For many, a 12 step program is considered to be the gold standard when it comes to treating addiction. A 12 step rehab offers a person a step by step guide through the obstacles that often accompany their recovery. These programs are well-known for saving lives and helping individuals overcome their personal type of addiction. For as good as they are, they don’t work for everyone. People who finally recognize they have a problem with drugs and alcohol may have to follow a different path on their journey to sobriety.
Unconventional Methods
A 12 step program that offers counseling and the use of weekly, or in some cases daily meetings, is effective if the person requires the social interaction and support to stay on top of their addictive behaviors. Other programs outside of the 12 step recovery program template use more than just counseling and social support. Unconventional methods are often used to teach the person who they really are. Challenges are offered that are designed to show the individual just how in control they can be of their situation. Adventure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are both ideal tools that teach valuable life lessons to individuals who are trying to regain control of their life.
Face Challenges Realistically
The challenges each individual faces are uniquely their own, even if they are part of a non 12 step rehab program. When a non 12 step program is used, the individual is taught the value of their behaviors. Poor behavior can be costly, while positive lifestyle behaviors offer a wealth of both information and experience. These programs offer individuals the opportunity to face challenges realistically. They learn problem-solving skills they can use to keep themselves on the sobriety path. These challenges also help them to create positive lifestyle habits that they will use for many years after they have left the recovery program. When a person is able to use the skills they have learned and apply them to realistic situations, they become second nature.
Rely On Themselves
One of the most valuable lessons that can be taught by a non 12 step recovery program is self-reliance. Traditional 12 step rehab programs encourage participants to constantly reach out to sponsors or other members of their support group to help them work through difficult periods. This is not always an easy thing to do. For some, relying on themselves is a much better solution. Non 12 step programs bring out the strengths that many people don’t even realize they have until they are put in a position where they have to draw on their own resources. As they become more self-reliant, they begin to learn their true value. For individuals were never taught the importance of self, this can be a revelation that gives them the motivation to seek sobriety and maintain it for the rest of their lives.
Not an Easy Path, but a Rewarding One
Non 12 step programs offer individuals a sense of self they gain by learning to rely on their own personal strengths. They are offered many opportunities for growth and through those opportunities are able to discover just how strong and resilient they really are. Those who choose to enter a non 12 step recovery program must be prepared to put in the work in order to gain their sobriety. This is not an easy path by any means, but it can be traveled if the person remains committed to achieving their goals and maintaining a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle.