I know this is an old post but I was an addict and I do not at all believe in the 12 step program. After 8 months i do not want to be constantly reminded I'm an "addict". With these programs there's nothing more to life then being a "addict" and celebrating X amount of days I haven't been an addict. There's no moving on from it, you're entire life is based upon once being an addict. It's degrading and inhumane. 12 steps have some of the worse turn arounds in any sort of rehabilitation program. No one wants to be reminded of it 24/7, it causes your mind to go back to the reason u took drugs in the 1st place then you end up relapsing. People just don't understand why anyone uses in the 1st place. It isn't a "desease" or "illness".
It's pain, lots of it. Mental pain. And they do not know how to cope with it. So they cope with substances. After I properly learned / was taught how to cope and move past my pain, the substance use faded away. Because it was no longer needed. Addicts are very missunderstood, and it makes it much worse when we cast them out and say they're deseased people. They're people like anyone else, People with pain. Try to take some time to understand their pain and address the root cause of it. Once the cause has been established and resolved, the substance abuse will fade away. If you get someone clean without addressing the root cause, they will fall right back into the cycle.