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Overcoming Addictions
Recovery Tools
Regardless of the addiction, be it drugs, alcohol, gambling, relationships,
etc., a 12-step program is the fundamental tool of many recovery programs. The
basic 12 steps that groups’ members actively stress are as follows, varying in
some degree per addiction recovery program. Note that no particular religion or
spiritual affiliation is required. All are welcome and invited.
12-Step Program
1. We admit we are powerless over our addiction - that our lives have become
unmanageable
2. We believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as
we understood God
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature
of our wrongs
6. We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
7. We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make
amends to them all
9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so
would injure them or others
10. We continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit
it
11. We seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with
God as we understand God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and
the power to carry that out
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we try to
carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our
affairs.
Basically members recite the steps at their meetings. And there may
be a presentation or group discussion based upon one particular step that day,
with the rest of the event focused on individual needs or issues that are
brought up by members, so that each member gets to address his or her top or
immediate concerns, seek help and help others to get through, “One day at a
time.”
OTHER RECOVERY TOOLS
Here are more tools to aid with healing from addictions, listed in no particular
order.
Internal Motivators–
Many decide to kick their addictions based upon interior motives like love, a
sense of achievement, competition, responsibility and a number of other reasons.
A love for a child can make some stop the denial process dead in its tracks,
allowing recovery to step in. Watching a close friend or relative who is farther
along the addictive path of destruction can also be an eye-opener, resulting in
some addicts adopting the “I can do it” attitude to kick the habit. Some simply
want their own self-respect back and respect from others. While other addicts
prefer better health and a sharper mental state, and decide to overcome their
addictions and recover. Regardless of the reasons, internal motivators can be
welcome stepping-stones in the path of recovery.
External Motivators
- Other motivators along the way are external, like money, work, housing, etc.
For example, an addict is generally well aware of the money needed for the
continued purchasing of the addictive substances. Someone not used to living in
less desirable conditions because income is lacking, may not need much of a jolt
of reality other than the first eviction notice, to spur him or her to quit
spending hard-earned money on drugs, gambling, porn or cigarettes, etc. And some
who may really value their jobs and are striving to maintain good work standards
and ethics, may see reality when they are passed over for a promotion or annual
raise because of tardiness, sloppiness, mishandling of money, etc., and may seek
help to get their work act together promptly.
To help with internal and motivators, addicts and their support people can turn
to recovery tools like books, videos, movies, healing music, speakers and events
focused on addiction and recovery. A good place to begin is at your own local
library or favorite bookstore. Online you can search Amazon.com, Barnes and
Noble (BN.com) or even your favorite search engine. Type in terms like
“addiction recovery” and / or add the addictive substance or behavior (“gambling
recovery” “overcoming cigarette addiction”).
Recovery Books
Some popular recovery books are:
Addiction & Recovery for Dummies,
by Brian F. Shaw, Paul Ritvo, Jane Irvine, M. David Lewis; For Dummies;
(December 13, 2004).
7 Tools to Beat Addiction,
by Stanton PHD Peele; Three Rivers Press; (July 27, 2004).
The Addictive Personality: Understanding the
Addictive Process and Compulsive Behavior,
by Craig Nakken; Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services; 2nd edition
(September 1, 1996).
The Addiction Workbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to
Quitting Alcohol and Drugs (New
Harbinger Workbooks), by Patrick Fanning, John T. O'Neill, John O'Neill; New
Harbinger Publications; (June 1, 1996).
Bridges to Recovery : Addiction, Family
Therapy, and Multicultural Treatment,
by Jo-ann Krestan; Free Press; (March 15, 2000).
For online chat rooms and message boards where recovering addicts
seek fellowship, simply type “recovery message board” or “recovery chat room” in
your favorite search engine. Include specific addictions like gambling and
cocaine for more focused groups.
Intervention
Another popular recovery tool is called an intervention. An
intervention generally refers to a planned gathering of people who know the
addict and want to offer support and intervene to stop the addiction. Friends,
family, co-workers, church members or in short close contacts meet and gently
confront the person with the addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex or other
behavior or substance addiction.
It is believed that by close contacts sharing their personal
feelings and thoughts for the addict’s well being, the addict will feel safer
and confront denial issues, opening up a pathway for recovery and healing. By
actually being with so many caring people, the addict may also become motivated
to seek help and change, and realize that he or she hasn’t faked everyone out
with lies about the addiction. Many want to seek help so that they are not alone
in their struggle any longer, preferring recovery and health instead.
The intervention team becomes part of their support network. Each member shares
his or her own experiences with the addict and the problems arising from the
addiction. And in turn, each shares their love, support and encouragement for
recovery as well as any healing resources or tools they may have. For example,
maybe one member who faced similar addiction issues found help from a local
12-step program and therapist, and brought the meeting information (location and
times) plus the therapist’s phone number alone to share.
Trained people are also available to help groups with interventions.
Some go through a 3-stage intervention program.
Stage I
- This focuses on telephone coaching
over the phone. A trained professional helps you build a foundation with hope
and figure out whom to ask to join in an intervention plan. They also help
strategize – gather the intervention team together, educate about goals and
overall plan, and help with getting the addict to the intervention meeting the
first time.
Stage II
– This stage generally begins if no treatment has yet kicked into place after
Stage I. Generally, the main person in charge of gathering the intervention team
together meets with the professionally trained counselor get together for
strategy planning about a half-dozen times. Note that the addict is not present
at these. Goals are to educate, support and develop a plan of action that
includes healing treatment with the one seeking help for the addict first.
Stage III
– At this point, other intervention team members are brought in and counseled.
And the addict is invited to the meetings where intervention members share their
new boundaries and coping skills with the addict (if he or she comes along). The
intervention members’ love and support are demonstrated more than once, and by
now the addict has had multiple opportunities to enter recovery and treatment
but has not yet taken the plunge to seek help.
Results with this 3-stage program are long-term help for not only
the addict, but the support people as well. The addict is generally removed or
placed outside the dysfunctional family environment. And both family and addict
learn healthier behaviors, communication and coping skills. For more information
about interventions, contact:
Illinois Institute for
Addiction Recovery
Outpatient Center
5409 N. Knoxville Ave.
Peoria, IL 61614
1-800-522-3784
Check with your libraries and bookstores for helpful intervention books. Here
are a couple of popular ones:
- Crisis Intervention Strategies (with InfoTrac) (Counseling Series)
by Richard K. James, Burl E. Gilliland Richard K. James, Burl E. Gilliland;
Wadsworth Publishing; 4 edition (August 10, 2000).
- A Guide to Crisis Intervention, by Kristi Kanel; Wadsworth Publishing;
2 edition (February 21, 2002).
And check out what resources National Intervention Referral has available in
your area by contacting them at (800) 399- 3612 (24 hours / 7 days), or by
visiting them at and filling out their online form
www.nationalinterventionreferral.org
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