How do alcohol/drug recovery groups work?
There are many different kinds of alcohol and drug recovery groups. Most groups are made up of people who have learned to live successfully without drinking or using, and share their experience with others. Many groups use the 12-step method, which asks you to look at your behavior patterns, make amends for things you have done wrong in the past, and reach out to help others. Some drug and alcohol recovery groups have a spiritual element, and ask participants to believe in a higher power—a force that is greater than they are. This does not mean you have to accept religious ideas you don’t believe in. You may choose to believe in the power of the group—people coming together to help one another, or the power of the fact that others around you are able to stay clean and sober. What if I relapse? A return to drinking or using after a period of being clean and sober is called a relapse or a slip. If you relapse, the best thing you can do is get sober or clean as soon as possible and get ba
