Substance Abuse Support for Survivors of Enthusiastic Sobriety Abuse

Recovery looks different for everyone.

There is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to addiction recovery. Whichever substance misuse treatment path you choose, be sure that it has everything you need to help you achieve a successful recovery.

Substance Abuse Recovery Options

  • 12 step programs support teen and adolescent sobriety

    12 Step Programs

    12 Step Recovery Groups can be both a comfortable and familiar space for survivors, as well as intensely triggering. Substance Abuse Treatment does have its benefits in a community support environment, and 12 Step Recovery Groups are free, widely accessible and successful for many. There are more support groups than just AA or NA - check out the list of all recovery related support groups from Celebrate Recovery, a Christian based program, to Life Ring Secular Recovery and many more approaches to the 12 steps.

  • Harm reduction supports teen and adolescent sobriety

    Harm Reduction Resources

    Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs. Harm reduction incorporates a spectrum of strategies that includes safer use, managed use, abstinence, meeting people who use drugs “where they’re at,” and addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.

  • Therapy supports teen and adolescent sobriety

    Behavioral Therapies

    Behavioral therapy is perhaps the most commonly utilized types of treatment for addiction that is frequently used during substance rehabilitation. A general behavioral therapeutic approach has been adapted into a variety of effective techniques. These include: Family Therapy, CBT, Contingency Management, Motivational Interviewing, DBT, EMDR, REBT, Trauma Therapy, and the Matrix Model.

  • Alternative 12 Step Groups (non-12 Step)

    Twelve-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, have helped many recovering addicts. But they don’t work for everyone. If you’d like to try a different approach, many non-12-step programs are available to help you achieve and maintain sobriety. You can learn more about programs like Refuge Recovery, a Buddhist approach to addressing addiction, or programs like SMART Recovery and more.

“It took a lot of work and I did have a major relapse when I first left The Group. But I got into a proper inpatient detox and rehab program where I was encouraged and supported into recovery - not forced, insulted and judged. I got clarity and acceptance for me to stay sober, and to do it for my own life. And to only please and love myself.”

— The Crossroads Program Survivor

Tips to Stay Sober

12 Step Groups 101:

  • The 12-Step program, first developed and used by Alcoholics Anonymous, is a 12-step plan in order to overcome addictions and compulsions. The basic premise of this model is that people can help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from substances of abuse, but that healing cannot come about unless people with addictions surrender to a higher power. This higher power doesn’t need to be a traditional religious version of God – it can be as simple as the community of the 12-step meetings, the universe, or a different version of a higher power fit for your type of spirituality.

    The 12-Step movement can be a powerful and helpful force for many people, but some people struggle with what they interpret as a strong religious element of the program. Many addiction treatment programs offer alternatives to 12-Step methodology for those who prefer a more secular foundation for treatment.

    1. Admitting powerlessness over the addiction

    2. Believing that a higher power (in whatever form) can help

    3. Deciding to turn control over to the higher power

    4. Taking a personal inventory

    5. Admitting to the higher power, oneself, and another person the wrongs done

    6. Being ready to have the higher power correct any shortcomings in one’s character

    7. Asking the higher power to remove those shortcomings

    8. Making a list of wrongs done to others and being willing to make amends for those wrongs

    9. Contacting those who have been hurt, unless doing so would harm the person

    10. Continuing to take personal inventory and admitting when one is wrong

    11. Seeking enlightenment and connection with the higher power via prayer and meditation

    12. Carrying the message of the 12 Steps to others in need

  • The basic premise of the 12-Step model is that people can help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from the substances or behaviors to which they are addicted. They can do this through meetings in which they share their experiences with one another and support each other in the ongoing effort of maintaining abstinence. In research, abstinence practices (which are supported by 12-Step programs) can account for high levels of what experts call flourishing, which is positive mental health and can contribute to longer-term recovery.

    Based on this study, those who abstain altogether from substances – as advised in the 12-Step model – have better mental health outcomes than those who don’t abstain. The 12-Step model gives people a framework from which to surrender their addiction, process their experience, and move forward into new patterns. The model assists an individual by helping build the following mental and emotional transformative practices and tools:

    • The ability to recognize and admit that one is experiencing an addiction problem

    • A surrender to the fact that the addiction exists and a decision to seek control through an outer guide

    • Self-observation and awareness of the behaviors that were part of and arose from the addiction, as well as those that

    • help promote self-restraint

    • A chance to practice that restraint and build self-esteem in one’s positive capabilities

    • Achievement of self-acceptance and the ability to change behaviors

    • Compassion, both for those who have been affected by the addiction and for others who similarly struggle with addiction

    • Tools that make the process a continual practice throughout the individual’s life

    By providing these experiences and tools, the 12-Step model can be a method for change in many types of behavior. As a result, it can help individuals who wish to overcome addiction to find a path to recovery.

