We are now offering Telehealth treatment options.
If you are thinking of rehab in the Santa Barbara area, you might want to learn more about our Southern California rehab alcohol treatment program. Young adults and adolescents have benefited from our dual-diagnosis program, which treats the psychological components of addiction as well as the physical aspects. You or a loved one can benefit from treatment as well as aftercare, which may include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings.
After completing detox, our facility provides you with outpatient care and aftercare. Treatment involves an assortment of therapies to help our patients learn to cope with negative emotions while finding better ways to live their lives without alcohol. With the last stage of outpatient recovery, we may suggest Southern California AA Meetings as a source of healing from the obsession to drink.
AA meetings in Southern California
Known as Southern California Area05, AA in southern California has a central office in Los Angeles. You can search for meetings online. In-person meetings in 2020 have been limited. At present, Southern California AA Meetings have gone virtual.
A survey done previously in 2014 showed that A.A. received 32 percent of its membership from other members; another 32 percent from treatment facilities; 30 percent were self-motivated to attend AA; 12 percent of its membership from court-ordered attendance, and only 1 percent of AA members made the decision to join based on the Internet. This somewhat-recent survey was for those in North America and Canada.
Programs for teens have been found to be effective; although studies have not been based on Southern California alone, research has been gathered since the 1990s.
If you’re looking for some of these meetings, the list of Southern California AA meetings will be available at the AA website. Virtual meetings are listed here as well. With AA meetings in Southern California moved to virtual meetings during the COVID pandemic, they are a valuable resource for recovery. Whether virtual or in-person, the attendance of AA meetings has helped maintain a recovery that is ongoing for many people from all over the country as well as in Southern California.
The History of AA
AA began in Akron, Ohio, in 1935 as a result of a meeting between two men, Bill W., a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob S., a surgeon from Akron. They both had been struggling with alcoholism, and Bill W. had managed to stay sober. Bill’s old friend had helped him get sober with methods from the Oxford Group, which emphasized universal spiritual values in daily living.
Bill emphasized that alcoholism was a malady of mind and body. Up until this time, Dr. Bob had not viewed alcoholism as a disease; with the help of the ideas of Bill W., he then became sober also and never drank again. This was the spark that ignited the principles behind A.A.
In early 1939, the first book of principles was published. Up until this time, along with another man who had achieved sobriety, they worked with alcoholics at Akron’s City Hospital, where they eventually produced a group of 100 sober alcoholics.
Articles as well as influential people, such as John D. Rockefeller Jr. helped spread the word. Twelve Steps of recovery were the basis for the book, which became widely read.
What the 12-steps Are For
The 12-steps were established by the founders of A.A. to present guidelines for overcoming an addiction to alcohol. Knowing that recovery is a lifelong process, the principles are based on spiritual values. Emphasizing the presence of God, these principles allow for the difference in religious beliefs and practices. Many of those who have been in recovery return time and again to those steps to find a more spiritual solution to their lives.
The model for A.A. provides for anonymity, which adds to the ability to find support and encouragement as well as accountability for those who are sincere in overcoming addiction. With the help of a sponsor and regular meetings, the social support of this organization has been very effective in achieving a lifetime of sobriety.
What is an AA Sponsor?
A sponsor is someone who has already been through the program and is there to help keep the newcomer on course. They have been through the 12-steps and serve as guides. Sponsor/sponsee relationships are the basis for recovery and are an informal agreement with no written rules as to how they should be in contact. Some things are encouraged, however. Many sponsors have felt that they should do the following:
There is no requirement for the time that a sponsor spends with their sponsee. Some speak every day, while others touch base as time allows. Those who are working may have to limit contact to certain times.
Adolescent Alcohol Addiction
Before your adolescent loved one heads to AA meetings, they will have received therapies that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Exposure With Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). They will also receive treatment that might include Expressive Arts, Psychodrama, Yoga, Relationship Dynamics, Personality Styles, and Process Group.
The purpose is to learn to open up to their feelings and share their stories as a part of the process of acceptance and support. We have a program at Mission Harbor that is prepared for the needs of the addicted adolescent.
Whether they continue to AA meetings or become involved in other programs for mental health issues, they will have the help they need. Our individualized programs are there for them.
Our Southern California rehab will assist you or a loved one on the road to lifelong sobriety and freedom from addiction to alcohol. With the help of Alcoholics Anonymous or other groups, you can have sobriety that lasts a lifetime. Contact us today for more information about how we can help.
The facilities at Mission Harbor are staffed with trained experts to best assist patients with their mental health issues. We are capable of dealing with any and all cases with a licensed staff, equipment, and approved techniques. Our mission is to help those who want to help themselves, and we support your decision in seeking help.
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Alcohol addiction is extremely difficult to overcome on your own.. Seek specialized help and let professionals guide you in your recovery.