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Information on Non-12-Step Drug Rehabilitation

Last updated on: Friday, 10 November 2023
  • What You'll Learn

The twelve-step method is not for everyone, and DRS understands this. Most individuals who choose non-12-step drug rehab have been through a twelve-step program. It is ok not to want to utilize a 12-step methodology. Below, you can use the filter and find a non-12-step drug rehabilitation that fits your needs in your state.

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List of Non-12-Step Drug Rehabs

Here is access to our entire non-12-step drug rehabilitation database. Please select a state. If you need help locating the right treatment for you, do not hesitate to contact one of our treatment specialists at 1-800-304-2219.

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Type of Treatment

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What is Non-12-Step Drug Rehab?

A non-12-step drug rehab program does not utilize twelve-step modalities. The treatment methods vary significantly and can include traditional and non-traditional approaches. It may involve behavioral therapies or holistic approaches, and it tends to be more individualized, not focusing entirely on peer support. 

However, peer support in some form is still a staple in most non-12-step drug rehab. Common alternatives to 12-step treatment include Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), Women in Sobriety, evidence-based and science-based treatment, experiential therapies, and holistic therapies.

Who is Non-12-Step Treatment Best For?

A non-12-step drug rehab program could be a good option for someone who: 

  • Prefers alternative therapies or evidence-based approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
  • Individuals who have been through 12-step treatment programs and have not connected well with the treatment process.
  • Someone who wants a tailored program focusing more on the individual and underlying issues.
  • Someone interested in incorporating more than one therapy approach and does not see a benefit in group therapy.

These programs are successful, especially within a long-term residential setting. Yet, it is essential to note that non-12-step drug rehab is not for everyone, and many people are dedicated to the 12-step method. An addiction assessment will help you determine if this is the best option.

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  • When is non-twelve-step treatment appropriate?

    Non-twelve-step programs are appropriate for anyone looking for an alternative to the traditional twelve-step model. They might be looking for a completely different approach because they’ve tried twelve-step programs before and not found success. Or perhaps they are simply looking for a specific methodology for their first and hopefully last treatment attempt. There are various reasons why someone might be searching for non-twelve-step treatment. Thankfully, those needs are being met more and more so that people aren’t forced into recovery models they may disagree with.

  • How do non-12-step drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs operate?

    Non-twelve-step rehabilitation programs operate the same way as 12-step programs, but the methodologies of treatment differ. Many non-12-step options are effective, like traditional forms of therapy and experiential therapy approaches. Overall, it should include a range of care with a tailored treatment program and follow-up options for a successful outcome. The rehabilitation process begins with an assessment, which could be done over the phone or in-person. The purpose of an addiction assessment is to determine the extent of addiction, underlying medical problems, addiction history, and treatment history.

    The information is gathered, and a qualified professional help the addict or family determine what approaches are needed to treat the addiction. Assessments and screenings have proven effective and contributed to better long-term outcomes because the proper treatment was matched to the client’s needs. The first step with rehabilitation is detox, which treats the initial cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Different drugs and alcohol create unique withdrawal symptoms. Typically, two common types of detox are medical detox or conventional detox.

  • What's next after completing non-twelve-step treatment?

    After non-twelve-step treatment is complete, the next step is to follow the discharge and aftercare plans developed while in treatment. If the person is discharged from inpatient treatment, the next step is usually outpatient treatment or a sober living environment such as a halfway house. For others, they may rely on a support group such as AA or NA even though they didn’t attend a twelve-step program. Most importantly, they are getting adequate support transitioning back to independent living after treatment.

  • What are the alternatives to non-12-step substance abuse treatment?

    The alternative to non-12-step substance abuse treatment is twelve rehabilitation, or someone could consider faith-based rehabilitation as an alternative to non-12-step therapy. The twelve-step philosophy was pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous and is used by most residential and outpatient treatment programs across the nation. However, the average facility provides various approaches to ensure the right one is applied to the patient.

    The basic premise of 12-step rehabilitation is that people can help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from drugs and alcohol. The healing and or recovering from addiction cannot come about unless the person with the addiction surrenders to a higher power. Twelve-step programs and support are an effective approach used by millions of addicts. Overall, 12-step approaches to treatment continue to remain a commonly recommended and used treatment modality for most addictions.

    Faith-based rehabilitation incorporates spirituality into the treatment process. These programs help patients connect with a higher power to overcome substance abuse. The spiritual elements focus on treatment, but traditional approaches are used and play a crucial part in treatment. Certified spiritual advisors are present for counseling and guidance during treatment. Faith-based programs also allow addicts to include worships and scripture as part of their recovery plan. For example, spaces for prayer are available on-site to host religious services. Scripture readings, discussions, and even meditation are common within a faith-based treatment center.