  • Before discussing the efficacy of 12-step programs, it’s important to remember that efficacy is relative, meaning that how effective something is depends on your goals. If your goal is abstinence from substance abuse, 12-step programs are extremely promising modalities.

    12-step members may use the phrase “it works if you work it”, meaning that if you invest yourself fully in working a thorough program and completing the 12 steps with your sponsor, the program will be effective for you. However, studies and efficacy rates vary.

    In people who are non-comorbid, meaning that they suffer from a substance use disorder but do not suffer from any other additional mental health condition, 12-step programs prove highly effective in improving the likelihood of long-term abstinence. For those who suffer from substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions, 12-step programs were also found to be extremely effective in one New York city study.

    Other studies mention that many people drop out of 12-step programs – 40% in the first year, to be exact.

    Overall, 12-step programs are still one of the most effective and best modalities for fostering long-term abstinence from substance abuse and facilitating the successful transition for people who struggled with SUD into sobriety. They prioritize and work to manifest values of faith, community, abstinence, acceptance, and ongoing self-improvement in their members.

  • Some people don’t like or are not interested in the 12-Step model, even with the variations above or through organizations that facilitate the 12-Step model. Some people don’t like basing their recovery on the idea that they cannot control their addiction, when there is evidence that there are ways of practicing internal control over the recovery process.

    Some of the programs based on this active control model include groups like SMART Recovery and Moderation Management. These groups use a similar peer-sharing model, but they don’t rely on the idea of surrender. They instead promote the empowerment of the individual to exercise control over the treatment of and recovery from addiction

“The Twelve Steps are the only way to recover from chemical dependency.”

— Bob Meehan, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, page 123.

“Upon therapy for the alcoholic himself, we surely have no monopoly.”

— Forward to the Second Edition, Alcoholics Anonymous, page xxi.

 Enthusiastic Sobriety Steps vs. The 12 Steps

Enthusiastic Sobriety’s 12 Steps for Young People

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “the (drug) abuser blamed his problems on police, his parents, his teachers, his boss, his friends, his enemies, God, Iranian students, and all other “white folks” who were convenient targets… In the first step of recovery, the abuser must find a new villain… This villain is drugs.”

    The emphasis on mind-changing chemicals goes far beyond intoxicating or illegal substances in Enthusiastic Sobriety programs. Mind or “mood-altering” chemicals include birth control, anti-depressants, and virtually all medications to physical ailments. Survivors are regularly taken off of their medications “cold turkey” which enable emotional and physical destabilization and dysregulation. A convenient precursor to “insanity.”

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “In our “get high” society, just about everyone he knows is an obstacle (to sobriety)… It takes about one year to 18 months sober before a person will have the strength and confidence to mingle comfortably again in our “get-high” society.” page 125.

    Here is where the indoctrination and cult-like isolation begins in Enthusiastic Sobriety Programs. Bob Meehan explains that everyone in society is an obstacle or risk factor to someone’s sobriety. He also points out that 18 months of sobriety is the typical length of time for someone to re-enter into society, which is conveniently the minimum length of time clients remain in The Group. This assures the clients and parents that this intense isolation from society for a long duration of time is necessary.

    Bob Meehan then continues this train of thought to include isolation from family members. Bob justifies this with an example of his own response to his father who had offered him a beer after some time sober:

    “I looked him right in the eyes and said, ‘Yeah, Dad, I can drink a beer, but if I do I’m likely to rape the barmaid and burn this place down before I’m done.’” page 126.

    As this is a strange and alarming remark to include in a book on adolescent substance abuse recovery, Bob continues to describe why Group members must isolate themselves from their family:

    “For the recovering chemical abuser, most people - and that can include parents, relatives, even close friends - are losers. At least for a while, he must stick with winners, people who do not use mind-abusing chemicals.” page 126.

    In short - everyone not in an Enthusiastic Sobriety Program is a loser, and you must “stick with winners” for at least 18 months, though most clients are in the program between 1-5 years, and some Staff members stay for a lifetime.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “Any circle of friends constitutes a Higher Power… That doesn’t make it a sect, a cult, or a religion.”

    It is interesting that right off the bat, Bob must reassure you that this ideology does not make up a cult, but his further explanation might be contrary to this early notion. Bob continues:

    “A group of people who don’t do drugs represents a positive force that we choose to call God… The goal of my drug program is to reach the largest number of young people possible. So I keep things simple and concrete. Positive peer pressure and the support of a group of people who believe in sobriety are what the recovering drug abuser needs more than anything when he decides to go straight. The support of others is love, which is what God is, right?” - page 129.

    After this long, noble explanation of what a loving God is - a group of positive peer pressure - we must reflect back to what Bob and all of the drug abuse counselors in Enthusiastic Sobriety programs believe - that you must “Stick with Winners” which only includes fellow group members and does exclude parents, family members, close non-group friends and society at large. This is a hallmark of high-control groups.

