’m down pretty low but getting real irritable. I can go several hours but think of it constantly. Man what a bummer. Ron.
It is nice to hear that “12 step of aa” isn’t the only approach. I know people who are just turned off by this whole method and still want to recover from addiction. I wish 12 steps program wasn’t the only one publicized so much because people sometimes give up after a meeting there.