Addiction. It can be something that can take over your life if you are not careful.
However, do not think that you are alone if you are suffering from some sort of addiction. Over 21 million Americans across the country are dealing with some sort of addiction.
If you think that you have a problem with controlling some aspect of your life, one of the best things that you can do is find a group of people that went through the same struggle. Then, get involved in twelve step programs that start the recovery process from said addiction.
So, what are some of the programs out there that can help with an addiction that you are suffering from? These are five of the most notable programs in America.
1. Alcoholics Anonymous
This is when one of the most famous twelve step programs in the United States. It may even be the first program that people think of when confronting an addiction.
Alcoholics anonymous allows those that have a problem controlling themselves with alcohol to come talk about it in a safe space. From there, people can be around others that have gone through the same thing and celebrate milestones of sobriety.
These milestones can include years, months, days, or even the first 24 hours. The important thing with this group is that when you show up to these meetings, you come with the commitment of staying sober from alcohol. From there, you can discuss how your life has adjusted without alcohol and the benefits that you may see from it.
People that are alcoholics likely got pushed to rock bottom to go to an AA meeting. This could have been losing their license, losing their job, or even having their loved ones walk away from them.
Regardless, this can be a great place to heal for those suffering from alcohol use disorder.
2. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
Some may be surprised to see this, but there are people out there that are addicted to sex. While some may belittle this and may wish they could have more access to sex, those that know the realities of sex addicts know how ugly this can get.
For the love side of things, people could be dependent if they continue to return to relationships where they are getting emotionally and physically abused. This can reach a dangerous point, especially for people that are afraid of being alone.
Then, there is the sex side of things. People could have spent a lot of money on porn and prostitution, they may have been caught with indecent exposure, they may have lost their job over their addiction, or they could have even picked up an STD that they can’t get rid of now.
Regardless of why you are there, going to this group can show you that you are not alone and there is a recovery process to overcome this addiction.
3. Gamblers Anonymous
One addiction on the rise happens to be gambling. While it is not a new addiction by any means, more people have access to gambling in the United States than ever before.
As a result, more people are getting exposed to the dark side of gambling and having problems in their life because of it. When you have a problem with gambling, you are likely going to run into financial trouble. If you have a family and are reckless with the finances, you could end up getting a divorce.
Worse than all of that, having a gambling addiction likely leads to illegal activities to support it. More than 66% of problem gamblers admit that they have done an illegal activity to keep up with their gambling habits.
Here, you can get away from that environment and find out how to get the help that you need.
4. Cocaine Anonymous
Another substance that people may have a problem with is cocaine. This can get highly addictive and if you do have a dependency on this drug, then you may exhibit severe mood swings.
If you take enough cocaine, you could also have symptoms of schizophrenia if you are someone that was already vulnerable to that.
Worst of all, cocaine is illegal in pretty much every part of the country. That means people that hit rock bottom with a cocaine addiction very likely spent some time in jail to get to that point.
As a result, they could be looking to start over and need a safe space to do that.
5. Marijuana Anonymous
This may also come as a surprise to some, but people can get addicted to marijuana. Some people may underestimate this possibility. For those that think they may suffer from this, you do have an outlet to talk to people that are going through similar issues.
While marijuana may not be as harmful as other drugs, you can still do some damage with it. Some people choose to drive while they are high and other people rely on it to relieve anxiety. Others may even slack off from their job if they do it too often.
Learn More About Twelve Step Programs
These are just five of the twelve step programs that are out there that can help you with addiction.
You could be suffering from alcohol use disorder, sex and relationship dependency, addiction to drugs like cocaine or marijuana, or even just gambling too much.
Regardless, there is a program that can help you. Do you need help finding it? See some of the facilities available for you today.