Addiction Treatment

There are many ways in which organisations and medical groups treat addiction to substances or lifestyle options carried out all over the world. Addiction can come from alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling and many more areas. Many of the treatments involve the use of support groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous) and self help guides. Perhaps the most famous addiction treatment is the 12 step programme, which has its origins in a book dating back to 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous:

The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism. Although it was initially conceived as a way of overcoming alcoholism, it has since been adapted to help those who have a dependency with other substances and activities. The twelve step programme includes various levels of treatment, including admitting that you are addicted to the matter in hand, recognising that there is a greater power (showing its links with religious teachings and how addiction can be helped with the power of God), looking at past problems and making amends for them, helping others and changing the way one lives.

There are many variations on the original twelve, some of which are in place to remove gender bias, emphasise certain points, or remove the religious overtones.