    It is of note that reliance upon others to physically keep you sober is not conducive to long term recovery. Most people struggle leaving the program, because they left their entire understanding of a Higher Power with it. In order to stay sober, some clients choose to go through counselor training at the Meehan Institute and become Staff because they have been told repeatedly that it is the only way to stay sober. On Staff, the winner’s circle gets even smaller, as only other Staff members are considered winners - which they can only associate with, date and marry.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “Step Three requires that the abuser recognize that Good Orderly Direction from the positive peer group represents a power that can help him distinguish between right and wrong for himself. Step Four requires that the abuser make a decision to let the power of the group be the major influence in his life… It simply means that when faced with decisions, the abuser must depend upon the positive force of the group to help him choose between right and wrong. The group doesn’t make decisions for him, but its power helps him make the right choice for himself… What’s right for the peer group becomes right for him.”

    Here, Bob writes, and the program enforces, that all decision making powers should be based off of what the group would deem right or wrong. With an incredibly isolated community that adheres to a specific doctrine, that separates people into “us vs. them” mentality, is yet another characteristic of a high-control group or cult indoctrination. Many survivors have explained their inability to function or make simple decisions after leaving the program and struggle to find a sense of self or identity post group.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “People don’t want to own their own behavior. We are reared from day one to blame others for our mistakes. Consider the way people usually act when a relationship breaks up. Let’s say a man’s wife cheats on him. He becomes the victim of her betrayal, and paints a picture of himself as the incarnation of purity… This man needs to have a talk with himself. He needs to ask, “How did I fail in this relationship?… Did I play sexual games with her that forced her away from me?… Ultimately, he too must accept 100 percent responsibility for the failure of his marriage.” - Page 132

    Bob Meehan is excellent at breaking down complex issues into simple false comparisons and promoting black and white thinking. This is another characteristic of high-control groups, as Robert J. Lifton describes in his eight criteria for thought reform. Regularly, Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors say that while in the program they were made to look for their part in sexual assault, childhood abuse, and even their medical ailments.

    Bob continues, “Step Five requires that we make a moral inventory of ourselves… In instances where we blamed others for the bad things that happened to us, we attempt to see how we may have contributed to the problem. The objective standard we use to distinguish right from wrong is the peer group.” - Page 133

    Again, the sense of morality is up to the peer group and the enclosed environment Bob has created in his Enthusiastic Sobriety Programs.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “A drug abuser who cannot own his behavior will never beat his drug habit. Total self-honesty must become a way of life. The recovering abuser must see that his problem is in his own soul and that he cannot blame others for his shortcomings. When he blames others, he becomes a victim and provides himself a rationale for taking drugs… In Step Six, we own our behavior and accept our character defects... We must own every action we took and every reaction we provoked from others. We must stop blaming the “white folks” upon whom we have been pawning off our behavior.”

    Victim blaming and taking “ownership” for every aspect of ones life is one of the most prevalent and core beliefs of Enthusiastic Sobriety programs. It even goes as far as Bob Meehan preaching that “We chose our lives before we were born” which he uses to reinforce that there are “No Victims, Only Volunteers.”

    This is regularly turned against anyone who speaks negatively about the Program, as this simplistic thinking does not allow abuse to occur, but the “victim” is only looking for someone to blame for their perceived misfortune.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “This step is similar to Step Four in which we agreed to turn to the Higher Power of the peer group when faced with questions of right and wrong… We now turn to the power of the group to break those patterns, correct the flaws, and accept the wrongs we have committed… We ask the group to help us change the way we are.”

    A survivor of The Insight Program explains:

    “Here's a use of various strategies, the program was very effective at breaking me down psychologically until I no longer had any sense for what thoughts and feelings of mine were real or accurate. When every single internally generated thought, idea, or feeling is assumed to be invalid, warped, twisted, or sick, then one is left in a state of complete dependence on the group for their grasp on reality. When you can't trust your own thinking and perception, you can't form a cohesive identity or sense of self, the program knows this and uses it very effectively to create identities for each individual that exists only in the context of the group. So not only are you convinced that you will die if you leave, but yourself as an individual dies if you stay.”

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “Let’s define our terms here. When we say “harmed,” we are speaking of actions that caused serious physical or emotional damage to another person… My definition of “harmed” was far too loose. Normally, this list will not exceed a dozen names. For teenagers, it often contains far fewer.” - page 135

    Bob does not continue to explain his alternative definition of “harmed”, but he does point out a rather short list of owed apologies. The rest of this short passage does eventually get to the point of making a list of people we have harmed.

    Another Insight program survivor explains their experience with Step Eight and their Significant Other or S.O. meeting in Outpatient:

    “When I was in OP, my counselor kept pushing me to be honest on my SO list. I wrote down what I owned amends for to my family and my counselors didn’t think it was “enough” or “honest.” They kept pushing me to confess something worth apologizing for, and eventually I said that I stole my mom’s car, which never happened. When I said this to my parents, my mom’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She was shocked at this (untrue) confession - and this absolutely played into both of our commitment and compliance to the program.”