  • The alternative to non-12-step substance abuse treatment is twelve rehabilitation, or someone could consider faith-based rehabilitation as an alternative to non-12-step therapy. The twelve-step philosophy was pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous and is used by most residential and outpatient treatment programs across the nation. However, the average facility provides various approaches to ensure the right one is applied to the patient.

    The basic premise of 12-step rehabilitation is that people can help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from drugs and alcohol. The healing and or recovering from addiction cannot come about unless the person with the addiction surrenders to a higher power. Twelve-step programs and support are an effective approach used by millions of addicts. Overall, 12-step approaches to treatment continue to remain a commonly recommended and used treatment modality for most addictions.

    Faith-based rehabilitation incorporates spirituality into the treatment process. These programs help patients connect with a higher power to overcome substance abuse. The spiritual elements focus on treatment, but traditional approaches are used and play a crucial part in treatment. Certified spiritual advisors are present for counseling and guidance during treatment. Faith-based programs also allow addicts to include worships and scripture as part of their recovery plan. For example, spaces for prayer are available on-site to host religious services. Scripture readings, discussions, and even meditation are common within a faith-based treatment center.

  • Want to know more?

    The questions from Addicted.org’s “Learn from our Experts” are answered by Michael Leach, CCMA. If you need further clarification on any of the questions above or have any other questions you can contact him directly at mike@addicted.org.

Common Terminology Surrounding Non-12-Step Drug Rehab

Term
Definition
Behavioral Therapy
these are therapy approaches that are designed to help patients modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug use. CBT also helps patients modify healthy life skills and shows them how to persist with other treatment forms such as recovery housing.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT is a form of therapy that helps patients recognize, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they are most likely to use drugs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most common approaches used to treat addiction.
Multidimensional Family Therapy
the therapy was developed to help adolescents struggling with addiction and their family members. The therapy addresses a range of influences on their drug abuse patterns and is designed to improve overall family functioning.
Motivational Interviewing
the therapy takes advantage of the person’s readiness and willingness to change their behavior and enter treatment. The approach is commonly used during the family intervention and during the initial stages of treatment.
Motivational Incentives
the therapy is part of contingency management and uses positive reinforcement to encourage abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
Therapeutic Communities
used in a residential treatment setting- are highly structured programs in which patients remain at a residence for 6 to 12 months. The entire community, including the staff and those in recovery, act as key agents of change.
Experiential Therapy
is a therapy technique where patients use expressive tools or activities to re-enact and recreate situations from past and present relationships.

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ARTICLE

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MARCEL GEMME, DATS

AUTHOR

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Marcel Gemme has been helping people struggling with addiction for over 19 years. He first started as an intake counselor for a drug rehabilitation center in 2000. During his 5 years as an intake counselor, he helped many addicts get the treatment they needed. He also dealt with the families and friends of those people; he saw first-hand how much strain addiction puts on a family and how it can tear relationships apart. With drug and alcohol problems constantly on the rise in the United States and Canada, he decided to use the Internet as a way to educate and help many more people in both those countries. This was 15 years ago. Since then, Marcel has built two of the largest websites in the U.S. and Canada which reach and help millions of people each year. He is an author and a leader in the field of drug and alcohol addiction. His main focus is threefold: education, prevention and rehabilitation. To this day, he still strives to be at the forefront of technology in order to help more and more people. He is a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist graduate with Honours of Stratford Career Institute. Marcel has also received a certificate from Harvard for completing a course entitled The Opioid Crisis in America and a certificate from The University of Adelaide for completing a course entitled AddictionX: Managing Addiction: A Framework for Succesful Treatment.

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MICHAEL LEACH, CCMA

MEDICAL REVIEWER

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Michael Leach is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, who has over 5 years of experience working in the field of addiction. He spent his career working under the board-certified Addictionologist Dr. Rohit Adi. His experience includes working with families during their loved one’s stay in treatment, helping those with substance abuse issues find treatment, and teaching life skills to patients in a recovery atmosphere. Though he has worked in many different areas of rehabilitation, the majority of his time was spent working one on one with patients who were actively withdrawing from drugs. Withdrawal and the fear of going through it is one biggest reason why an addict continues to use and can be the most difficult part of the rehabilitation process. His experience in the withdrawal atmosphere has taught him that regardless of what approach a person takes to get off drugs, there are always mental and emotional obstacles that need to be overcome. He believes having someone there to help a person through these obstacles can make all the difference during the withdrawal process.