12 Step Programs: Just how Many are There?
A 12 step program is a community addiction recovery program. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, community based care provides the support that many people need to overcome their addictions. There are many types of 12 step programs available for those who want a community based treatment option. 12 step programs exist for alcohol addictions, compulsive behavioral addictions, and drug addictions.
Alcohol Addiction 12 Step Programs
These are alcohol based 12 step programs that welcome all alcoholics and their families.
Alcoholics Anonymous
This program is specifically for alcoholics. The only condition of this program is that you have the desire to remain sober and away from alcohol.
Al-Anon
Al-Anon gives the friends and families of alcoholics the opportunity to learn about alcoholism and how to restore their relationships.
Al-anon is meant for the adult friends and family of alcoholics. It is designed to help people who are living with an alcoholic get past the self-blame and issues that often plague a relationship with an alcoholic.
Al-A-Teen
Al-a- teen is a program to help teen children of alcoholics. Since they are old enough to recognize the perils of living with an alcoholic or being a child of one, they are affected by the alcoholism just as much as another adult is.
Compulsive Behavioral 12 Step Programs
Compulsive or behavioral 12 step programs help compulsive disorders. A few of these disorders are:
- Gambling addiction – addiction to games of chance
- Sex addiction – addiction to sex and sexual feelings, this includes masturbation
- Pornography addiction – addiction to viewing or downloading pornography on both the internet and in stores
- Eating addiction – addiction to food, eating, or certain types of food such as carbohydrates
- Love addiction – addiction to love and harmful relationships
- Shopping addiction – addiction to shopping, online shopping, and other forms of spending money on goods or services
- Co-dependence – addiction to needy relationships
- Workaholic addiction – addiction to working or being at work, or overworking
- Overeating addiction – eating too much or a binge and purge cycle
- Debt addiction – addiction to spending money on credit
There are many more compulsive disorder 12 step programs, these are just a few of the most popular.
Drug Addiction 12 Step Programs
The second most well-known type of 12 step programs are for drug addiction.
- Narcotics addiction – narcotics anonymous is a catchall for most drug addictions
- Nicotine addiction – this is a smoking, tobacco, and nicotine addiction
- Meth addiction – this addiction covers meth, methamphetamine, and amphetamines
- Marijuana addiction – this addiction is only to the drug marijuana
- Cocaine addiction – this addiction is to cocaine and crack cocaine
- Heroin addiction – this addiction sometimes includes heroin, opiates, and other forms of opiates
There are 12 step programs for almost any drug addiction possible. Some of them are more rare than others but most of them are available. Although there are 12 step programs for specific drugs, most addictions fall under the original Narcotics Anonymous.
For help finding a 12 step program for yourself or a loved one, call us at 1-800-895-1695.