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “Whereas, we must be “willing” to make amends to everyone we’ve harmed, and we have to confront only those for whom it is reasonably possible. I wouldn’t recommend anyone jump on an airplane and fly across the country to make amends. If confronting a person would be extremely uncomfortable, I would say it was enough to be willing to make amends. If someone doubts the wisdom of making a particular amend, he can always consult his Higher Power - the judgment of his peer group.”

    Two points that stick out here - Bob discourages any amends that might make a person uncomfortable or the group would deem inappropriate, i.e. old friends and people outside the program. Enthusiastic Sobriety programs require group isolation from the outside world - much like cults.

    The second point, again with not making amends that would make someone “extremely uncomfortable” - apologies among group members are rare. Typically, when a group member confronts their peer or staff member about their harmful behavior, they are not met with an apology but accused of being “too sensitive” and a plethora of gaslighting phrases.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “This step encourages maintenance of our commitment to honesty and self-awareness. It reminds us that we must continually take inventories and make amends whenever possible. Some people find diaries helpful for working Step Ten. Others meet weekly with a significant other to review their behavior. Step Ten helps us make self-honesty a way of life.”

    This is the entirety of the tenth step in Bob’s book. It is surprisingly brief. The struggle that most Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors face is untangling the nuances and the alternative definitions that they were taught while in The Program. On face value, this passage is the least problematic, however, if you were in The Group the messaging is rather loaded. The program requires excessive “oversharing” of all thoughts and “insanities” which blur boundaries of individualism and independent thinking. If you aren’t constantly having appointments, one-on-one talks with peers or counselors, or sharing every thought that comes up, you’re dishonest and spiritually sick.

    Having this impression of the 12 steps, and their associated harms and problematic methodology, Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors often struggle continuing their sobriety in other 12 step programs that use similar phrases.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “Improving our conscious contact with a Higher Power through prayer or meditation does not mean humming on street corners, talking to burning bushes, or chanting oneself into a frenzy… It means stopping for a moment of self-reflection now and then. At meetings, for example, we ask everyone to be silent for a minute to reflect upon a person, a subject, one of the Twelve Steps, or some problem they are having… When we “pray,” we don’t mechanically recite traditional prayers; we simply take a moment to be still, to try to understand the force of love around us, and to ask that force how it wants us to act.”

    Sitting still or alone in reflection for a duration of time in the group means you are “in your head” and on your way to a relapse. Bob here suggests that mediation, or the 11th step only requires a moment or a minute of time. That’s because anything longer would allow too much independent thinking. Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors have explained being explicitly discouraged from meditation or religious worshipping practices while in the program.

  • In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

    “Many groups, once they have transmitted esoteric knowledge to their members, ask them to go out and actively seek new bodies to join the fold. This, I believe, is what makes the “unenlightened” public at large view them as cults. In my drug program we never, never proselytize.”

    This is almost one of the biggest red flags in all of Bob’s steps. One, the statement that the group does not proselytize or recruit new members is just inherently false and an outright lie. Each program website offers public speaking engagements for the directors of the program to do just that - recruit new members. It’s also the second time in the steps that Bob has to warn the reader that Enthusiastic Sobriety programs are not cults. Yet he continues to contradict his own promise in the very next sentence:

    “Of course, when someone stops taking drugs and sees major improvements in his life, he is likely to feel “enlightened.” Teenagers, especially, can become terribly self-righteous, because by nature they are so compulsive and uncompromising. They may very well go out and try to convince their friends to come to program meetings. There is nothing I can do about that. Suffice it to say that the group puts absolutely no pressure on anyone to bring “guests” to meetings.”

    Again, survivors have been telling stories of recruiting their friends, their siblings and going to great lengths to love-bomb and coerce prospective clients to stay - in Texas, survivors have gone to the extremes of kidnapping clients to bring them to meetings. Many Staff survivors have told stories of Purpose, where the mission was to find the person who was the “spiritual block” preventing new people from joining.

The 12 Steps of AA & NA

  • Narcotics Anonymous (NA) describes powerlessness as the inability to “control our using for any length of time” and describes the disease of addiction as mentally becoming obsessed with thoughts of using and physically developing a compulsion to continue use drugs. -NA It Works How and Why, page 5.

    Similarly, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) simply describes addiction as a shared symptom of alcoholics as “they cannot start drinking without the phenomenon of craving.” - AA Big Book, page xxx.

    The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as: “Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.”

    In AA’s pamphlet, The AA Member - Medications & Other Drugs, they state:

    “We recognize that alcoholics are not immune to other diseases. Some of us have had to cope with depressions that can be suicidal; schizophrenia that sometimes requires hospitalization; bipolar disorder, and other mental and biological illnesses. Also among us are diabetics, epileptics, members with heart trouble, cancer, allergies, hypertension, and many other serious physical conditions… just as it is wrong to enable or support any alcoholic to become re-addicted to any drug, it’s equally wrong to deprive any alcoholic of medication, which can alleviate or control other disabling physical and/or emotional problems.”

