Dear friends and family of addicted people, in case no one has said this yet -
Thank You!
Loving someone with an addiction, in a lot of ways, is more difficult than being an addict. You suffer nearly all of the consequences, but with none of the tools to make it stop - except one. One terrifying, painful decision, which is to remove the addict from your life.
So, thank you. For being there. For being patient when you can. For being tough when you must. For staying... and yes, even for leaving.
This page is to help you determine if The 12 Step Journal or Workbook are a good gift for the loved one in your life who suffers from addiction.
Dear friends and family of addicted people, in case no one has said this yet -
Thank You!
Loving someone with an addiction, in a lot of ways, is more difficult than being an addict. You suffer nearly all of the consequences, but with none of the tools to make it stop - except one. One terrifying, painful decision, which is to remove the addict from your life.
So, thank you. For being there. For being patient when you can. For being tough when you must. For staying... and yes, even for leaving.
This page is to help you determine if The 12 Step Journal or Workbook are a good gift for the loved one in your life who suffers from addiction.
A Gift Guide for the 12 Step Books
The first question...
Is your loved one in a Twelve Step program?
If your loved one attends fellowship meetings - that would be Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or a similar program, or if they are in rehab - then they are likely in a Twelve Step program.
The 12 Step Journal will be a fantastic gift for them, it will help them organize the tools of addiction recovery that are discovered in the program and make it easy for them to stay consistent in their recovery program.
The Journal is ideal for anyone in Twelve Step recovery. If they are early in their recovery and haven't yet worked through the steps, it'll embed powerful daily practices for rapid growth and self-discovery. And for those with more experience who have worked through the steps, it'll take the struggle out of keeping recovery a priority in daily life, for ongoing and ever-evolving growth and serenity.
The next question...
Do they have a sponsor and are about to embark on the Twelve Step Program?
An optional, but strongly encouraged component of the Twelve Step program is sponsorship. If your loved one has a sponsor, then we highly recommend that you get them The 12 Step Workbook in addition to the journal.
The workbook is a comprehensive journey through each of the Twelve Steps, designed to be worked through with a sponsor. Sponsors and addiction councilors have told us that the workbook is a vital part of their work.
If your loved one is in the Twelve Step program, but does not have a sponsor, you may want to consider the workbook for them anyway. Having the workbook, and going through the exercises on their own may give them the confidence and motivation to find a sponsor and start working through the steps.
But what if...
My loved one is not in a Twelve Step program?
The journal in particular could still be useful for a loved one who is not in a Twelve Step program.
People with addiction aren’t always willing or ready to jump right into a fellowship meeting or join a Twelve Step program.
But as long as they acknowledge that they need to change, then The 12 Step Journal can be a useful tool for leading them further along the path of recovery.
It could spark insights in them, help them stay focused, and even create a desire to know more about and perhaps join, a Twelve Step program.
Ok, but what if...
My loved one won’t admit they have a problem
This is a tough situation to be in and you may be wondering if there is anything at all that you can do to encourage your loved one to admit they have an addiction problem, and to do something about it.
You are probably telling yourself that if you got them something like the journal, maybe they would use it and see what they are doing to themselves and those close to them.
Unfortunately your loved one will likely not be very receptive to this and we can’t recommend either the journal or the workbook as a gift.
The best thing you can do right now is educate yourself about the nature of addiction and the ways that you can be supportive.
Some “friends and family” of addicts have told us that learning more about addiction, the Twelve Step program and how lasting recovery can be achieved gave them a feeling of control over their own lives.
If you think this may apply to you, you might consider getting the 12 Step Journal for yourself. You can use it for educational purposes and perhaps as a journal.
