Popular Alternatives to 12-Step Treatment

Because Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the oldest and best-known solutions for people seeking to break the cycle of addiction, it’s become synonymous with recovery in some people’s minds. However, if you are exploring drug and alcohol rehabs for yourself or a loved one, you should know that 12-step programs like AA and NA aren’t your only choice.

No two people are alike, which means recovery isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. While many people have discovered success in following the 12-step model, you may find a different treatment method resonates more with you. Knowing you have the power to customize your sobriety journey can give you the confidence to find a solution that fully suits your needs.

Reasons to Explore Alternatives to 12-Step Treatment

Why might you want to consider options other than the traditional 12-step path to addiction recovery?

• You prefer to take a holistic approach to your overall health and well-being.
• You’re seeking a secular alternative to the faith-based 12-step method.
• You are returning to treatment after experiencing a relapse.
• You have a dual diagnosis of addiction and a co-occurring mental health disorder.
• You’re looking for therapies that help you uncover and address the root cause of your self-destructive behavior.
• You want a more flexible approach that allows you to choose between different treatment modalities.
• You appreciate the option to participate in complementary therapies like massage, yoga and acupuncture as part of your rehabilitation.
• You believe addiction treatment should empower and enlighten you.
• You know your past doesn’t define your future.

You Have Other Options

If you aren’t religious, you might struggle to connect with the 12 steps because they specifically require you to surrender to a higher power. Though the program doesn’t necessarily dictate that your higher power must be a deity, you might still prefer a treatment option rooted in science instead of faith. Alternative addiction treatments like SMART Recovery and psychotherapy teach people with substance use disorders that they have the innate ability to overcome their addictions and live an independent, fulfilling life.

Overcoming an addiction involves not only committing to significant lifestyle changes, but also thinking differently about yourself and your relationships. Negativity is one common characteristic of addiction. Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy have proven highly effective for addiction treatment because they teach people to change their thoughts and habits.

Hybrid Addiction Treatment in California

At Complete Harmony, we believe the most effective addiction treatment program is one tailored to meet your unique needs. If you prefer a faith-based approach, we will use the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous as the foundation of your recovery. However, if you aren’t religious and believe you’d benefit more from secular, research-based treatment methods, we leave that choice in your hands.

Our hybrid addiction treatment program relies on a synthesis of proven therapeutic modalities that teach you how to manage your illness and heal – mentally, physically and spiritually. Connect with us today to learn more about your alternatives to 12-step treatment.

Tips for Becoming a More Compassionate Person

Most people would probably agree that being more caring is a goal worth striving for. However, unless you consciously take time to do this, you might find it doesn’t always come naturally. Is it possible to purposely adopt a mindset of love and kindness? Yes! Compassion is a skill you can develop over time, even amid your daily stresses and challenges. Like an exercise, the more you do it, the more instinctive it will feel. Start cultivating more compassion in your life with these three tips.

1. Be Kind to Yourself

It’s impossible to love others if you don’t care for yourself first. To do so, you should silence your inner critic when it rears its ugly head with intrusive thoughts like “You’ll never be good enough” or “Nobody likes you; they’re only pretending.”

Instead of being so hard on yourself, give yourself permission to be imperfect. You might not have everything figured out – but who on Earth does? You’re trying your best and taking things one day at a time, just like everyone else.

2. Hone Your Sense of Empathy

If your goal is to become a more compassionate person, you must show more empathy for others – not only people you know, but also total strangers. It’s all too easy to get caught up in day-to-day worries and neglect to think about what other people are going through. However, people around the world are suffering – not only from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also from the effects of climate change, violence and poverty.

Every day, work to put yourself in others’ shoes. For instance, as you read news articles about the wildfires along the West Coast, try to imagine what people fleeing those fires have gone through. Many of them have lost their homes and businesses during this already difficult year. Some people are even mourning the loss of loved ones who died in the fires. If you’re lucky enough to be unaffected by these natural disasters, is there any action you can take to help ease victims’ suffering? Perhaps you can donate to a relief fund, or help share survivors’ stories.

3. Practice Random Acts of Kindness

Small acts of kindness don’t cost you a penny to perform, but they can enhance your mental health by leaps and bounds. When you intentionally spread joy, it increases your brain’s production of serotonin – a neurotransmitter that naturally boosts your mood and provides profound feelings of satisfaction and well-being. Consider these ideas to get you started.

• Start a Little Free Library book-sharing program in your neighborhood.
• Write compliments or affirmations on strips of paper and leave your notes on strangers’ cars.
• Send a “just-because” gift to a family member or friend.
• Volunteer to help an elderly neighbor with their chores or errands.
• Let someone get in front of you in the checkout line at the grocery store.
• Pay for the order of the person behind you at the drive-thru.
• Clear the clutter in your home and donate anything you no longer use to a charitable organization.

Be Patient With Yourself

Nothing worthwhile in life comes without making an effort. If being more compassionate doesn’t naturally come to you, give yourself time. With practice, you’ll find it easier to show compassion for others – and yourself.

If you’re seeking qualified addiction treatment outside the structure of traditional 12-step programs, reach out to us at Complete Harmony. We offer a full continuum of care with a holistic framework that has helped empower people struggling with substance use disorders and given them the tools to live fulfilling, healthy lives.

Returning to Rehab After a Relapse: What You Should Know

Like with other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, relapsing is a common characteristic of addiction. If you’ve returned to drug or alcohol use after a period of sustained sobriety, it does not mean you’ve failed, or that you won’t be able to learn the skills and habits necessary to manage an addiction over the long term. Instead, it indicates that you didn’t fully address the root causes of your disease in treatment, and that you might need to return for a second stint in rehab.

Should You Re-Enter Treatment?

There is no cure for addiction. However, a treatment program can teach you how to take an active role in managing your illness and avoid pitfalls that could trigger a relapse. If you do fall back into your old patterns of addictive behavior for several days or weeks, you might find it increasingly challenging to get your recovery on the right track. Each day you continue using, the goal of long-term sobriety slips further away from you.

As reluctant as you might be to admit you need to go back to rehab, if you relapse, you must seek help as soon as possible. Returning to a controlled environment that removes triggers and provides you with no access to addictive substances will put you back in the driver’s seat.

Round Two of Rehabilitation

Another reason for relapse is that the rehab center you initially chose did not fully meet your needs. For example, perhaps their treatment philosophy didn’t align with your values, or you felt they did not provide you with an adequate amount of structure. Relapse centers vary widely in the approaches they take to putting their clients on a healing path, and what clicks with one person might not necessarily connect the dots for you. Finding a center that takes a different approach than the last one you went to may produce better results.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy, for example, can be extremely effective at treating addictions by changing how you think about and respond to various situations. Over time, these treatment modalities can help you unlearn the habits associated with your addiction as you develop healthy new coping mechanisms.

Combining these evidence-based approaches with holistic therapies such as yoga, massage and meditation will give you a robust foundation for managing any stress and negativity that may enter your life. Knowing that you have a strategy for relaxing and rewarding yourself other than drug and alcohol abuse can be the difference between experiencing a self-destructive relapse and responding with equanimity.

Speak With a Recovery Advisor

If you are exploring your options for addiction rehabilitation, whether for the first time or for follow-up treatment, consider the reasons to add Complete Harmony to your list. Our holistic, non-12-step approach has helped hundreds of men and women from all walks of life break the cycle of addiction and achieve lifelong freedom from drug and alcohol use. If you have not found 12-step treatment successful in the past, or you have struggled with frequent relapse, we invite you to reach out to us today.