When you think about 12-step programs, Alcoholics Anonymous likely comes to mind. A group of people comes together to share their experiences with addiction, including both successes and failures on the road to recovery. These meetings are free, widely available, and can be an invaluable source of support for those who are working to overcome addiction. However, there are many 12-step alternative programs that could help as well, and Soledad House is here to help you discover them.
What Are 12-Step Programs?
12-step programs provide peer support in recovery. Through these programs, individuals who are struggling with addiction find a network of support to help them through difficult times and who can provide accountability. The “12 steps” are a sequence of steps that participants follow on their journey. These involve an appeal to a higher power for help and guidance. While following these steps, participants acknowledge that they are powerless over the disease of addiction, that their addiction has harmed people in their lives, and that recovery is a lifelong process.
For many people, regularly attending a 12-step meeting like Alcoholics Anonymous is an integral part of the recovery process. Yet addiction treatment cannot be one-size-fits-all. Every individual in recovery is unique and has walked a different path.
Why Choose 12-Step Alternatives?
For some, 12-step programs are not appealing because they involve an appeal to a higher power. While Alcoholics Anonymous is not affiliated with a specific religion, this aspect of the program can be alienating for some. However, 12-step alternatives can provide a similar level of accountability and support.
Additionally, Alcoholics Anonymous does not provide treatment for co-occurring mental health issues. Often, mental health issues like PTSD, anxiety, or depression go hand-in-hand with addiction. For individuals who struggle with both their mental health and addiction, it’s important to find a dual diagnosis treatment program that addresses all aspects of their recovery.
Most Effective 12-Step Alternatives
Some of the most common 12-step alternatives you’ll find include the following:
- Addiction treatment centers – Many centers provide group therapy options that do not necessarily follow the 12 steps. In these sessions, clients find encouragement and form connections with others in recovery
- Women for Sobriety – Gender-specific groups allow women to share their experiences with addiction and recovery. Meetings provide opportunities for in-person support while supplemental readings encourage self-reflection and education
- SMART Recovery – This approach uses science-based methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy to help individuals in recovery change their habits. Like AA, their meetings are free and widely available
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) – This organization is not affiliated with a religion, and instead of appealing to a higher power, encourages individual participants to take responsibility for themselves
Treatment plans for addiction should always be personalized to the individual. What works for you will not necessarily work for someone else. If you have gone through 12-step programs in CA and found yourself wishing there was a 12-step alternative, look into some of the above or reach out to an addiction treatment center today.
Alternatives at Soledad House
Soledad House offers women’s addiction treatment programs, which include both 12-step programs in CA and 12-step alternatives. Through both evidence-based and holistic programs, we help women heal from the inside out.
We offer the following in our addiction treatment center:
- Christian rehab program
- Spirituality addiction recovery
- Sober living program
- Partial hospitalization program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Extended care
- Relapse prevention
- Aftercare addiction program
Reach out to our team today for 12-step recovery in CA as well as alternatives. We can help you navigate the admissions process, tell you more about specific programs, and help you get started on your journey to recovery. Contact Soledad House at 866.314.3222 and begin to rebuild your life.
