An Introduction to / Refresher of the 12 Steps. Steve Stokes, Program Director, South Pacific Private

Transcription

1 An Introduction to / Refresher of the 12 Steps Steve Stokes, Program Director, South Pacific Private

2 Who are We? South Pacific Private is here to help when you or someone you love experiences difficulties with mental health concerns, with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety and with addictions. We are: Confidential Professional Supportive & proactive Non-judgmental Experienced

3 Why are we here today? To provide awareness of the 12 Steps and specifically of the first 3 steps To provide insights into the positive impact of 12 Step Recovery programs and the supporting research To unravel the meaning and significance of each of the first 3 steps

4 To be shame-bound means that whenever you feel any feeling, need or drive, you immediately feel ashamed. The dynamic core of your human life is grounded in your feelings, needs and drives. When these are bound by shame, you are shamed to the core. John Bradshaw, Healing the Shame that Binds You

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6 The Two Recoveries Recovery from: 1) Our secondary symptoms: addictions / obsessional or compulsive disorders 2) Our history: developmental trauma

7 Recovery 1: The Neuroscience of Recovery Let s talk about developments impacting Recovery and what we know about it: - Neurology - Radiology - Genetics

8 Addiction and the Brain Addiction changes the brain New neural pathways are formed All addictions create the same affects in the same areas in the brain Addictions are interactive e.g. one addiction will trigger another

9 Recovery 2: Developmental Trauma Let s define what we mean by trauma: - Physical, Sexual Emotional, Intellectual Spiritual Trauma can change the brain s chemistry and pre-dispose it to addictions and compulsions

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11 Let s recover No one could convince us we were addicts. It was an admission we had to make for ourselves. (Pg. 20 N.A. basic text) N.A Basic Text States the three spiritual principles that are indispensable are honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. With these we are well on our way. (Narcotics Anonymous basic text. Pg. 18) Who Cares to admit complete defeat, practically no-one. A.A. 12 Steps and 12 Traditions.

12 So What s Next? - Self-help therapies & 12 Step programs can heal the brain & positive results have been observed & researched - This process helps to rebuild new neural pathways

13 Step One We admit we are powerless over (insert here) And that our lives have become unmanageable.

14 Exploring the First Step Two main themes to explore: - Powerlessness - Unmanageability

15 Powerlessness First things first we MUST identify what we are powerless against (our addiction / presenting problem) The Developmental Model asserts we are powerless in a number of areas: - Value / self-esteem - Safety /containment - Identity / reality - Needs and wants / self-care - Moderation / expressing reality

16 Secondary Symptom Powerlessness A.A. suggest we are powerless over people, places and things That we are now powerless over the above, as triggers to the cravings Also now powerless over the detoxification symptoms, both acute and long term Admission of powerlessness here leads to behavioural change, and change is behavioural!

17 Its important to understand what we are powerless over

18 Unmanageability What are the primary symptoms of unmanageability? - Negative control - Resentment (stinking thinking) - Distorted or non-existent reality - Difficulty sharing who we are - Difficulty experiencing a power greater than ourselves

19 Impaired Reality & Reality Avoidance What is the impact of avoiding reality? - Addictions - Physical illness - Mental illness - Inability to sustain healthy relationships

20 What is the reality of unmanageability? Health Finances Job / employment Legal Sexually Spiritually Socially

21 Lessons from Step One We have a disease that tells us we don t have a disease Throw in the towel and win! Until we took Step One, we were full of fear and doubt. The steps is a survival kit, they are the solution, and step one paves the way for recovery

22 Step Two Came to believe a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. We came, We came to, We came to believe.

23 We need a power greater than ourselves to move forward and to change Sanity versus insanity (as regards addiction): Repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result

24 Broken promises Promises to yourself and others DON T = Recovery. Why? Because we are still acting as our own higher power and so far our higher power has is making the same mistakes and expecting different results.

25 Whom do you trust? Steps two and three concern themselves with finding and accepting a power greater than ourselves asking us: Whom do we trust? Whom or what do we have faith in? What gives your life meaning?

26 Step Two could lead to Step Three The important word in step two is could We will not be restored to Sanity, if we do not move onto Step Three Our best thinking got us here The surrender from Step one needs to be backed up by the Second Step admission of insanity, resulting in the Third Step decision

27 Step Three We made a decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of God. It s a decision we have to make ourselves. We hand over not just our LIFE, but our will, all the ways we think that it should be fixed! This is the first time we come across the GOD word, who is God to us?... What do atheists and agnostics do?

28 First three steps in action Go to Meetings. 90 in 90 Share when asked Buy fellowship literature Get a sponsor Join a group Help a newcomer Journal No matter what, don t pick up (relapse)

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30 There is a Miracle Just Around the Corner

31 Any Questions? Ph.: Twitter: #spprivate_ FaceBook: