Introduction
Christians follow the Bible for guidance and ideas on addressing their problems and leading high-quality lives. Individuals suffering from addiction can rely on the same approach to get the relevant help. Believers in the Christian faith acknowledge that alcohol and other forms of drug abuse amount to a crime against the natural body and their God. Fortunately, leaders in this religion indicate that addiction does not define a person’s end. Fortunately, the 12-step program has become a powerful model for delivering redemption and making it easier for affected people to re-pattern their lives. The effectiveness of this approach makes it applicable in different situations and faiths to help people affected by the problem of addiction.
Background: The 12-Step Program
Within the past three decades, believers in different religions have found the 12-step program significant since it has helped the majority of them overcome the challenges of alcohol addiction. Support groups across the globe rely on these steps to empower and reexamine their lives. Alcoholics Anonymous and its founders formulated the 12 guidelines with the aim of helping members of different faiths to deal with different forms of addictions (Palad & Snyder, 2019). While the original purpose was to help those belonging to specific religious groups, nonbelievers have also found it instrumental. These guidelines are specific, practical, and capable of helping more people overcome the challenges of addiction. Those who succeed after applying the mole will be in a position to lead high-quality lives.
The first step encourages individuals to admit that they have become powerless when it comes to alcohol. In most cases, addiction is damaging and unmanageable (Skogens & von Greiff, 2020). The second one is for the beneficiary to believe that a Higher Power is capable of helping people restore their sanity. The third step is making a decision to allow God or the Higher Power to have control over our lives (Palad & Snyder, 2019). The fourth one is to make a fearless, searching, and involved moral inventory. The fifth step is to admit to the identified power, other humans, and themselves from their wrongs. The sixth step is to become ready for God to remove the defects tainting their character. The seventh one is to ask God to remove every form of shortcoming. The eighth step is to list individuals one has offended or harmed and makes the relevant amends.
The ninth one is to make direct connections and amends to the identified people. The tenth step is to have a personal inventory that allows people to admit when they are wrong. The eleventh one is to get spiritual support through meditation and prayer. This practice allows individuals to gain knowledge and energy from God (Skogens & von Greiff, 2020). The final one is the realization of spiritual awakening due to the power of the previous steps. This realization then becomes a powerful message to others whereby embracing them minimizes chances of recidivism.
Research Findings
Past studies have presented convincing statistics to support the use of the 12-step program in helping persons affected by addiction. For instance, Grim and Grim (2019) revealed that 73 percent of all frameworks aimed at treating patients integrated elements that were based on spiritual attributes. Additionally, the scholars also pinpointed the 12-steps programs as part of such procedures, thereby meeting the health and psychological objectives of many patients (Grim & Grim, 2019). In most of the identified programs, around 90 percent of the beneficiaries revealed that they relied on a Higher Power and/or God in order to remain sober and involved (Grim & Grim, 2019). In the same study, Grim and Grim (2019) went further to observe that 84 percent of all past studies identified faith as a powerful factor that empowered many individuals to overcome and recover from addiction. The Christian model entailing the use of a Higher Power has helped more people benefit from the 12-step program.
In Hinduism, addiction remains a negative experience that affects people’s ability to attain nirvana. Grim and Grim (2019) observed that many gurus or spiritual leaders encouraged people to engage in abstinence when it comes to the use of drugs and alcohol. Such substances were capable of altering the mind, thereby affecting the overall spiritual experience and well-being. Individuals are, therefore, encouraged to pursue a lasting transformation that offers permanent results. The adoption of the 12-steps model remains low at around 38 percent in different programs associated with Hindus (Grim & Grim, 2019). However, their version of inward transformation encourages people to engage in spiritual awakening and focus on the best ways to maintain their spiritual well-being.
Among Muslims, a similar framework was observed to deliver positive outcomes and allow more people to overcome the challenge of alcoholism. Machouche and Bensaid (2021) reveal that the program has a number of steps that promote community involvement and encourage all participants to interact and focus on the best outcomes. The approach helps rehabilitee addicts and eventually allows them to experience a holistic life. These observations revealed that the 12-steps model could be appropriate and effective when individuals focus on Allah as the Higher Power (Machouche & Bensaid, 2021). Since similarities was observed, it is agreeable that a spiritual approach could be appropriate and helpful in dealing with different forms of addiction.
Some scholars have offered numerous insights that explore the applicability of the 12-step program and how it can help non-believers. For instance, Skogens and von Greiff (2020) indicate that the model integrates all forms of faith, repentance, and honesty. Atheists relying on the model would only be guided to focus on the best experiences and approaches that would help them stop drinking. Sanches and John (2019) revealed that the inclusion of focus and support groups helped more people focus on het same goals, thereby being able to deal with addiction successfully. Different rehabilitation centers in different parts of the world revealed that the 12-step programs were effective and capable of helping people who did not identify themselves with any religion (Skogens & von Greiff, 2020). These observations revealed that the model was effective and capable of helping non-believers.
Similar findings were recorded whereby many Buddhists relied on the power of this model. Specifically, Wang and Stone (2022) identified the 12-step Buddhist as a powerful approach that complemented the 12-step program. This approach was observed to help Buddhists affected by addiction to become sober, avoid using the identified drugs, and consider new ways to re-pattern their spiritual journeys. The strategy was observed to help over 85 percent of individuals who embraced it (Wang & Stone, 2022). Consequently, they would benefit from the emerging meditations and wisdom, thereby experiencing a new form of spiritual liberation that helped them deal with suffering.
