Highly trained professionals know many alcoholics and addicts have psychological or psychiatric problems, and know how to deal effectively with these kinds of problems. Sponsors and other members have no qualifications in this area, yet often claim to be experts. They often try to diagnose a newcomer’s mental state, advise him to use medication when it is not necessary, or tell the newcomer to ignore his own doctor’s recommendations for treatment. The addict or alcoholic who chooses a treatment center instead will have his mental health safeguarded, and treated appropriately.

In addition, traditional 12 step programs are a place the person in the position of living in his problem, rather than moving toward solutions. Instead of encouragement and assistance in putting alcohol or drug use behind him, he and others consistently talk about drug and alcohol use. At its worst, they are urged to distrust people who do not have these problems, and associate primarily with other alcoholics and addicts. Opting for treatment means hope for true recovery. At its best, it also means learning how to live in the real world.

Another reason to consider a non 12 step rehab is learning to function appropriately. Many who do not take this route do not change their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. They often find substitutes for their original addictions. Rehabs help people gain the clarity to enjoy life without resorting to substitutes, or holding onto their old ways of living.

While motivations are not addressed in the traditional programs, full recovery means addressing these issues. Helping the person to understand why he was drawn to drugs or alcohol in the first place is a useful part of recovery. It is easier for him to begin living differently when he knows why he began relying on harmful substances.

Finally, there is an important point of being able to see one’s place drugs and alcohol has in one’s own life. Instead of teaching concepts such as powerlessness, the focus is on personal responsibility. This new sense of responsibility is an essential building-block to a lifetime of true sobriety.

However, before making this sort of decision, one thing must be dealt with immediately. Addiction being such a debilitating problem, including mental, emotional, and physical health problems, an assessment should be undertaken by medical professionals. Before any sort of rehabilitation measures can be taken, there may be a need for medical intervention. This is particularly true for certain types of detoxification, such as acute alcohol withdrawal.

While getting medical treatment, you may be able to discuss what sorts of options are available for rehabilitation treatment. There are many different types of systems to choose from, and some can be on an outpatient basis, or some may be in a residential environment. The important thing to do is to get help that you are comfortable with, and are willing to follow through on.

Some treatments will be almost entirely medically based. There are many medications that can help to relieve any sort of physical cravings for a drug, or that can minimize the effect of a drug, or that can make ingesting the drug very uncomfortable for the user. Examples would be Antabuse, Methadone, and Baclofen. These drugs are powerful combatants against the narcotizing effects of the drug being abused, and many find success with them. However, they remain drugs and the use of them will also have to be stopped at some point.

Some addicts have had good successes with traditional psychotherapy. This is also known as the talking cure, and it involves a series of sessions with a trained psychotherapist. During treatment you may discover the root cause of the drug abuse, and therefore be able to deal with them and overcome the addiction. It can take a considerable amount of time, but may work very well for certain individual.

There are also a few fellowship type groups that are not involved with the twelve-step model in any way. They amount to being support groups without the religious and spiritual overtones that many find so uncomfortable. Sometimes just having others to rely on when faced with temptation is enough to stave off the drug abuse and remain clean and sober.

And there will always be the difficult but proven method of simply quitting outright. This method, also know as going cold turkey, can be painful at best, but if it can be tolerated, success can come quickly and permanently. For many, this has been the only method that has proven to have any lasting effect. The willingness to quit once and for all, and to never return to the problem, can be a powerful force against addiction.

Regardless of what direction you are willing to take, that willingness is what may well save a life. While not decrying the AA model, a non 12 step drug rehab system may be better for many. So long as the approach is medically sound, success can be had without the overt religious and spiritual dogma that surrounds the twelve-step system.