The point of any 12-step program (IMHO)

[epluribus36]

The point of any 12-step program is to help someone stop an unwanted behavior. I believe the unwanted behavior is just a symptom, brought on by "what's really bothering you".

The way I see it, it's not so much that you or I drink alcohol to excess, do drugs, commit adultery or whatever the unwanted behavior is, the right question to ask is, "why do you find it necessary to undertake that behavior?"

For me, finding the main answer to this question was very illuminating, and changed my life.

I pray my sharing this with others will help somebody somewhere somehow sometime.

God bless you all and keep you!

 

[If Not For Grace]

to keep it as simple as I know how IMO

The point (goal) of ALL 12 Step Programs is a Spiritual Awakening

 

[epluribus36]

to keep it as simple as I know how IMO

The point (goal) of ALL 12 Step Programs is a Spiritual Awakening

Exactly right, in my opinion. We can do nothing without God's help. He created us, after all.

But He allows us to do things, and I believe one important thing we can do through Him is to figure out "what's really bothering us", examine what causes or caused it, and try to determine our part in it. Take responsibility for what's our fault, acknowledge what's not our fault, and give it all to God.

Hey, that sounds familiar!

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Just another step on any flawed human being's journey.

Good to "see" you, If Not For Grace.

 

[If Not For Grace]

Good to see you too..

 

[roylee1970]

The point of any 12-step program is to help someone stop an unwanted behavior. I believe the unwanted behavior is just a symptom, brought on by "what's really bothering you".

The way I see it, it's not so much that you or I drink alcohol to excess, do drugs, commit adultery or whatever the unwanted behavior is, the right question to ask is, "why do you find it necessary to undertake that behavior?"

I agree with you and it's what helped for me as well. I believe the point of the 12-step program though serves several purposes. It gives people skills to deal with things that they may not have known how to deal with. It also gives them a purpose something to fill the void with. They are nice tools and helpful but I feel the reason so many go back is because they do not deal with the core issues as you mentioned. Also when they complete these steps if they have not dealt with that they are right back where they started.

 

[If Not For Grace]

Pg 62 of the Big Book:

Selfishness--self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the pas t we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They a rise out of ours elves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he
usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kill us!

God makes that possible. And there often seems no way of entirely getting rid of self without His aid. Many of us had moral and philosophical convictions galore, but we could not live up to them even though we would have liked to. Neither could we
reduce our self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power. We had to have God's help."

 

[Autumnleaf]

The 12 steps help me live life sober.

 

[Dan Kitzler]

For me, finding the main answer to this question was very illuminating, and changed my life.

Would you care to share your answer? Please?

 

[epluribus36]

Sure. It had to do with my mother, who I just lost in April of 2014. She was a great lady, but she had been through a lot, losing a husband in WWII in France while she was back here waiting and praying.

Then her 2nd husband and she had a child in 1950, my half-brother, and that husband beat her and my brother, so she left him. Then after raising my brother alone for 11 years, she met my dad, they married and had me, and she always seemed to absolutely hate my Dad.

I always felt my Mom hated me too. I thought she was jealous of my Dad and my relationship. But I resolved this and we had a great relationship for years before she died. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the nucleus I think.

For some reason this stuff drove me to try to stay away from people as much as I possibly could, until I was forced into drug court and a 12-step program, which I maintain was the best thing that ever happened to me, other than accepting Jesus as my Savior and God.

 

[Dan Kitzler]

How did the 12 step lifestyle change your life?

 

[rturner76]

epluribus36

See, you cleared away the wreckage of your past, found a spiritual solution and now you are helping others. In a nutshell that is the 12 steps in action!

 

[epluribus36]

How did the 12 step lifestyle change your life?

Several ways. I was forced to interact with other addicts, and to face my "demons" if you will, which forced me to learn humility and stop being so self-centered.

I reluctantly became a leader and a sponsor, after first hating the program and deeply resenting my participation in it.

I put my trust in a "higher power", which at first was the NA group I belonged to, and the drug court group I met with several times a week. Then that grew to everyone I might meet. I further grew to where I confessed my sins and accepted and embraced Jesus as my Savior. Of course I'm still growing and hope I always will. Looking forward to Heaven, and trying to walk with Jesus as much as possible. Constant prayer is my earthly goal. Thanks for asking.

 

[epluribus36]

epluribus36

See, you cleared away the wreckage of your past, found a spiritual solution and now you are helping others. In a nutshell that is the 12 steps in action!

Yes, I believe Jesus did most of the work, I was just along for the ride!