12 Step Fellowships

Research has shown that the 12-step programme (or fellowship) is one of the most effective ways of recovering from addictions. It has its origins in A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) or the Big Book (the A.A’s complete book of texts) and, because of its success, has been modified and adapted by other fellowships of addiction, such as N.A. (Narcotics Anonymous), C.A. (Cocaine Anonymous), CoDA (Codependents Anonymous) and O.A. (Overeaters Anonymous). There are now more than 50 fellowships around the world with millions of recovery members, all based on the same principles.
 
The 12 steps are at the heart of the fellowship and comprise a set of guiding principles that addicts are invited to work through. The phrase “it works if you work it” is a popular one within the fellowship and there is evidence that the approach does indeed work.
 
The 12-step programme is an intricate, multi-layered and deeply spiritual one, which, though not to everyone’s taste, offers an abundance of opportunities for emotional, mental and spiritual growth that can be neither fully conveyed nor perceived by the onlooker who remains on the outside looking in. The following summary, therefore, merely outlines the steps and provides a sample of what the fellowship can offer.

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