Explore alternative treatment methods to recovery

The Non-12-Step Option: Boost Your Chances of Success With an Alternative Approach to Alcohol Addiction Treatment

As incredible as life is, it also entails its fair share of suffering. Family pressures, work-related stress, relationship issues, societal expectations and the toxicities we so often encounter in modern society can easily lead to conditions like anxiety, depression and mood instability. And for many, alcohol is an accessible way to self-soothe during life’s rough patches.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t help. Alcohol pollutes our bodies, dulls our minds and hinders our ability to connect with our soul’s purpose, compounding our symptoms of unwellness. It’s no wonder that in the US, one in 13 adults has a problem with alcohol abuse, and alcohol addiction remains the most common reason for seeking addiction treatment. While the majority of available treatment programs in the US center on the 12 Steps, we take a look at why these programs may not work for everyone, and how to decide if an alternative treatment method is a better fit for you.

Why 12-Step Programs Aren’t for Everyone

While the social support that fellowship groups like AA and NA provide are valuable, and the 12 Steps have certainly helped many people get sober, programs like this may not resonate with everyone. Here’s why:

  • The 12 Steps are based on powerlessness over addiction. In this model, sobriety is predicated on a fear of ever-impending relapse. Operating from a place of fear, as opposed to empowerment, isn’t sustainable and doesn’t result in the best decision-making.

  • The disease model of addiction promotes victimhood. When you identify as an addict and view yourself as being “sick” and unable to recover, you’re more likely to dwell in the past and repeat your negative patterns.

  • AA is based on Christian beliefs. The concepts in AA may not be entirely relatable for people with different spiritual framework or religious backgrounds.

  • The potential for progress can be limited. People seeking more advanced levels of spiritual progress may reach a point where they feel like they’ve gone as far as they can with the 12 Steps, and feel like they’re in need of something more.

The Restorative Benefits of an Alternative Alcohol Treatment Program

Addiction affects your mind, body, soul and spirit – and a comprehensive treatment program should focus on all of these areas. Unlike the 12 Steps, holistic alcohol addiction treatment programs use a wide array of therapeutic approaches to address these specific aspects of yourself. Recovery is a personal process, and your treatment should be personalized to your specific set of needs in order to address the root cause of your addiction. If it doesn’t, sobriety will be so overwhelmingly uncomfortable that you’ll be much more likely to relapse.

The Sanctuary: Where You Can Finally Find Freedom From Alcohol Addiction

At The Sanctuary at Sedona, we use a unique alternative approach that includes holistic healing methods like nutritional therapy, bodywork, acupuncture, herbalism and Energy Medicine in addition to conventional treatment methods like psychotherapy. Our strong clinical component includes twice-daily counseling, and our small size and 1-to-1 staff-to-client ratio means you’ll receive plenty of individual attention for an intensive and well-rounded therapy experience. When you heal the root causes of your addiction, you won’t feel the need to use alcohol anymore. Here, we believe that being recovered means you’re no longer a victim of your addiction – you’re free.

Read more about alternative rehab in our article: What Makes Integrative Addiction Recovery Different?

If you’re ready to try a new and effective alternative approach to alcohol addiction treatment, call us at (866) 668-7987 or email us at [email protected] today for more information.