Twelve-step Groups

By attending Al-Anon, Nar-anon, CoDa, Celebrate Recovery and other 12-step meetings on a regular basis we learn to change our attitudes and old patterns and habits, to find serenity even happiness.

1. We learn that alcoholism/drug addiction is a three-fold disease; mental, physical, and spiritual and our loved ones were/are victims of this disease, which ends in insanity and/or death.  Learning about and understanding the disease is the beginning of the gift of forgiveness.

2. We learn the three C’s-We didn’t cause it, we can’t control it, and we can’t cure it.

3. We learn to put the focus on ourselves and be good to ourselves.

4. We learn to detach with love and to give others and ourselves tough love.

5. We use slogans such as:  “Lets Go and Let God,”  “Easy Does it,”  “One Day at a Time,”  “Keep It Simple,” “Live and Let Live,”  “Don’t Push the River, Let It Flow by Itself,” Using these slogans helps us begin to lead our day-to-day lives in a new way.

6. We learn to feel our feelings, to accept them and express them, and to build our self-esteem.

7. Through working the steps we learn to accept the disease, realize that our lives have become unmanageable and we are powerless over the disease and the alcoholic/addict.  As we become willing to admit our defects and our sick thinking, we are able to change our attitudes and to turn our reactions into actions, by working the program daily, admitting that we are powerless we come to believe eventually in the spirituality of the program – that there is a solution other than ourselves – the group, a Higher Power, God, as we understand Her/Him/It.  By sharing our experiences, relating to others, welcoming newcomers, serving our group(s), we build self-esteem.

8. We learn to love ourselves and in this way we are able to love others in a healthy way.

9. We have telephone therapy with people we relate to – this is helpful at all times, not just when problems arise.

10. By applying the Serenity Prayer to our daily lives, we begin to change the unhealthy attitudes we have acquired.