One of the longest success stories in the history of substance abuse treatment is that of the 12 step program. These programs have endured over 75 years and continue to be a key in the sobriety of many people. Originally developed to help the alcoholic, today, there are programs and support groups for many issues that use the model as a basis.
Alcoholics Anonymous or AA began in the early 1930s as a support group for individuals struggling with alcoholism. At this time there were few choices in treatment for alcoholism, but there were a few hospitals that offered a drying out facility, that today would be known as detox centers. At the time of the founding of AA, the twelve steps did not exist, but they were developed over the next few years.
These steps were first published in Bill Wilson's Big Book. The original publication date of the book was 1938. While many of the steps were already being passed by word of mouth, Wilson was the first to codify them. His work brought together principles that has been used for many years to bring individuals to sobriety.
Wilson wrote out these steps that have become a valuable tool for AA in about 20-30 minutes. It was only after he completed the writing that he counted the steps and found them to number twelve. When the list was complete, Wilson did little editing before they were sent directly to the publisher in the Big Book.
While the original list included the use of God in several places, it was later edited to reduce this usage to a minimum. Later, the group added the phrase "as we understood Him" after each mention of this name. Today, it is common for "God" to be replaced with the phrase a "higher power".
Many of these steps can be traced to the Oxford Group. This Christian organization was an offshoot of the Lutheran Church and active in the early 1900s. According to Wilson they were responsible for the spiritual principles, but some of their attitudes were incompatible with AA and were thus discarded.
While the twelve step program continues in practical use today, it has come under fire recently. Some research shows that an alcoholic meeting with his spouse and a counselor can see the same results as an individual attending weekly meetings. Others claim individuals are just as successful at quitting without the group at all. The steps are often seen as to dependant on the work of God or another higher power.
For three-quarters of a century, individuals struggling with alcohol abuse have turned to AA for help. The 12 steps that form the basis for this support group have also been adopted by many other organizations to provide help for all types of substance abuse, emotional disorders and other situations. In general, each group makes a few slight changes to the wording of one or more of the steps to make them more appropriate for the substance being abused or the affliction that affects the members
Alcoholics Anonymous or AA began in the early 1930s as a support group for individuals struggling with alcoholism. At this time there were few choices in treatment for alcoholism, but there were a few hospitals that offered a drying out facility, that today would be known as detox centers. At the time of the founding of AA, the twelve steps did not exist, but they were developed over the next few years.
These steps were first published in Bill Wilson's Big Book. The original publication date of the book was 1938. While many of the steps were already being passed by word of mouth, Wilson was the first to codify them. His work brought together principles that has been used for many years to bring individuals to sobriety.
Wilson wrote out these steps that have become a valuable tool for AA in about 20-30 minutes. It was only after he completed the writing that he counted the steps and found them to number twelve. When the list was complete, Wilson did little editing before they were sent directly to the publisher in the Big Book.
While the original list included the use of God in several places, it was later edited to reduce this usage to a minimum. Later, the group added the phrase "as we understood Him" after each mention of this name. Today, it is common for "God" to be replaced with the phrase a "higher power".
Many of these steps can be traced to the Oxford Group. This Christian organization was an offshoot of the Lutheran Church and active in the early 1900s. According to Wilson they were responsible for the spiritual principles, but some of their attitudes were incompatible with AA and were thus discarded.
While the twelve step program continues in practical use today, it has come under fire recently. Some research shows that an alcoholic meeting with his spouse and a counselor can see the same results as an individual attending weekly meetings. Others claim individuals are just as successful at quitting without the group at all. The steps are often seen as to dependant on the work of God or another higher power.
For three-quarters of a century, individuals struggling with alcohol abuse have turned to AA for help. The 12 steps that form the basis for this support group have also been adopted by many other organizations to provide help for all types of substance abuse, emotional disorders and other situations. In general, each group makes a few slight changes to the wording of one or more of the steps to make them more appropriate for the substance being abused or the affliction that affects the members
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