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If you are struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, or know someone who has this problem, then you may have heard of 12-step recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
While these can be effective options for overcoming addictive behaviors, they are heavily influenced by spirituality and religion. This means that they may not be a good fit for individuals who do not follow these beliefs.
Fortunately, there are various non-12 step recovery program options available to those who want to take a more independent approach to their recovery.
Keep reading to learn more about these programs, how they may be a good fit for your recovery needs, and how Rehabs Of Armerica can help you find such offerings now!
Unlike recovery programs that are established based on a set of spiritual beliefs, non 12-step rehab programs take a more secular approach to achieving sobriety. These programs avoid labeling addiction as being outside of an individual’s control and instead regard it as being an actual chronic disease.
Non-twelve-step programs focus more on having their clients prioritize self-reliance and empowerment rather than a spiritual awakening throughout their recovery journey. This lack of a spiritual aspect allows for more responsibility and control over a person’s life, rather than surrendering these things to a higher power.
For the most part, the only requirement for joining a non-12-step treatment program is that members are willing to maintain abstinence from all substances in their efforts to achieve lasting addiction recovery.
There are several differences between 12-step programs and their secular alternatives. The most obvious difference, of course, is that non-12-step recovery programs do not follow a set recovery process, and are not based on religious or spiritual ideas.
Non-12-step programs believe that their clients have control over their addictions, and should not have to surrender to a higher power in order to overcome their habits of drug and alcohol abuse.
These alternative programs prioritize self-empowerment and autonomy during the recovery process. They typically push the idea that maintaining motivation comes from within, just as much as it comes from external sources.
Non-12-step addiction treatment programs are not as strict in their recovery approach as those that do follow a 12-step approach and are more likely to follow reputable addiction research in their treatment process rather than taking a purely holistic approach.
With their differences, both 12-step and secular alternative programs value building a sense of community and peer support within their recovery approaches.
Like Alcoholics Anonymous or NA meetings, sessions held by non-12-step programs will often include group counseling and peer support, which can provide their participants with the opportunity to discuss their struggles and recovery goals with like-minded individuals.
Furthermore, both 12-step addiction treatment programs and alternative programs provide their members with recovery tools and resources to further help them on their own individual paths to sobriety. Of course, the nature of these resources may differ.
There are several reasons why someone may not want to pursue a traditional 12-step recovery program. After all, addiction is a very personal disease, and not everyone will respond to the same treatment approach.
A non-12-step recovery program may be a good fit for you if:
There are several non-12-step rehab programs you can choose to participate in if you do not think that the traditional treatment program approach is a good fit for you. Some of the most common alternatives to 12-step rehab programs include:
LifeRing Secular Recovery is a 12-step alternative program that helps its members maintain abstinence by providing them with safe and supportive meeting spaces, where they can freely discuss their recovery goals and process.
LifeRing follows a 3-S Philosophy that focuses on Sobriety, Secularity, and Self-Help. Through this philosophy, LifeRing members are encouraged to strengthen their sober selves (“S”), while deconstructing their addict selves (“A”).
Heavily relying on the practices of cognitive-behavioral therapy, SMART Recovery centers around the method of replacing harmful and addictive behaviors in relation to emotions and their external environments, with healthy and constructive patterns and actions.
SMART Recovery advertises itself as being progressive with the ever-evolving scientific research that is performed in the field of addiction. They do not stress the need for the member to believe that alcoholism or addiction is a disease, and they also do not stress that their members have a desire to quit.
This program not only helps individuals recover from substance addiction but from gambling habits, eating disorders, and many other problematic behaviors. SMART Recovery follows a 4-Point Program of self-management that is based on science and supports its members through:
The program uses 4 points to guide participants into the state of being cured or recovered:
1. Encouraging them to build and maintain the motivation to permanently change old habits and develop healthier ones.
2. Helping them cope with and resist their substance cravings.
3. Helping them to acknowledge and manage the negative thoughts and feelings that may be causing their substance abuse, and find healthier coping mechanisms.
4. Supporting them in their journey to establishing and living a healthier, more positive lifestyle.
Women for Sobriety establishes itself as an “Organization of Women, For Women.” As one of the first recovery programs dedicated to helping women who are affected by addiction, it serves as a great resource for female-identifying individuals to get support on their recovery journey.
