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Spirituality
Commitment Yields Success in 12-Step Programs
There are four key components of commitment that lead to long-term sobriety.
Posted May 28, 2021 Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
Key points
- 12-step members observe and support each other in mutual aid meetings while sharing their experiences in a controlled environment.
- In 12-step recovery, success is achieved by way of commitment to the program's tenets over time. Meetings are a key aspect of that commitment.
- Over 2 million men and women seeking sobriety participate in over 200,000 12-step mutual aid meetings in over 160 countries.
The guest author of this post is Robert Kanter, an international recovery advocate addressing the opioid epidemic by promoting the Portugal Model of harm reduction, driving bipartisan legislation to fund treatment, and destigmatizing substance use disorder worldwide.
Combining its rich history and highly successful style of governance, as well as its self-directed leadership model and a non-denominational approach, the 12-step model of recovery has helped its members achieve long-term remission from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD) for nearly a century.
12-step abstinence-based recovery programs are considered by many to be some of the greatest social achievements of the 20th century, with over two million men and women (Stanford School of Medicine, M. Erickson, 2020) from all walks of life participating in over 200,000 mutual aid meetings in over 160 countries. One of the central paradigms of the 12-step process which enables its success is the core tenet that these programs are free of charge to participate in.
Since these groups eschew active promulgation and outreach, they are often dismissed by outsiders as “cults” or covert, pseudo-religious conclaves. Likewise, due to lack of media presence, no attempts are made to rebuke such claims. This makes 12-step fellowship programs easy targets and results in many questioning their efficacy. Compounding this misinformation, there are those claiming that 12-step programs do not draw on modern science, despite the fact the current disease model of alcoholism, embraced by 12-step organizations, is endorsed by The American Medical Association.
Several studies have been done by non-12 step research institutions as well, most notably the Cochrane Library (J. Kelly, K. Humpreys, 2020 ) and Oxford Academic Journals (N.Heather, 2020). These studies are based on external (out-of-fellowship) samplings and can be considered flawed in that they discount the anonymity aspect of the 12-step model. The cumulative result of this criticism is that individuals (and families) seeking treatment for AUD and SUDs may fail to consider 12-step programs as an option for addressing their conditions.
As a therapist gleans information from their patient over a period of time and in a controlled environment to facilitate changes in their behavior, this is also what occurs in 12-step recovery programs. In both scenarios, success comes from a high level of commitment to the tenets of the program put forth to them, requiring time, trust, and a willingness to dive deep into the barriers to one’s growth. Specific to the 12-step model, the controlled environments are the mutual aid meetings, where members observe, mentor, and support one another and share their cumulative experiences.
I subscribe to the 12-step model of recovery from AUD and SUDs and have maintained my sobriety for over 15 years, during which I have attended thousands of mutual aid meetings and interacted with thousands of fellow members. I have chosen to build an unshakeable foundation of a high level of commitment to my program has, and this has provided me the opportunity to grow and flourish in my life.
Outlined below are “The 4 Key Components of Commitment” which I believe if followed with honesty and dedication, will almost always result in the achievement of long-term sobriety. Of course, one’s pathway to recovery is a personal journey and never an exact science.
Mutual Aid Meetings
Rigorous attendance at peer-led mutual aid meetings is paramount. These meetings, of various focus and formats, exist on the premise that one member speaking with another (also known as fellowshipping) results in a paradigm shift in thinking and behaviors. They provide the opportunity for members to share personal stories, exchange tools and methods to maintain sobriety, discuss program literature, and develop a necessary network of their peers.
A Mentor (Teacher)
As with mutual aid meetings, the concept of collaborating with a mentor (an established member of the fellowship) speaks to the understanding that members are united in a common cause in achieving relief for AUD and SUD.
A mentor serves many key functions, most notably setting a course of action for the student and holding them accountable (in a non-critical manner) to the steps needed to achieve success. A mentor shares their experience with the student on a continual basis and, perhaps most importantly, provides counsel to them should they decide to leave the fellowship.
A significant amount of resolve should be invested by the student to establish a relationship, and work with, a mentor to create a lifeline to the program.
Program Literature
A considerable amount of time should be spent studying the 12-step literature (the syllabus of the program) both individually and with a mentor. Here, in various textbooks, workbooks, and inspirational readings, members learn the collective wisdom of past and present members, who outline how the program functions and details on completing the 12 steps of recovery. Upon the internalization of this material, the student ultimately becomes the teacher. This propagates the cycle of growth of the fellowship and inoculates the student from relapse.
Volunteer Work
Since 12-step recovery programs are based on actionable steps, contributing to the operations of the fellowship aligns with the spirit of camaraderie, ensuring that those new to the fellowship have access to the same treatment and support as established members. Ongoing volunteer work takes the form of many responsibilities, including assignments that contribute to the efficient operations of the meetings.
A Note on Spirituality
I would be remiss if I did not address the role of spirituality in 12-step recovery programs. Spirituality, the belief that there exists something greater than oneself, and practiced through meditation, prayer, and a mindset of gratitude, is believed by many members to be essential in attaining the profound transformation in personality needed to live a life free of AUD and SUD. Although I applaud these beliefs, I have learned that recovery is a very personal journey, and am not of the opinion that a particular belief system applies to all members.
