Recovery from any addiction needs support. Doing it alone has invariably not worked for most people. An addict alone is in bad company. Treatment is always an option to kick start a recovery process, but a continuum of help and support is the only way a recovery process will work. Even after treatment, an aftercare plan is essential. To break the cycle of shame and guilt, cravings, lack of understanding, and unmanageable feelings, we need people who have had similar experiences around us, within easy contact, to call on when we need love and support. This is where the Fellowships of AA, NA, OA, SAA, SLA, Al-Anon, GA, CA, CoDA, COSA, and many more are available all over the world to give much needed help to the still suffering addict.

The philosophy of the 12 Step approach to recovery from addictions, is based on the original ideas experienced by the founder members of Alcoholics Anonymous. When, in June 11th 1935 Dr. Bob suggested to Bill Wilson that they both start working with other alcoholics, they started the very simple process of one struggling person identifying and talking with another, and staying sober. Together with the spiritual aspect, that of asking for help, accepting it with no strings attached, and becoming selfless rather than being selfish, helping another human being altruistically created a Twentieth Century pattern for living in the present, free from fear and emotional baggage of the past. From 1935 and onwards, AA dramatically increased its membership over the next 50 years to more than 1.7 million members in 94,000 AA groups worldwide. Programs based on the same philosophy as AA soon began to develop to deal with more diverse issues of addiction. These programs include Narcotics Anonymous (NA) for narcotic drug addiction and Al Anon for family members and loved ones of addicts and alcoholics. Today, there are more than 250 organizations that either use the word “Anonymous” as part of their name, or are based on a 12 step program philosophy of recovery.

The primary goal of the AA programme, and all others based on that original philosophy, are abstinence from mind and mood altering substances or behaviours. This is gained by admitting powerlessness over that substance or process, surrendering to help from an external source, and clearing up the debris of the past without apportioning blame, and then to continue a daily programme of recovery by helping others. It is strongly believed that the past, rather than being an emotional burden can become a source of wisdom and a gift to pass on the experience of it to fellow sufferers. Responsibility is key to recovery, and a daily programme of action and structure is required to maintain progress.

From the origins of AA, the expansion of the original programme, refined over several years, began Narcotics Anonymous and many others. NA was formed in July 1953, with the first meeting held in Southern California. The Fellowship grew erratically but quickly spread to various parts of the United States and then on where ever recovering people travelled the world and took the message of recovery with them.  Since then Anonymous Fellowships, sometimes referred to as self help groups, but better understood as community help groups as it always involves two or more people, have sprung up to help people who find it difficult to manage their lives with addictive and compulsive behaviours.

The general format of Anonymous Fellowships is a Twelve Step process, which asks individuals to accept that they have tried to fight, or rid themselves of a challenging and often destructive behaviour or substance, and those they need help from outside sources. Admitting powerlessness, the basic function of this is to be willing to ask for and accept help. Addicts will take themselves to institutions, prisons, and death rather than admit they are helpless in the face of their addictive behaviour. Once help is accepted, the programme helps the individual take responsibility for their past feelings, actions, and the consequences of their disease. Addicts in active addiction live with the fantasy that there are no consequences to their behaviour. Family and friends know all too well that this is not the case. Restitution is made to others, and then the programme is freely passed on as it was freely given to them. Passing the message is a key part of recovery for people who were so wrapped up in themselves that they missed life. Meetings, sponsorship, meditation, prayer, selfless giving, and receiving with a polite thank you is all that is then required to have a quality of life many have never experienced before.

Part of the 12 Step movements, born at almost the same time as Alcoholics Anonymous, is Family Members and friend of people with addicts Fellowships. Al-Anon, Alateen, CoSA, and Families Anonymous amongst others represent the other side of addiction and recovery, for those who live with addicts and need their own support and recovery.

Many addiction treatment facilities where founded on the principles within AA. The Minnesota Model is an abstinence orientated, comprehensive, multi-professional approach to the treatment of the addictions, based upon the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. It espouses a disease concept of drug and alcohol dependency with the promise of recovery, but not cure, for those who adhere to it. The programme is intensive, offering group therapy, lectures, and counselling based upon a pattern developed in Minnesota, in the United States, during the late 1940s and the 1950s. Its origins and content are distinct from the Concept Houses and the wider Therapeutic Community movement, but it incorporates themes held in common with both of these treatment approaches. If you are looking for treatment in the UK and other countries, and they mention that they are a 12 Step facility, this is what they mean.

The Anonymous Fellowship espouse choice, the programme is suggested only. Proof that it works can be seen, in meetings, when people share their length of sober time, celebrated with “chips”, tokens of acknowledgement from their peers, at six months, nine months, years, and multiples of years.

There are some who have had a difficult relationship with the Anonymous Fellowships for a number of reasons. We as human beings are unique, have different views and experiences of the world we live in, and so difference is to be celebrated rather than argued with or dismissed. What works for one, may not work for another. There are different ways to stop or manage addictive behaviours. However, the Anonymous meetings are free, they have a track record of success that is unparalleled in any other method of managing addictions, and

TRN recommend the 12 Step Programmes of the Anonymous Fellowships to all who use this site. It is recovery, freely given and freely passed on in a town near you. If you are still unsure as to what it