The program Women for Sobriety was founded in the mid-1970s by a doctor named Jean Kirkpatrick. As a physician, and one who suffered from alcoholism, she found that she could stop drinking by changing her thought patterns when she was angry or lonely, or sad. The group centers around the idea that women eventually drink as a way to manage their internal emotional discord. So her method of action is to replace the common negative and self-destructive thought patterns that many women face, with positive and reaffirming ones.
Unlike twelve-step programs, ‘W4Sobriety’ is centered around women. This recovery program also prioritizes addressing the underlying emotional and psychological causes of its members’ substance abuse and helps them achieve emotional growth, a stronger sense of self-worth, and balance within their lives.
WFS uses 13 statements or affirmations that emphasize increased self-worth, emotional and spiritual growth, not focusing on the past, personal responsibility, problem-solving, and attending to physical health.
The Secular Organizations for Sobriety (S.O.S) is a non-12-step program that helps its members overcome their substance abuse in a flexible and supportive environment.
Founded by a former alcoholic named James Christopher in the mid 80’s – SOS was created as a program of recovery that did not involve turning over one’s life to any sort of Higher Power. James had tried working a 12-step program and found that he never felt comfortable with this idea, so he instead found that for him, self-reliance and personal responsibility were his foundations for a life without alcohol.
SOS has no “structured” program but does have some guidelines, the first and foremost being the “sobriety priority” or in other words, the idea that when using, drugs and alcohol become the forefront of everything else in an addict’s life. So instead, the focus point is to make sobriety the person’s priority and to never pick up a drink or a drug.
Members are encouraged to take full responsibility for their recovery, whether this includes following their own personal set of spiritual beliefs or taking full responsibility for their sobriety. The main goal of S.O.S. is to provide its participants with support and positive reinforcement throughout their addiction recovery.
The Refuge Recovery program focuses on helping its members overcome their drug or alcohol use disorder by adhering to the principles of Buddhism. Unlike other secular organizations, this program does have an element of spirituality to it.
However, it does not require that its participants follow a specific religion or set of beliefs. Rather, Refuge Recovery simply asks that its members trust the process and be willing to put effort into their self-management and recovery from their drug abuse.
The program follows a traditional Buddhist formula in its recovery approach, adhering to what its creators refer to as the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path when helping its clients maintain self-control and motivation in their recovery training and path to sobriety.
Aside from non-12-step recovery programs, there are various other rehabilitation services available to help treat substance addiction that does not follow the 12-step model. These include professional addiction treatment programs, which will often be a person’s best approach to achieving sustained sobriety.
More traditional treatment can address problematic behaviors in their clients with clinical and holistic rehab treatments, as well as address the deeper issues a person may be struggling with that are contributing to their substance abuse.
The recovery support provided by professional treatment facilities can be essential to a person’s ability to overcome their addiction. This is because the recovery process is not entirely reliant upon personal responsibility and dedication to getting sober.
For many people, their drug or alcohol abuse may have caused them to become dependent on an abused substance. This can cause them to experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings throughout their recovery journey, making it more difficult to maintain sobriety.
Recovering at a professional treatment center can provide these individuals with constant physical and emotional support, which may not be available through solely participating in alternative therapies and mutual support groups.
Of course, many of these treatment centers will work with nearby mutual support groups, or encourage their clients to seek further care through these programs in order to provide the most comprehensive treatment possible.
Whether you wish to seek out a non-12-step recovery program or more professional rehabilitation services, there are several additional things you can do alongside and after treatment to help you better maintain your sobriety. This includes:
Addiction is often a lonely and difficult condition to have to deal with, both for the addicted individual and their loved ones. If you are struggling with a substance use disorder, help is available, and it does not have to be 12-step-based!
The Rehabs Of Armerica recovery team can help you find evidence-based treatments and non-12-step rehab programs that will help you achieve sobriety, whenever you are ready.
You do not have to do this alone; call our 24/7 hotline now, and we can help walk you through the admissions process and get you started on your path to recovery, today!
Nicole R. is an experienced and accomplished writer with special interests in the fields of Anthropology, English, and behavioral health, and has written countless articles for newspaper publications, institutional research journals, and Find Addiction Rehabs.
Her alma matter is Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Nicole hopes to spread awareness of and combat the stigmatization surrounding addiction and substance abuse treatment through her writing and work in the field.