From these observations, it is agreeable that there is no significance difference in success when people from different faiths embrace the 12-steps programs to overcome addiction. Atheists rely on the model for inspiration and uplifting while considering the best outcomes, thereby being able to re-pattern their lives and pursue their goals. These findings encourage professionals in rehabilitation centers and hospitals to embrace the idea of a Higher Power and guide people irrespective of their religious backgrounds (Abdollahi & Haghayegh, 2020). Those who have a Higher Power would find it easier to apply the program and eventually recover from addiction within the shortest time possible. Such observations explain why the 12-step program continues to be replicated in different settings, clinics, and even focus groups on overcoming various types of substance addiction. From the findings, it is also evident that there is no significant difference in the recorded outcomes when various higher powers were involved.
Effectiveness of the Treatment
Substance abuse and subsequent addiction are some of the major challenges clinicians, social workers, and behavioral therapists encounter in their professions. The adoption of the 12-step program remains a common practice aimed at meeting the needs of the targeted beneficiaries. In their study, von Greiff and Skogens (2021) acknowledged that such a model was appropriate since it allowed practitioners to make informed choices and refer clients to other experts depending on the recorded progress. Sanches and John (2019) also revealed that the integration of this approach in different patient-centered or focus groups increased the chances of overcoming addiction by 60 percent. With many people benefiting from the programs, the 12 steps became more common in places whereby the dominant religious faiths never existed or were practiced. Such revelations support the fact that the 12-step program is effective, evidence-based, and capable of meeting the changing needs of many people affected by addiction.
In some studies, the primary focus has been on how participants and potential beneficiaries could embrace the 12-step program to record the much-needed results. For instance, Abdollahi and Haghayegh (2020) indicated that the concept of efficacy would always remain relative. Consequently, users of the model should be willing to outline goals and encourage their clients to consider them while maintaining the requirements of each of the identified steps (Sanches & John, 2019). In another investigation, Bacon et al. (2021) observed that the program would deliver results depending on the beneficiary’s ability to remain involved and be willing to trust his or her inner self. This meant that such clients were expected to be engaged and partner with their professionals if desirable results were to be recorded.
Despite the differences existing in some of the research completed in the past, the common observation is that the use of the 12-step program is effective and capable of delivering positive results. For instance, Bacon et al. (2021) revealed that the model was effective and made it possible for the beneficiaries to experience long-term abstinence. In another study, patients suffering from mental health and drug use were observed to record positive results after implementing the 12-step program (Sanches & John, 2019). These outcomes would be recorded if the individuals remained resilient and cooperated throughout the intervention. Based on these findings, Abdollahi and Haghayegh (2020) went further to indicate that around 40 percent of the targeted people gave up on the 12-step program. This outcome meant that they would be unable to benefit from the application of the model.
The use of this model in a wide range of clinical and behavioral therapy settings indicates that it is still practical and capable of delivering timely results. Bacon et al. (2021) believe that the effective use of the 12-step program can help more people to achieve long-term abstinence and be in a position to lead a productive life. Therapists who rely on this framework report increased chances of helping people affected by substance addiction to become sober. The important aspect is prioritizing the spiritual elements and guiding the targeted beneficiaries to manifest the best aspects of faith. Bøg et al. (2017) go further to argue that the inclusion of the program in focus groups could help deliver timely results. The members of the community will also need to be part of the process to maximize acceptance and ensure that self-improvement is realized.
The involvement of professionals in implementing the 12-step framework has been found to increase its efficacy. Individuals planning to benefit from the model will need to collaborate with their therapist or medical expert (Sanches & John, 2019). In another study, von Greiff and Skogens (2021) supported the idea that focus groups comprised of people sharing similar faiths, such as Christians, could help deliver positive results much faster. The consideration of several meetings will help transform the experiences of the targeted beneficiaries and support the delivery of positive results. The unique benefits and efficiency of the 12-step program could, therefore, help explain why it remains applicable in a wide range of addiction and help centers in different parts of the world today.
Limitations of the Treatment Approach
The above section has identified the 12-step program as a powerful model that can help people affected by addiction restore their sobriety and pursue their goals. Unfortunately, some limitations exist that make it less applicable in different settings or capable of delivering timely results. For example, Palad and Snyder (2019) observed that the approach failed to present a sense of empowerment to the involved beneficiaries. Consequently, individuals who lack an inner drive would be unable to receive timely support or experience. Kelly et al. (2020) go further to argue that the reliance of a Higher Power or God makes the program ineffective for those who might not have a defined purpose or goal. This limitation could explain why some of the possible beneficiaries could opt out of the process before completing the 12 steps.
Another undeniable weakness of this model is that it does not consider the physical attributes associated with addiction. Specifically, the program fails to offer a proper plan for symptom withdrawal and detoxification. Nash (2020) goes further to indicate that the social attributes associated with the program could trigger additional symptoms linked to other mental disorders associated with different addictions. The consideration of these possible challenges of the 12-step model could help professionals to offer additional incentives and help more victims of addiction record positive outcomes.
Conclusion
The dangers of alcohol addiction and substance abuse have compelled behavioral therapy and treatment experts to develop proper programs to help the affected individuals. The above discussion has identified the 12-step program as a powerful recovery framework that has the potential to deliver desirable outcomes. The notion of a Higher Power allows clients to focus on the best outcomes, engage others, and re-pattern their experiences irrespective of their religious faith and background. However, professionals relying on it need to appreciate and address some of its limitations if they are to help their respective clients.
References
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