When someone is looking for a rehab that is 12-step orientated, what they are normally looking for is a rehab that bases part of its treatment recovery program on the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Many rehabs that effectively advertise themselves as being 12 step rehabs do not actually follow the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, but do use a certain number of the steps, although the way they are interpreted by the rehab is normally quite different to the way they are interpreted by the book Alcoholics Anonymous.
A rehab is likely to either offer what it refers to as the first five steps in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, or possibly the first three steps in this program.
There are some rehabs that describe themselves as step one rehabs, and these rehabs effectively use the concept of step one in the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program as the focus for their addiction treatment work, which is likely to focus on the basics of the AA recovery approach.
There are also a significant number of people who look to a rehab that is not 12-step based. The approach that many rehabs will take is to offer a number of principles that they consider helpful, which may include different types of therapy, group and individual, as well as a number of what are referred to as alternative therapies.
These types of alternative therapies can include areas such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, art therapy, horse therapy etc.
REHAB – 12 STEP
These rehabs can certainly help people, the problem tends to be around proving the clinical effectiveness of the work they offer, which is harder to do than those rehabs that are 12-step focused, which also tend to include inclusion of current medical thinking and practice concerning addiction.
Rehab that are 12 step focused will also include a heavy commitment that clients or participants in the treatment center program attend meetings of torso fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
There is normally a requirement that people tend a minimum number of meetings a week.
This is viewed as an important part of their recovery process whilst in treatment, and a hope that it will encourage people to attend meetings and become part of alcoholics anonymous once they leave rehab, as a major part of their after-care program.
Some rehabs also offer their own after-care program, offering ongoing support online, and with often an annual get-together at the rehab for any previous participants who are interested in attending.