There they are. Those three words that you’ve heard so much about but haven’t quite read up on. The 12 Step Program. What are the 12 steps? They are not a form of medical treatment–they’re not technical and they’re not meant to be followed perfectly. Essentially, they are 12 tenets that guide you through recovery…
We now reach the final article in our series on the Twelve Steps. This is the point at which we should experience our spiritual awakening, assuming that we haven’t already. By the time we reach Step Twelve, our spiritual principles will rise to new levels. In most cases, we found ourselves to be happier and…
Up to this point, the Twelve Steps focused on teaching us the right principles to embody in recovery. Now, it’s time to put those principles into action on a daily basis. There is no point in working so hard to establish a decent moral compass if we intend to toss it by the wayside later…
While Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (the 12&12) covers each of the Twelve Steps in separate chapters, Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book) preceded this book by nearly thirty years. As such, it should come as no great surprise that the Twelve Steps receive a fair amount of focus here as well. Each of the first…
It’s time to once again continue our monthly series on the Twelve Steps, this time by focusing on Step Eight. In many ways, the Eighth Step and the Ninth Step go hand in hand. Consider Step Eight to be something of a primer before we begin making our amends. And since making amends will be…
In a recent episode of popular CW show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a main character voiced concerns about leaving his home in California to attend business school. This character, a newcomer to Alcoholics Anonymous, told his sponsor that it would violate “the major decisions rule.” Up to this point, the show portrayed his sponsor as relatively strict.…
When we enter recovery through AA or NA, everyone tells us the same thing—we need to find a sponsor. But finding a sponsor feels like a big deal. Where do we look? How do we know they’re right for us? What if we ask for their help and they turn us down? With all of…
Many children grow up in alcoholic households, and this sometimes causes them harm later in life. We refer to these people as adult children of alcoholics. This term isn’t meant to sound derogatory. It doesn’t imply that these individuals are childish or that they haven’t matured in their adulthood. The term simply refers to adults…
Many say that the first month of sobriety is the hardest. Others say that things get easier after the first ninety days. Then, there are those who say that you must make it through at least six months, or even up to a year. In truth, however, people relapse at various stages in life. You…
They go by many names: sober companion, sober coach, recovery coach, etc. But no matter what you choose to call them, their role remains about the same. A sober companion is someone you pay to help you stay away from drugs and alcohol. Some of them work with behavioral addictions as well, such as compulsive…