Cultural Points of Resistance to the 12-Step Recovery Process

Abstract

This article addresses some of the key issues in developing culturally relevant approaches to drug abuse treatment and recovery, using the HAFC/Glide African-American Extended Family Program as a positive example of effective cultural adaptability within recovery. Cultural points of resistance to the recovery process are also addressed, including the perception that 12-Step fellowships are exclusive and confused with religion, confusion over surrender versus powerlessness, and concerns about low self-esteem, dysfunctional family structure, communication difficulties, and institutionalized and internalized racism. The authors also focus on professional resistance in other countries, where different treatment approaches and philosophies block the acceptance of a recovery concept in general and the 12-Step process in particular. In explicating these issues, addiction is presented as a multi cultural problem in need of multicultural solutions. The challenge is to adapt the process of recovery to all cultures and races, to counter stereotypes on all sides, and to eliminate the perception that recovery only works for addicts from the White mainstream.

Keywords:

• African-Americans
• cultural relevance
• resistance
• spirituality
• treatment
• 12-Step recovery