12 step programmes

You may have heard about 12-step programmes and wondered what people are referring to…

12-step programmes are an approach to treating alcohol and/or other drug use, created by Alcoholics Anonymous, in which a person’s journey into recovery is broken down into 12 distinct steps.

Step 1 – Admit you are powerless over drink and/or other drugs and that your life has become unmanageable.
Step 2 – Believe that a Power greater than ourselves can support you.
Step 3 – Decide to believe in the care of God.

(‘God’ in the 12 Steps absolutely does not have to be a religious entity. The purpose is to think of a higher power, such as nature, or simply what happens when people come together to help each other.) Read the full 12 steps on the Alcoholics Anonymous website. 

Most recovery services in Britain, like North Yorkshire Horizons, do not follow a 12-step programme, but it is the basis of all Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and it is widely followed in rehab facilities.

Some people try a 12-step programme and decide it is not for them; others credit it with saving their lives. You can find out more by attending an Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meeting or visiting their websites through our Mutual Aid advice.