Drug Rehab Addiction Treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous

I Am Not Sure About AA - Isn't it all about God and Religion?

“Are 12 Step programs religious in nature? Isn't there a lot of talk about God? I don’t want religion shoved down my throat! I just want to get sober!" This is a very common concern for people coming to drug rehab or alcohol treatment. Many people have grave concerns about 12 Step programs.

Drug Rehab Addiction Treatment – No Religious Agenda

Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous and the 12 Steps are common components in most quality drug rehab addiction treatment centers. Many people are very skeptical or even hostile towards the 12 Steps. Nobody wants to be told what to believe! Religious abuse, both historically, and for many people personally, have tainted even the idea of spirituality for some. The thought of being asked to participate in some sort of ‘religious program’ can be terrifying! Many alcoholics hear the word God, and the hair on the back of their neck goes up. Maybe you can relate.The 12 Step Programs are not the only way to get and stay sober, but over the last 75 years, they have proved to work the best, for the most. Collectively speaking, Alcoholics Anonymous is the expert on treating alcoholism. Even if you decide that AA is not for you, there is much to be learned from their philosophy. This is why almost all good North American and European treatment centers include the 12 Steps as part of their curriculum. For many people though, getting over the word God can be difficult. Click here to learn more about AA.

If Alcoholics Anonymous is not Religious, Why do they keep talking about God?

In alcohol and drug rehab addiction treatment, when you come to understand the steps even just a little bit, you learn that God is just a word used in the AA literature. They use the word God, because that is the English word for the concept they are talking about. AA is a spiritual program based on each individual’s own concept of a power greater than themselves. You can call it God, or Allah, or Creator, Universe, The Source, The Force or Bob. Whatever name works for you. The point is that the 12 Steps is about spirituality, not religion. Click here to learn more about spirituality and recovery.

What does spirituality have to do with getting clean and sober?

Because spirituality is a type of abstract concept, it can be difficult to define. An easier way to investigate spirituality is to look at spiritual principles. Here are a few words and definitions that are spiritual in their nature. These are the types of principles embodied in 12 Step programs around the world. They have nothing inherently to do with organized religion.Tolerance – accepting that other people may think or believe differently from you, and not trying to stop them.Patience – accepting life on life’s terms, in the way it is presented. Not grabbing or pushing.Forgiveness – recognizing and accepting that everyone has faults, and makes mistakes, including you. Forgiveness is very different than saying bad behavior is ok, but rather accepting what is, and what has been, and what will be. It is releasing the bitterness of holding on to a grudge.Compassion - caring about other types of life and being empathetic to the suffering of others. It is taking other people’s feelings and well being into account while choosing your own behavior.Love – in every definition of this broad word – love is a feeling in the heart that can’t really be described, but everyone knows it.Responsibility – being accountable and taking ownership – to stop blaming others, to recognize that you are not a victim, but a volunteer.Harmony – going with the flow, being a part of, rather than apart from, recognizing your importance in the big picture of the universe.Joy – the ability to be filled with a positive emotion that overflows from a deep well of gratitude.

What works for you?

From the vast experience of millions of people with long-term sobriety, we see the most effective treatment against alcoholism and other forms of addiction includes the spiritual principles embedded in the 12 Steps. Drug rehab addiction treatment is an excellent place to begin the exploration of what spirituality means to you. Serenity Vista Addiction Treatment in Panama embraces spirituality. An introduction to and exploration of the 12 steps and their spiritual principles is a part of the program. It is not the entire program. A wide variety of therapeutic approaches and therapies are used. Find what works for you. At Serenity Vista, in a non-threatening way, each guest has ample space to consider what resonates and what spirituality means for them. Alcoholics Anonymous works the best, for the most, and the principles are central to the philosophy of Serenity Vista. Click here to learn more about spiritual exploration at Serenity Vista.