Benefits of 12 Step Support in Sober House Communities

First developed over 60 years ago, the 12-Step support model originated with Alcoholics Anonymous.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the 12-Step model acts as a type of roadmap for recovery made up of 12 steps, each of which walks a person through different aspects of personal development and growth. In general, three overriding principles run through the 12-Step treatment approach:

• Viewing addiction as chronic disease and seeing it for the problem that it’s become in one’s life
• Surrendering to the will of a Higher Power and the fellowship and support that’s available through the group process
• Regular attendance and participate in 12-Step support group meetings

Why 12 Step?

12 step groups in a sober living facility work as a community, supporting and encouraging one another to stay sober.

In effect, residents living in a sober living program carry out the same daily tasks and responsibilities that take place within any stable home.

Likewise, having to meet work and household obligations can be stressful, even for people who aren’t in recovery.

The 12-Step support model provides recovering addicts with day-by-day support and direction on how to manage daily life stressors without the need for drugs or alcohol.

The 12-Step format also helps to keep a person engaged in the recovery process as he or she develops the coping strategies needed to manage daily life on a drug-free basis, according to the University of Washington.

The residents within a sober living program function as a community of like-minded individuals all working towards the same goals.

For someone looking to overcome addiction and rebuild his or her life, the therapeutic benefits of the 12-Step support model combined with the structure of a sober living environment offer optimal conditions for success at this stage of the recovery process.

If you or someone you know are considering sober living as a treatment option and have questions about how these programs work or need help locating sober living programs in your area, please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 800-953-3913 (Who Answers?) for more information.

10 Things to Look for in the Right Sober Living House