  • NA describes the second step as “At some point, we realized that we needed the help of some Higher Power greater than our addiction. Our understanding of a Higher Power is up to us. No one is going to decide for us.” - NA Basic Text, page 24.

    In AA, the second step in book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions states, “ Alcoholics Anonymous does not demand that you believe anything. All of its Twelve Steps are but suggestions… Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us. Whether agnostic, atheist, or former believer, we can stand together on this step. True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every AA meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity.” - page 26 & 33.

    In reference to “Sticking with Winners" and Bob’s fierce effort to shield clients from the temptations of the outside world; other recovery programs take a more measured approach.

    “Many of us used to say, and believe, that “everybody” drinks… To tell the truth, as our drinking went on over the years, many of us tended to associate less and less with nondrinkers, so of course it seemed to us that everybody we saw - drank.” - Living Sober, page 65.

    AA’s Living Sober book encourages newly sober people to tell their acquaintances that they no longer drink. “…and most good people appreciate our honesty and encourage our efforts to stay free of our addiction… There is one exception. Once in a while, a really heavy drinker will get pretty pushy about our not drinking… We learn to steer clear of such people. We do not argue with them, or try to change their minds. Again, our attitude is “Live and Let Live.” - page 65 & 66.

  • NA’s Basic Texts states, “The right to a God of your understanding is total and without any catches… All that is required is willingness.” - page 25.

    In AA, they believe “that probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism” and “that God could and would if He were sought.” - AA Big Book, page 60.

    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes family and peer recovery support as:

    “The process of recovery is supported through relationships and social networks. This often involves family members who become the champions of their loved one’s recovery. They provide essential support to their family member’s journey of recovery and similarly experience the moments of positive healing as well as the difficult challenges… Peer support assists individuals to engage or stay connected to the recovery process through a shared understanding, respect, and mutual empowerment. Peer support extends beyond the reach of clinical treatment into the everyday environment providing non-clinical, strengths-based support.”

  • NA describes the purpose of a 4th step inventory is to “sort through the confusion and the contradiction of our lives, so that we can find who we really are. We are starting a new way of life and need to be rid of the burdens and traps that controlled and prevented our growth.” - NA Basic Text, page 27.

    The AA Big Book states: “Our liquor was but a symptom, we had to get down to the causes and conditions. Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory.” -page 64.

    People in 12 step recovery programs get to identify their problems and get a clear picture of how their behavior affected themselves and others around them in a Step 4 inventory. They begin to understand their own values of right and wrong, and connect with their personal understanding of morality.

    AA also states “We do not want to be the arbiter of anyone’s sex conduct… We avoid hysterical thinking or advice.” - AA Big Book, pages 69-70.

    Please see this guide for a sample of a 4th step format.

  • NA states “Step Five suggests that we admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. We looked at our wrongs, examined our behavior patterns, and started to see the deeper aspects of our disease. Now we sit with another person and share our inventory out loud… We see, by the acceptance of our confidant, that we can be accepted just the way we are.” - NA Basic Text, page 32.

    In the AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, it states: “More realism and therefore more honesty about ourselves are the great gains we make under the influence of Step Five.”

    Step 5 in 12 Step programs is similar to more of a talk therapy approach in the mental health field. However, the success or effectiveness of talk-psychotherapy relies on your willingness to be open to the process and honest about what you’re feeling. It also depends on the dynamic of the patient-therapist relationship (or sponsorship, in a nonprofessional setting.)

    Many people have positive experiences with talk-therapy and the practice of a 5th step - as long as the environment is helpful, therapeutic and ethical.

  • In the NA Basic Text, it is suggested “When we are working Step Six, it is important to remember that we are human and should not place unrealistic expectations on ourselves. This is a step of willingness.” - page 34.

    AA’s 12&12 states: “So Step Six… is AA’s way of stating the best possible attitude one can take in order to make a beginning on this lifetime job.”

    Step 6 introduces the phrase "defects of character." It is important to understand that the origin of this phrase stems from how alcohol and substance use were conceptualized in earlier editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). When Alcoholics Anonymous first emerged, the DSM listed alcoholism and addiction as personality disorders. It was a psychological approach to addiction that viewed substance and alcohol abuse as a result of addictive personality traits.

    Today, researchers and clinicians understand that alcohol and substance misuse are brain-based conditions. However, many of the behaviors that are the result of alcohol and substance misuse—such as denial—are obstacles on the road to recovery. Learning to recognize these behaviors as problematic and being willing to change them are essential for long-term recovery.

  • NA’s Basic Text states: “The Seventh Step is an action step… There is always room for growth. If we truly want to be free, we will take a good look at input from fellow addicts. If the shortcomings we discover are real, and we have a chance to be rid of them, we will surely experience a sense of well-being.” - page 35

    AA’s 12&12 describes the seventh step as “really saying to us that we now ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our other shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” - page 76

    A recovery companion book, Drop the Rock, states: “By working the Sixth and Seventh Steps, we are less likely in recovery to stay stuck in old, unproductive, negative behavior patterns. We gain more understanding on how all the Steps, although ordered for a reason, need to be worked together. This prevents us from falling into the trap of understanding only just enough of the Program to make us miserable and not enough to make us happy.”

  • The NA program defines harm as “physical or mental damage. Another definition of harm is inflicting pain, suffering or loss. The damage may be caused by something that is said, done or left undone. Harm can result from words or actions, either intentional or unintentional. The degree of harm can range from making someone feel mentally uncomfortable to inflicting bodily injury or even death.” - NA Basic Text, page 37

    AA’s instruction of the Eighth Step is, “First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations with every human being we know.” - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 77.

    When creating your list, you need to include all people you may have hurt during active alcohol or drug use.

    This step is a chance to grow and improve your relationships with your friends and loved ones—which will only help you going forward in your recovery.

  • NA’s Ninth Step begins with, “This step should not be avoided. If we do, we are reserving a place in our program for relapse. Pride, fear and procrastination often seem an impossible barrier; they stand in the way of progress and growth. The important thing is to take action and to be ready to accept the reactions of those persons we have harmed. We make amends to the best of our ability.” - page 39

    In AA’s Big Book in the chapter “Into Action” which covers the Ninth Step, it states “Remember it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol.” - page 76

    Maybe a plane ride to make an amends isn’t the most drastic thing to do, if it is necessary and important to the person in recovery. On the topic of avoiding certain amends, AA states: “(sometimes) other people are involved. Therefore, we are not to be the hasty and foolish martyr who would needlessly sacrifice others to save himself from the alcoholic pit.” - AA Big Book, page 79

  • The NA Basic Text states: “The Tenth Step can help us correct our living problems and prevent their recurrence. We examine our actions during the day. Some of us write about our feelings, explaining how we felt and what part we might have played in any problems which occurred. Did we cause someone harm? Do we need to admit that we were wrong? If we find difficulties, we make an effort to take care of them. When these things are left undone, they have a way of festering.” - Page 41

    In AA, the Big Book states: “Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along.” - Page 84

    In step 10, personal inventory refers to emotional disturbances that can trigger a person to return to misusing drugs or alcohol. Watching for these disturbances on a daily basis—and taking a daily inventory—is an important part of recovery.

    All humans and are bound to make mistakes and errors. Owning up to those wrongs quickly settles the issue. Rather than weighing on the conscience or building up to produce greater consequence, the mistake is corrected promptly and the problem nipped in the bud.

  • “Outside of Narcotics Anonymous, there are any number of different groups practicing meditation. Nearly all of these groups are connected with a particular religion or philosophy. An endorsement of any one of these methods would be a violation of our traditions and a restriction on the individual’s right to have a God of his understanding.” - NA Basic Text, page 44.

    In AA, the Eleventh Step suggests, “If circumstances warrant, we ask our wives or friends to join us in morning meditation. If we belong to a religious denomination which requires a definite morning devotion, we attend that also. If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the principles we have been discussing.” - AA Big Book, page 87.

    Meditation is something everyone can do to improve their mental and emotional health. You can do it anywhere, without special equipment or memberships. Alternatively, meditation courses and support groups are widely available. There’s a great variety of styles too, each with different strengths and benefits. Trying out a style of meditation suited to your goals is a great way to improve your quality of life, even if you only have a few minutes to do it each day.

  • NA states “In the Twelfth Step, we practice the spiritual principles of giving the N.A. message of recovery in order to keep it… We help new people learn the principles of Narcotics Anonymous. We try to make them feel welcome and help them learn what the program has to offer. We share our experience, strength and hope. Whenever possible, we accompany newcomers to a meeting.” - NA Basic Text, page 49.

    In AA, the Big Book states, “To be helpful is our only aim… If he does not want to see you, never force yourself upon him. Neither should the family plead with him to do anything… Make it clear that he is not under pressure, that he needn’t see you again if he doesn’t want to. You should not be offended if he wants to call it off, for he has helped you more than you have helped him… To spend too much time on any one situation is to deny some other alcoholic an opportunity to live and be happy.” pages 90 - 96

    12 Step programs encourage people in recovery to maintain their sobriety by helping newcomers work their way through the 12 steps. Each program also has a tradition, or protocol of “attraction, rather than promotion.” NA states: “The Eleventh Tradition tells us that, when we engage in public relations activity, we are to speak simply and directly of what Narcotics Anonymous is and what we do. We are not to make exaggerated claims about NA. Our public relations efforts should be as inviting and nonpromotional as our program itself, saying to addicts and society at large, ‘If you want what we have to offer, this is what we are and how we work. If we can be of service, please let us know.’” - NA It Works How and Why, page 204

“It was difficult not having sober friends anymore but I was able to find a community online.”

