Solid Research to Recommend 12-Step Programs for Every Recovering Addict

If you're like me, you've told alcoholic and drug addicted patients that they should absolutely get involved with 12-step programs. You may tell them that they work best for most, or repeated to patients what you strongly believe based upon your experience or that of other people. On problem...off hand, you may not be able to point to specific research that demonstrates this FACT and be able to pull it out of a drawer or off the top of your head to help motivate your patient or client to take the 12-step plunge. Here is one such article: Weiss RD, Griffin ML, Gallop RJ, et al. The effect of 12-step self-help group attendance and participation on drug use outcomes among cocaine-dependent patients. Drug Alcohol Dependence. 2005;77(2):177-184. The research showed that 12-step program work best, even with cocaine addicts who as a group, have higher relapse rates than alcoholics. See an educational program on alcoholism awareness that hits home.