Many people struggle with mental health disorders today. As a result, doctors everywhere swear by the 12-steps treatment program. Unfortunately, trying to choose the right clinic can be an uphill task, especially if you look up treatment clinics online, and get thousands of results. Therefore if you’re looking for a clinic that offers highly effective and individualized treatment, the Woodland Hills, CA mental health treatment program is just what you need.
What Does The 12-Steps Program Entail?
Suffering from co-occurring disorders such as depression abuse is a lot for anyone to handle on their own. The 12-steps program is a peer support program aimed at addressing patients with a dual diagnosis, i.e., both mental health and substance use disorders.
The 12-steps involve the awareness that you are going through something and that it’s now out of control. You, therefore, make a conscious decision to turn your life around positively and healthily.
The program entails soul searching and making an inventory of past actions. You, therefore, must take responsibility for your actions, both good and bad. Those who are religious admit to a higher power that they need help, so they ask for strength in the recovery process.
If you happen to be an atheist, the 12-steps program is modified to be as inclusive as possible. The final stages of the 12-steps program require that you make a list of people you’ve wronged and then go ahead to make amends with them.
Benefits Of The Twelve Step Program
Empirical studies carried out to investigate the effectiveness of this program revealed that members of the 12-steps program are likely to abstain from drugs for as long as 16 years.
This Program Can Be Applied to Address Various Mental Health Issues
The 12-steps program was initially created to help recovering alcoholics address their addiction. However, the success of this program led to the cropping up of other self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Incest Survivors Anonymous to aid in recovery.
Adopts A Holistic Approach
The 12-steps program aims at addressing issues to do with spirituality and morals. Taking part in this process prevents you from relying on medication. You go through a “soul searching” experience that goes beyond participation in meetings.
Frequent attendance and participation in meetings help in maintaining abstinence. Getting a sponsor creates better engagement and could contribute towards improving both your professional and personal relationships.
One thing to note is that you should always do your research before joining a self-help group. This is to ensure that you fully benefit from this program to get and stay clean and sober.
The “Self-Help” Aspect Contributes To Long Term Wellness
There is a reason why members of the 12-steps program are called self-help aspect. This is because doctors and other professionals need to take a step back and let you ‘figure things out on your own,’ so to speak.
This creates a sense of responsibility and accountability among patients as well as a safe space by taking away the formal atmosphere that you get when your therapist is present.
Always remember that “it is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself”- Ralph Waldo Emerson.