What is a 12 Step Programme ?

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What is a 12 Step Programme ?

28 August, 2020Articles, News

Bill Wilson (Bill W) and Dr Robert Holbrook Smith (Dr Bob) are the founding members of Alcoholics Anonymous; this fellowship came into being in 1935. Both were alcoholics and both found a new way to live through the programme they founded, this has become known as the 12 step programme.

A twelve-step programme outlines specific actions to be taken for recovery from an addiction, or compulsive behaviours or indeed other behavioural problems. Alcoholics Anonymous were the first to introduce the idea as a way of overcoming alcoholism. As a result there are over 200 different types of 12 step fellowships/organisations that offer recovery from addictions, compulsions, and other behavioural related problems; these include Over Eaters Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Co – dependents Anonymous.

The 12 Steps:

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The 12 Steps were first published in the book ; Alcoholics Anonymous: The story of how more than One Hundred Men have recovered from alcoholism in 1939. The book described how alcohol affected the individual in three ways, spiritually, mentally and physically. It describes a physical allergy – when the alcoholic has the first drink the body reacts with craving and wants more alcohol. You are unable to stop.

The mental obsession sees the alcoholic persisting with the same behaviour expecting a different result, trapped in the delusion, unable to see their truth. The book spoke of the “Spiritual Malady” based in self-centredness. Through working through the steps, the self-centredness is replaced with a willingness to be more self-less.

There are four elements that make a 12 Step programme unique in its approach to dealing with any addiction or negative behaviour. Members of these fellowships are encouraged to attend meetings, have a sponsor, connect with a Higher Power and to be of Service.

At meetings individuals are able to share their experience, relate and identify with others who are in recovery. A sponsor is someone with experience in the programme and is able to guide others using their experience. The programme has no religious affiliations. Instead it suggests that people have a personal connection with a Higher Power, which means that those with no religious beliefs are able to find something that will work for them. Individuals are encouraged to be of service as this helps to combat the self-centredness.

Members of 12 Step Fellowships are encouraged to practice the spiritual principal of anonymity and respect other members confidentiality. This ensures a space free of judgement and fear. Members are able to express themselves without fear and therefore find deeper connections with others in the programme.

The 12 Step model is a proven method used to bring about change. The majority of treatment centres have adopted the 12 Steps as a foundation of their treatment models. Unlike other models it offers specific action to bring about change. Practical and Simple.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program

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Foetal Alcohol Syndrome – The Dangers

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Home / Posts tagged "addiction" (Page 32)

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome – The Dangers

12 August, 2020Articles, News

The consumption of alcohol, though legal, is not without its risks. Prolonged and frequent drinking can have serious consequences for the heart, liver and brain. During pregnancy a whole new set of possible consequences arise for the child. They can take the form of spontaneous abortion, premature labour, stillbirth and a range of disorders known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders cover a wide range of birth defects related to alcohol consumption during pregnancy, this article will explore the one of the most common ones, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

What causes it

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is caused directly by drinking during pregnancy. When alcohol is consumed it passes through the placenta and is processed by the internal organs of the foetus as well as the internal organs of the mother. The organs of the baby, the liver especially, are still busy developing, therefore the foetus cannot process alcohol the same way an adult can. This is particularly damaging to the rapidly developing cells of the brain, though other organs can also be affected.

There is no “safe” time to drink during pregnancy. It is even recommended that people attempting to get pregnant, avoid alcohol because it can even be damaging to the foetus before a pregnancy is detected. There is also no safe amount to drink. Even as little as one unit of alcohol can be enough to have a severe impact on the neurological development of a child.

During pregnancy, mother and child share a circulatory system. All the chemicals processed in the mother’s body pass to the child through the placenta, thus when drinking, the alcohol ends up in the child’s blood stream. There is no was to ensure that the alcohol is only processed by one and not the other. Due to the brain developing so rapidly during pregnancy, it is the organ most susceptible, though other organs are also affected.

Implications

FAS is a lifelong developmental disability. There is no cure or way to reverse the damaging effects that alcohol has on the brain. A person with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome will have it until the day they die.

Children with FAS have distinct facial features, other signs and symptoms are grouped into 2 categories, developmental and behavioural.

Developmental symptoms are a result of the brain structure not developing as it should. Therefore, a host of symptoms can occur. These include but are not limited to:

Intellectual disability
Learning Disorders
Delayed development
Poor coordination and balance
Poor memory
Difficulty problem-solving and reasoning
Difficulty paying attention, general jitteriness and anxiety – which may include a diagnosis of ADHD
Poor judgement and difficulty making connections between choices and consequences
Rapidly changing moods

The second category for symptoms are social and behavioural issues. These are a result of development symptoms in the first category. These are the only symptoms that can be worked with and adjusted for throughout life. They may be lessened or addressed through adjusted schooling, therapy, life skills and coping skills training. It is however important to note that the success of these strategies is dependent on how severe the brain development issues are, not just the quality of the therapy received. Signs include, but are not limited to:

Struggling in school and in traditional working environments
Poor impulse control
Poor social skills and difficulty making friends and forming social connections
Hyper focus, and difficulty adjusting to a different task or a different way of doing a familiar task.
Difficulty in planning and working towards a non-immediate goal
Poor concept of time and poor time management
General behavioural issues, such as destructiveness, aggression and hostility
Trouble communicating effectively, (may even present as mute)

South African Stats

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is the third highest cause of congenital mental retardation and the most common form of preventable mental disability. South Africa has the highest incidence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in the world. This varies from area to area with certain parts of the Western Cape having an incidence of 12.9%. This number is alarmingly high when compared with The European Union where incidences of the full range of alcohol spectrum disorders are between 1% and 5% depending on region.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is an entirely preventable form of mental disability. Should you or a loved be pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, and are struggling saying no to alcohol despite the possible negative consequences, this may be indicative of alcoholism. Contact Crossroads for a free assessment to determine if intervention is needed.