The idea of 12 Steps to recovery and sobriety all started in 1939 in the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of One Hundred Men and How They Have Recovered From Alcoholism(wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program). Since that time period it has became a staple as a tool for use in recovery and led to the creation of NA(Narcotics Anonymous). NA is the second biggest recovery group,with AA being the first of course(wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program). The great thing about the 12 Step approach of AA/NA is that you are not going through your journey completely alone because you will likely be able to find a group in your town or the towns around you going on during everyday of the week.
Now let me introduce the first four steps of AA/NA's program and explain the concepts behind them and their relation to addiction. The first four steps are all about one idea, greed. However, do not think of greed in its typical negative connotation but in a positive one where you are greedy about getting your recovery and taking those first steps. In your drug addiction you were greedy but in a way that was harmful and destructive to you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Recovery is about changing everything about yourself and to do so you must pour as much greed and make your recovery every bit as much about yourself as you made everything about yourself during your addiction. This is the mindset needed approaching the first four steps, THIS IS YOUR RECOVERY AND THESE STEPS ARE SPECIFICALLY MEANT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TO FOCUS ON THEMSELVES!
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/drugs - that our lives had become unmanageable. This first part of this step is usually the easiest to admit/do for most people (but not saying by any means that any part of recovery is easy). However, it is getting past this first part where the challenge really begins. Anyone is capable of admitting the sense of powerlessness that comes with being consumed and eaten by alcohol/drugs. It takes something more than just admittance though to realize our lives had become unmanageable, it takes swallowing a good bit of pride.Which can be very hard to do for some people because they do not wish to face the fact that they had no control of their lives during their day to day activities, but in fact that the drugs were running the management position of every aspect of your thoughts, actions, and emotions.
Now let me introduce the first four steps of AA/NA's program and explain the concepts behind them and their relation to addiction. The first four steps are all about one idea, greed. However, do not think of greed in its typical negative connotation but in a positive one where you are greedy about getting your recovery and taking those first steps. In your drug addiction you were greedy but in a way that was harmful and destructive to you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Recovery is about changing everything about yourself and to do so you must pour as much greed and make your recovery every bit as much about yourself as you made everything about yourself during your addiction. This is the mindset needed approaching the first four steps, THIS IS YOUR RECOVERY AND THESE STEPS ARE SPECIFICALLY MEANT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TO FOCUS ON THEMSELVES!
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/drugs - that our lives had become unmanageable. This first part of this step is usually the easiest to admit/do for most people (but not saying by any means that any part of recovery is easy). However, it is getting past this first part where the challenge really begins. Anyone is capable of admitting the sense of powerlessness that comes with being consumed and eaten by alcohol/drugs. It takes something more than just admittance though to realize our lives had become unmanageable, it takes swallowing a good bit of pride.Which can be very hard to do for some people because they do not wish to face the fact that they had no control of their lives during their day to day activities, but in fact that the drugs were running the management position of every aspect of your thoughts, actions, and emotions.