— FullCircle Program Survivor

“I’m still sober, but it took some time to rebuild a community organically.”

— Palmer Drug Abuse Program Survivor

  • The top 25 sober communities beyond AA

    The Top 25 Sober Communities Beyond Traditional AA

    AA isn’t for everyone. And if you’ve felt weird about not finding a fit in 12-Step recovery, or want to supplement your existing recovery program with another community, please understand you’re not alone.

    In order to find a support group that works for you and start building your sober network, we’ve compiled a list of the top online sober communities and groups. These go beyond the groups you already know and can help you find what you need to get and stay sober.

  • gay and sober

    GayAndSober.org

    Gay & Sober's mission is simple – to provide a safe, fun, and enriching experience to the sober LGBTQ community. Our primary purpose is to encourage unity and enhance one’s sobriety.

    What started as a private group on Facebook called Gay & Sober Men in the summer of 2009, Gay & Sober has mushroomed into what is now the largest recovery group of its kind on social media. Gay & Sober has expanded to offer nightly online meetings, monthly free LGBTQ community programming, a conference, and an official component in national pride festivities.

  • stop drinking reddit

    r/stopdrinking: a support group in your pocket!

    This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking. We welcome anyone who wishes to join in by asking for advice, sharing our experiences and stories, or just encouraging someone who is trying to quit or cut down. Please post only when sober; you're welcome to read in the meanwhile.

    Also check out r/redditorsinrecovery A place for Redditors in recovery to hang out, share experiences, and support each other. Discuss the various ways to achieve and maintain a life free from active addiction. Everyone is welcome.

Substance use is an extremely dangerous mode of escapism from an extremely common mental health condition: depression. It can also lead to addiction. There are many treatment options - including medication and therapy - for both depression and addiction. In this video, triple board certified neuropsychologist Dr. Judy Ho breaks down 5 key treatments for depression and addiction you should know.

The Sinclair Method

“Sinclair method is great for people who need to learn how to drink normally/stop drinking without the guilt or 12 steps.

It’s like the exact opposite of group psychology and worked really well for me. I took Naltrexone for about a year, and I am 5-6 years post The Cornerstone Program and I haven’t had any issues since.

Therapy in addition to the medicine is really important but it’s a really empowering option. Especially for those triggered by 12 step type programs due to group trauma.”

- The Cornerstone Program Survivor

The Insight Program offers both outpatient (OP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP) for teens (13-17) and young adults (18-25)

The Insight Program might actually breed drug addicts instead of helping them.

I joined when I was 17. I was only smoking weed (never really touched anything else) when I started the outpatient program.

By the time I finally left the group for good, there was about 6 new drugs added to my list. Was it my choice to do them? Yes.

I almost feel, however, that Insight might breed drug addicts instead of helping them.

“Drugs are the villain. They are the one and only thing that can destroy everything a person has gained by doing the Twelve Steps.”

— Bob Meehan, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, page 138

“We are careful to never show intolerance or hatred of drinking as an institution. Experience shows that such an attitude is not helpful to anyone.”

— Alcoholics Anonymous, page 103

Harm Reduction 101:

  • Harm reduction refers to policies, programs and practices that aim to minimize negative health, social and legal impacts associated with drug use, drug policies and drug laws.

    Harm reduction is grounded in justice and human rights. It focuses on positive change and on working with people without judgement, coercion, discrimination, or requiring that they stop using drugs as a precondition of support.

    Harm reduction encompasses a range of health and social services and practices that apply to illicit and licit drugs. These include, but are not limited to, drug consumption rooms, needle and syringe programs, non-abstinence-based housing and employment initiatives, drug checking, overdose prevention and reversal, psychosocial support, and the provision of information on safer drug use. Approaches such as these are cost-effective, evidence-based and have a positive impact on individual and community health.

  • Respecting the rights of people who use drugs

    Harm reduction is fundamentally grounded in principles that aim to protect human rights and improve public health. Treating people who use drugs—along with their families and communities—with compassion and dignity is integral to harm reduction. The use of drugs does not mean people forfeit their human rights - they remain entitled to the right to life, to the highest attainable standard of health, to social services, to privacy, to freedom from arbitrary detention and to freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, among others.

    A commitment to evidence

    Harm reduction policies and practices are informed by a strong body of evidence that shows interventions to be practical, feasible, effective, safe and cost-effective in diverse social, cultural and economic settings. Most harm reduction interventions are easy to implement and inexpensive, and all have a strong positive impact on individual and community health.

    A commitment to social justice and collaborating with networks of people who use drugs

    Harm reduction is rooted in a commitment to addressing discrimination and ensuring that nobody is excluded from the health and social services they may need because of their drug use, their race, their gender, their gender identity, their sexual orientation, their choice of work, or their economic status. People should be able to access services without having to overcome unnecessary barriers, including burdensome, discriminatory regulations. Further, the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in designing, implementing and evaluating programs and policies that serve them is central to harm reduction.

