12-Step Recovery Programs in Charlotte, NC

Medically Verified: 2/1/24

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All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

12-Step recovery programs in Charlotte, North Carolina provide a traditional addiction treatment approach that is guided by the principles of the 12-Steps. The 12-Steps originate from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), one of the most popular 12-Step organizations in the world. Although AA started the idea of 12-Step recovery, other groups have formed that revolve around the same 12-Steps, including Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Heroin Anonymous (HA), and many more.

The 12-Steps use a spiritual approach that requires individuals to rely on their Higher Power to stay sober. Although it is a spiritual program, many nonreligious people are able to benefit from the 12-Steps because it doesn’t follow any specific religion or teaching. Instead, these programs allow individuals to develop their own beliefs about their Higher Power.

While 12-Step groups do not serve as formal addiction treatment, many recovery programs utilize a 12-Step approach to help patients get sober and understand the importance of 12-Step participation. This approach also encourages patients to get a sponsor, work the steps, find a homegroup, and attend regular 12-Step meetings after rehab.

What are the 12 Steps?

The 12-Steps are considered a spiritual way of living that shows people in recovery how to stay sober.[1] The 12-Steps defined by Alcoholics Anonymous are:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings
8. Made a list of persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Members are instructed to go through these steps with a sponsor. A sponsor is someone who has already been through the 12-Steps and has had a spiritual awakening, allowing them to be able to help other people stay sober.

12-Step Facilitation in Addiction Treatment

Many addiction treatment centers in Charlotte, North Carolina use twelve-step facilitation therapy (TSF) to engage patients and increase the likelihood they will become involved with a 12-step program.[2] TSF therapy has three key aspects:

1. Acceptance – Patients must realize and accept that addiction is a chronic and progressive disease. People who suffer from addiction often have no willpower to stay sober, are unable to control the amount they drink or use drugs, and have found that their lives are unmanageable. Acceptance also promotes the idea that abstinence is the only alternative to addiction.
2. Surrender – This concept requires a person to give their will and their life over to a higher power. It also means accepting the fellowship and support offered by other members of the group and agreeing to proceed with the 12-Steps.
3. Involvement – After leaving rehab, patients should show a willingness to participate in a 12-Step program by attending meetings, getting a sponsor, and working the 12-Steps.

These ideas can be promoted in group and individual therapy sessions. Patients will reflect on their substance use patterns to reveal the chronic, dangerous, and compulsive nature of their addiction. They will also reflect on the behaviors they act out on that encourage substance abuse. Once patients accept the idea that abstinence is the way out, therapists may begin introducing them to the idea of a Higher Power and fellowship.

12-Step recovery programs in Charlotte, North Carolina may also host 12-Step recovery meetings at the treatment facility. These meetings may be facilitated by staff members, volunteers, or peer leaders in the treatment community. Alternatively, some treatment centers will take patients to 12-Step meetings in the community. This allows patients to immerse themselves into the 12-Step community, begin building a sober network, and warm up to the idea of sobriety.

Reasons to Consider a 12-Step Recovery Program in Charlotte, NC

While research regarding the efficacy of 12-Step programs is unclear, mostly because of self-reported data and the anonymity of fellowship members, 12-Step groups are some of the most widely-used and long-lasting recovery programs out there. 12-Step groups can be found in nearly every city, state, and country, so people can find a meeting and support anywhere they go.

Benefits of a 12-Step recovery approach include:

• The 12-Steps provide a written guide to recovery, showing people a new way to live
• Being able to address past mistakes and set out to mend them
• Gain a full understanding of the consequences of addiction and alcoholism
• 12-Step meetings revolve around fellowship and support so they are a great place to build sober support
• Meetings and fellowship can help reduce feelings of isolation, loneliness, or depression
• One-on-one guidance from a sponsor for continued support
• Attendance at 12-Step meetings is completely free

As with all addiction treatment options, 12-Step recovery programs in Charlotte, NC aren’t for everyone. No single treatment program can serve all unique individuals. That’s why our team at Carolina Center for Recovery creates custom treatment plans to meet every person’s individual needs. To learn more about our 12-Step treatment approach or to get started on your recovery, give us a call today.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851040/
2. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/evidence-based-approaches-to-drug-addiction-treatment/behavioral-therapies/12-step