We have all heard the serenity prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” But how much do we really know about the 12-Step Programs that have literally helped millions, maybe billions, of people over the past 70 years?
Research about 12-Step programs is difficult to obtain because maintaining anonymity requires that researches stay a proper distance away. Yet, according to insiders in AA, 33 percent of the 8,000 North American members it surveyed had remained sober for over 10 years. Twelve percent were sober for 5 to 10 years; 24 percent were sober 1 to 5 years; and 31 percent were sober for less than a year.
The success, in my estimation, has much to do with accountability and the ability to be transparent to a group of understanding people whose compassion supersedes even therapists, family, and friends. A great deal of my own success with helping people through difficult times has come from my own shortcomings and difficulties in life. Nothing is more powerful in the healing process than community and compassion. We can all learn a great lesson from the program.
Though the Twelve Steps started for Alcoholism, it has reached its behavior modification program into thirty-six different branches:
- AA - Alcoholics Anonymous
- ACA - Adult Children of Alcoholics
- Al-Anon/Alateen, for friends and families of alcoholics
- CA - Cocaine Anonymous
- CLA - Clutterers Anonymous
- CMA - Crystal Meth Anonymous
- Co-Anon, for friends and family of addicts
- CoDA - Co-Dependents Anonymous, for people working to end patterns of dysfunctional relationships and develop functional and healthy relationships
- COSA - formerly Codependents of Sex Addicts
- COSLAA - CoSex and Love Addicts Anonymous
- DA - Debtors Anonymous
- EA - Emotions Anonymous, for recovery from mental and emotional illness
- FA - Families Anonymous, for relatives and friends of addicts
- FA - Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
- FAA - Food Addicts Anonymous
- GA - Gamblers Anonymous
- Gam-Anon/Gam-A-Teen, for friends and family members ofproblem gamblers
- HA - Heroin Anonymous
- MA - Marijuana Anonymous
- NA - Narcotics Anonymous
- NAIL - Neurotics Anonymous, for recovery from mental and emotional illness
- Nar-Anon, for friends and family members of addicts
- NicA - Nicotine Anonymous
- OA - Overeaters Anonymous
- OLGA - Online Gamers Anonymous
- PA - Pills Anonymous, for recovery from prescription pill addiction.
- SA - Sexaholics Anonymous
- SA - Smokers Anonymous
- SAA - Sex Addicts Anonymous
- SCA - Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
- SIA - Survivors of Incest Anonymous
- SLAA - Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
- UA - Underearners Anonymous
- WA - Workaholics Anonymous
In this time of giving and holidays, support people who are recovering from addictions in any way you can, especially with your compassion. I know in this week of thanks, I’m grateful for its cofounder, Bill Wilson, for writing the Big Book.
A Cookbook, a Novel, a Self-Help Book, a Yoga DVD! All great gifts from your friend—Bo Sebastian. Simply go to this link at www.Amazon.com or type in my name. Find great gifts for your family members and friends and support another friend in the process! Thank you and happy Holidays! --Bo
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Bo works with people on SKYPE and FaceTime all over the world. He is taking new clients now. Call 954-253-6493 for information.
Take the time to look at Bo’s bookshelf of self-help books, novels, healing downloads, and yoga DVD. All of Bo’s books help people such as you, make SIGNIFICANT CHANGE with habits, find your SOULMATE, your PASSION, reach YOUR DREAMS, and dictate your own FUTURE.
Chosen to show his new hypnotherapeutic techniques on The Learning Channel (TLC) and also given the opportunity to teach at the world conference for Learning, and received the award of excellence for Helping Overcome Obesity in Nashville, Bo Sebastian is the writer and director of Finding Authentic You and Uncommon Gay Spiritual Warrior. Go directly to Amazon/Amazon Kindle to buy any of his wonderfully inspired books: ]
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