12 Step Alcohol Rehab

The 12 step alcohol rehab program (otherwise known as the Minnesota model) is possibly the most famous of all alcohol rehab programs and has been used by many people to overcome alcoholism. The program was created by Alcoholics Anonymous, but can be applied to all forms of alcoholism. A key belief of this theory of alcohol rehab is that the individual is powerless to control their alcoholism, and it has been called a “disease” theory of alcoholism. Learning about the program and the steps within it can help you decide if you or a loved one would benefit from it.
The first step of the 12 step alcohol rehab program relates to the central idea of the program, that the individual is powerless over their alcoholism. Proponents of this theory believe that some people have a genetic pre-disposition towards alcoholism, and are therefore suffering from a form of disease. The first step of the program is to admit that you are powerless over your alcohol alcoholism. Although the idea of powerlessness is hotly debated, the need to recognise that you have a problem is widely accepted in alcohol rehab.
The second and third steps move on to another central idea of the 12 step alcohol rehab program, the belief in a higher power. The counterpart of being powerless over your alcoholism is accepting that there is a higher power, although any interpretation of the phrase is accepted – meaning it doesn’t have to be a Judeo-Christian god. The program is spiritual, not overtly religious, although many attendees do have strong religious beliefs. The second step relates to faith in this higher power, and the third to surrendering yourself to that power.
All types of alcohol rehab have to address the individual issues and character defects which lead to alcoholism. The 12 step alcohol rehab program’s fourth through seventh steps turn the focus back to the individual. The fourth step requires the participant to create an honest, personal moral inventory and the fifth step involves divulging the exact nature of their wrongdoings to themselves, other people and to their personal higher power. The sixth step moves onto acceptance of those wrongdoings and the willingness to move past them, and the seventh step asks the higher power to remove these shortcomings.
The eighth, ninth and tenth steps of the 12 step alcohol rehab program involve creating a list of all of the people harmed as a result of the alcoholism. After creating the list and becoming willing to make amends, the program advises participants to go out and make up for their mistakes where possible. The tenth step is about ensuring this behaviour continues for all future wrongdoings. This is important because it provides a healthy method of problem-solving that will continue past the person’s direct involvement in the program.
The last two steps of the alcohol rehab program return to the notion of a higher power. The eleventh focuses on some form of contact with the higher power (through prayer or meditation) and determining the plan he (or she) has for the individual’s life. The final step is the spiritual awakening that the 12 step alcohol rehab program hopes to inspire; being transformed into a new person no longer governed by alcoholism.
The 12 step program is only one of many different alcohol rehab programs available to you or your loved one, and you should learn about the other options before making a final decision. If you need any more information about the 12 step alcohol rehab program, or any others available to you, please get in touch. I offer free advice, and can suggest the best course of action for your specific circumstances.