12-Step Series: My Sponsor Is Taking Advantage of Me

12-Step Series: My Sponsor Is Taking Advantage of Me service provide2

12-Step programs for addiction and recovery provide vital benefits for people to get clean and sober. These programs are more than just a schedule of meetings — they provide a fellowship of like-minded individuals, sponsors, and peers in recovery to lend support during times of need.  12-Step sponsorship is a voluntary position where members help […]

12-Step Series: Reducing Stigmas Surrounding the 12-Step Philosophy

12-Step Series: Reducing Stigmas Surrounding the 12-Step Philosophy

The 12-Step philosophy, as practiced by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-Step programs, has become the dominant approach to addressing all sorts of addictions and compulsions. The language of the Twelve Steps is so pervasive that you don’t have to be in a program to recognize phrases such as “One Day at a Time” or […]

12-Step Series: 12-Step Programs Are Not All AA

12-Step Series: 12-Step Programs Are Not All AA

The media tends to portray 12-Step programs as being only Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This is due to AA’s longstanding, significant history and popularity among celebrities struggling with addiction. However, there are many other forms of 12-Step programs.  12-Step programs operate by harnessing a shared experience of problems and solutions. It uses the positive power of […]

Reducing Stigmas Surrounding the 12-Step Philosophy

Reducing Stigmas Surrounding the 12-Step Philosophy

“You’re weak — why can’t you figure it out on your own?”  “You must be a bible thumper and a Jesus freak.” “What’s a sponsor? Some type of chaperone?” “Do you get up and stand in front of everyone and say: ‘Hi, my name is,’ like they do in the movies?”  Despite one in ten […]

4 Helpful Tips for Coping With PTSD & SUD Triggers

post traumatic stress disorder

A significant percentage of people with substance use disorder (SUD) have trauma-related mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you have ever misused substances to cope with PTSD symptoms like flashbacks, triggers can get complicated. You may experience flashbacks or intrusive thoughts related to your post-traumatic stress disorder, followed by intrusive cravings. You […]

The Difference Between “Closed” and “Open” 12-Step Meetings

Group-therapy-session-white-house-recovery

Navigating your local community resources can get complicated if you are unfamiliar with the terms various organizations use. 12-Step meetings are among the most common self-help options for people returning home after attending a private rehabilitation for a substance use disorder (SUD). Even after you get the contact information for your local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), […]