    The avoidance of stigma

    Harm reduction practitioners accept people who use drugs as they are and are committed to meeting them “where they are” in their lives without judgement. Terminology and language should always convey respect and avoid stigmatizing terms [1] or divisions between “good” and “bad” drugs. Stigmatizing language perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and creates barriers to health and social services.

  • Keep people alive and encourage positive change in their lives

    Keeping people who use drugs alive and protecting their health [2] are the most urgent priorities. Harm reduction approaches are facilitative rather than coercive, and aim to reinforce positive change in a person’s life, no matter how small or incremental that change may be. Recognizing that only a small percentage of people who use drugs experience problematic use, harm reduction may also help people maximize any potential benefits that they gain from using drugs.

    Reduce the harms of drug laws and policy

    Harm reduction seeks to improve drug laws, policies and law enforcement practices, so that they are not detrimental to the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs and their communities. Many policies around the world create and exacerbate the potential risk and harms of drug use. These include: the criminalization of people who use drugs; abusive and corrupt policing practices; the denial of life-saving medical care and harm reduction services; restrictions on possession of injecting paraphernalia; forced urine testing and detention in the name of rehabilitation; and, discrimination based on drug use, class, race, and gender. Harm reduction challenges international and national laws, and policies that contribute to drug-related harms.

    Offer alternatives to approaches that seek to prevent or end drug use

    Access to high quality, evidence-based prevention, care and treatment programs, including approaches that involve cessation of drug use, are important for some people. Entry into treatment should be on the terms of the individual and must never be forced. Many people who use drugs do not need treatment, and those experiencing problems associated with drug use may be unwilling or unable to enter abstinence-only treatment for myriad reasons. While abstinence from drug use may be the goal for some people who use drugs this is an individual choice and should not be imposed, or regarded as the only option.

Prevent Overdoses.

There are several ways you can stay safe when using drugs: always have naloxone on hand, stay with other people when using, use new works, and visit a doctor or clinic regularly.

Share this information with friends. Download the PDF version below.

Never Use Alone Hotline.

800-484-3731 Available 24/7

 

When you call, you will be asked for your first name (can be a fake name is you prefer. We just want to know what to call you while we’re talking to you), phone number, EXACT location, county you are in, and what substance you’re using.

When you call, we ask for the information above. After we’ve received the info, you can go ahead and use the substance. We then stay on the phone with you while you use your substance. We ask you to let us know when you’re done, so that we can start watching the clock. We will then continue talking with you for a few minutes (usually about 10 min minimum) to be sure you’re going to be okay. If you stop responding for more than 30 – 45 seconds, we then contact EMS.

We never share your information with anyone other than EMS if we have to call 911. We DO NOT store any of your information.

How to Rescue someone from an Overdose.

Always call 911 if someone is unresponsive and administer calm, even rescue breaths to get oxygen into their body until an ambulance arrives.

Use NARCAN if available, and stay with the person until help arrives - because NARCAN has the potential to wear off and the overdose can start again.

For more information on what to do in a crisis situation - visit our Enthusiastic Sobriety Crisis Support Page.

This animation provides information on how to recognize (signs and symptoms) and respond (to include checking for responsiveness, calling 911, administering naloxone, providing rescue breathing or CPR, and providing aftercare) to a suspected opioid overdose emergency.

 

Recovering from Recovery.

It is incredibly difficult to navigate substance abuse recovery after suffering abuses from a facility that was anything but therapeutic. UnSilenced.org has assisted Enthusiastic Sobriety Abuse Alliance in their activism journey and has provided helpful resources to spot red flags, provide a listing of evidence based community support options, as well as a database of Troubled Teen Facilities with a full archive of their reported abuses. Hopefully these resources can help us find safe treatment options while also recovering from an abusive treatment facility.

 
 
  • If a program incorporates or encourages any of the following practices, you may want to reconsider. Many of the practices used by the so-called “troubled teen industry” are unethical, dangerous, and a violation of human rights. Learn more here.

  • Here is a list of evidence-based treatment methods and programs to serve a wide array of adolescents and children with a variety of issues. Some programs and treatments will be more effective for certain issues than others so please take the time to read into each program/model to understand where their strengths lie.

  • Cross-check the facilities you are considering as a treatment option. Here is a program archive of problematic facilities and reports of their abuses.

 
 
Outpatient substance abuse treatment for teens and young adults

Mental Health Support

The Enthusiastic Sobriety Survivor Community has compiled resources for understanding the long term impacts of The Group, different therapeutic styles that have worked for them, and several different directories for mental health professionals to help you on your healing journey.

 
Young Adult / Teen Drug Rehabs in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

Tell Your Story

Share your story to help other survivors feel heard, seen and understood. We aim to expose the consistent patterns of abuses in Enthusiastic Sobriety Programs and prevent potential families from years of suffering from undue influence and abuse under the guise of drug and alcohol treatment. Enthusiastic Sobriety Survivor stories can be submitted anonymously by former group members, staff and families.