How to Find 12 Step Programs in Indiana

While most of us know about treatment facilities for addiction, not everyone knows the importance of 12-step programs or how they work. While treatment is a significant portion of the process of addiction recovery, 12-step programs are a key component to the continuing recovery process and allowing those struggling with addiction to develop the tools they need to return to a normal life free of drugs and alcohol.

See Purpose is dedicated to giving those suffering from addiction and their families the help and support they need to get and stay sober. Part of that process is providing them with the post-treatment resources they need to continue recovery. In this post, we are going to discuss 12-step programs in Indiana, how the 12-step process works, how they are used in recovery, and how to find 12-step and treatment programs in Indiana.

What is a 12 Step Program?

When we think about 12-step programs, we think of the more well-known programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA); since the inception of these programs, many more have come about that all have specific functions for their members.

However, the basic principle of all 12-step programs remained the same since AA started in the 1930s, to help those suffering from addiction to overcome it and rebuild what was lost due to the addiction by giving them support and a sense of community as well as access to various other programs and resources.

12 Step programs are not part of a standard treatment program, but instead are an auxiliary support system that is meant to help those that have completed treatment and are trying to return to a normal day-to-day life. There are programs for specific addictions, gender-specific programs, faith-based programs, and many more that are all designed to help those in recovery in different ways.

How Are 12 Step Programs Used in Recovery?

As we talked about, 12-step programs aren’t used as part of a standard treatment program, but instead are part of what is known as aftercare. 12-step programs are meant to continue the recovery process once treatment has ended by providing additional support and ways that recovering addicts can use what they learned in treatment to rebuild their lives.

Programs like AA are aimed at making amends for wrongdoing that occurred during the addiction and rebuilding relationships so that a person can move forward past addiction. Other programs focus on self-empowerment and living free of drugs and alcohol, while still others focus on improvement opportunities such as education and work placement.

What Are the 12 Steps

Understanding the 12 steps is key to understanding how the programs work to treat addiction. The 12 steps are:

Step 1: Acceptance

Depending on the program, the first step is admitting that you are powerless over the disease that is addiction and that you need help.

Step 2: Hope

Step 2 is about the acknowledgment that there is always the possibility of recovery. No matter how severe the addiction and no matter how many times a person has relapsed, recovery is possible.

Step 3: Faith

While different programs all frame it differently, the third step is all about realizing that it is ok to ask for help and putting your faith in others to help you with the process of recovery.

Step 4: Honesty

Step 4 is all about taking stock of what addiction has done to a person’s life and the behaviors that need to be changed in order to truly break the cycle of addiction.

Step 5: Confession

At Step 5, the person begins to realize and admit to themselves and others the wrongs they have committed because of addiction.

Step 6: Release

Release is the crucial idea of step 6. Letting go of the mistakes of the past and making positive efforts to move forward is the point of this idea.

Step 7: Humility

This next step deals with accepting the things that have been done with humility and not trying to minimize the impact that addiction has had on the life of the addict and those they have harmed.

Step 8: Morality

At step 8, the person begins to take stock of what they have done to damage the social relationships in their life.

Step 9: Action

Step 9 involves the individual taking action to correct the actions of the past. This can be making amends, reaching out, or paying restitution of some kind.

Step 10: Reinforcement

Step 10 is about reinforcing one’s resolve and committing to change their morality based on the mistakes they admitted in Step 4.

Step 11: Communication

However the program chooses to define it, step 11 is about connecting with those around you and openly communicating, both speaking and listening.

Step 12: Service

Service refers to taking the lessons learned throughout the program and actively applying them to help and mentor others. This is how one “graduates” the program and goes on to sponsor others.