12-Step Programs
A twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. There are multiple programs available in our area tailored to various substance misuse disorders.
Sober Living Facilities
A sober living home (sometimes called a halfway house) operates as a bridge between an inpatient facility and the “real world.” Once leaving an inpatient facility and returning home, you may be struggling with adjusting back to daily life. Sober living homes offer an in-between recovery option that allows you to reinforce the lessons learned in rehab.
How To Talk To Your Doctor
Twelve-Step Programs
How It Works
The 12 Steps were created by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous to establish guidelines for the best way to overcome an addiction to alcohol. The program gained enough success in its early years for other addiction support groups to adapt the steps to their own needs.
There are many 12-step programs for various addictions and compulsive behaviors, ranging from Cocaine Anonymous to Debtors Anonymous—all using the same 12-Step methods.
Although the 12 Steps are based on spiritual principles, many non-religious people have found the program immensely helpful. The language emphasizes the presence of God as each participant understands him, allowing for different interpretations and religious beliefs.
Because recovery is a lifelong process, there’s no wrong way to approach the 12 Steps as the participant tries to figure out what works best for their individual needs. In fact, most participants find that as they grow in their recovery they will need to revisit some steps or even tackle more than one step at a time. Steps 1, 2, and 3 are considered the foundation of a 12-Step program and are recommended to practice daily.
Local Programs
Greater Charleston Al-Anon & Alateen
http://www.greatercharlestonal-anon.com/
(843) 762-6999
alanonsc_d7@yahoo.com
Many who come to Al-Anon/Alateen are in despair, feeling hopeless, unable to believe that things can ever change. We want our lives to be different, but nothing we have done has brought about change. We all come to Al-Anon because we want and need help.
In Al-Anon and Alateen, members share their own experience, strength, and hope with each other. You will meet others who share your feelings and frustrations, if not your exact situation. We come together to learn a better way of life, to find happiness whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
Alcoholics Anonymous
AA Hotline: 843.723.9633
TCIO Office: office@tcio.org
Narcotics Anonymous
The miracle of Recovery happens when addicts meet together to share their experience strength and hope of recovery through the 12 step program of Narcotics Anonymous. Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with a multilingual and multicultural membership.
The Carolina Region of Narcotics Anonymous (CRNA) includes much of North and South Carolina and is represented in the NA service structure by the Carolina Regional Service Committee (CRSC). The CRSC is comprised of 23 Area Service Committees (ASCs or Areas) and roughly 475 groups providing over 1,000 NA meetings per week in the communities in which they serve.
Dharma Recovery
Main Contact:
Rachel Allen, Facilitator
Allernadine1@gmail.com
Every Monday at 7 pm: 65 Gadsden Street, Charleston, SC 29401 (Downtown)
Recovery Dharma is a renunciation-based program that helps free us from the suffering of addiction using Buddhist practices and principles. This is a path of freedom from any repetitive and habitual behavior that causes suffering. Recovery Dharma introduces the essence of Buddhism’s basic teachings—the Four Noble Truths—in a way that shows how practicing the Eightfold Path is a pragmatic tool-kit for dealing with the challenges of both early and long-term recovery. We are peer-led and do not follow any one leader or teacher.
We start each meeting with a 15-20 minute meditation, followed by an open discussion.
Our group is inclusive, free of judgment, and a safe space for anyone in our community.
May you be happy.
May you be at ease.
May you be free from suffering.
Instagram: @charlestonsangha
SMART Recovery
Contacts:
Tim Maguire | Allen Williams, Facilitators
843.972.8154
info@wakeupcarolina.org
Mondays at 6:00 PM
857 Coleman Blvd, Suite D
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Celebrate Recovery (Seacoast Church)
The Seacoast Recovery Ministry is a community of people committed to equipping and encouraging those who want to overcome addiction and codependency. Using the proven and biblical Celebrate Recovery curriculum, this group meets together to discuss the practical steps of recovery within confidential small group settings.
750 Long Point Road (Studio C)
Mount Pleasant
Tuesdays
6:30 pm Reception (1st Tuesday ea month)
6:30 pm Step Study Groups
6:30 pm Family Support Group
Contact:
Cherie Berotti
cherieberotti@seacoast.org
Continuing Care Community Group
Mondays at 6:30 p.m.
The Church of the Holy Cross – Daniel Island
299 Seven Farms Drive
(843) 323-7111
Rhett Crull, Certified Addiction Interventionist, Facilitator
These informal gatherings are open, not only to our alumni and their families but to anyone in the community who would like to learn more about substance abuse and freedom through recovery. There is never any obligation to attend. This group’s primary goal is to provide a supportive environment for those in recovery and demonstrate the hope that is readily available through recovery.
Being an Advocate for Yourself
If you have a medical or dental procedure planned, you’ll need to be extra vigilant about your recovery. Taking any mood-altering medications before, during, or after your procedure can put you at high risk for a relapse.
Talking to your doctor about addiction may be an uncomfortable topic, but it is necessary. The “Dear Doctor” letter can help you to broach the topic. Print it out and take it with you to an appointment; use the information to start a conversation. Be honest with your health care provider, and enlist their help in your efforts to avoid relapse.
Sober Living Facilities
How It Works
A sober living home (sometimes called a halfway house) operates as a bridge between an inpatient facility and the “real world.” Once leaving an inpatient facility and returning home, you may be struggling with adjusting back to daily life. Sober living homes offer an in-between recovery option that allows you to reinforce the lessons learned in rehab.
A sober living home is a great option to alleviate any concerns you may have about going from such a monitored environment right back into daily life. Tragically, for many new in early recovery, sober living homes provide their only option for a safe, sober living scenario.
It doesn’t provide the same level of structure as an inpatient facility, but it does present an intermediate sober environment that encourages residents to develop healthy coping skills and habits for when they return home.
A sober living home acts as a supplement to an individual’s recovery. It is an alternative to going from an immersive care environment straight to a totally unstructured environment at home. Because sober living homes replicate normal, everyday life situations while instilling healthy habits, they help to reduce the chance of relapse.
Sober living homes help residents do a number of things that will guide them throughout recovery:
- Making amends with friends and family members affected by one’s substance abuse
- Finding a job
- Locating housing after treatment
- Adjusting to sober living in an unstructured environment
Additionally, following a carefully designed aftercare plan, including a relapse prevention plan created in therapy, allows you to identify triggers that may entice you to use once you are living in the community again. It further provides healthy coping skills and emergency contact numbers in times of high-stress or high-cravings/urges to use. This way you will have a plan of action for what to do during these times and have healthy ways to manage triggers in your daily life.
Local Sober Living Facilities
Contact WakeUp Carolina
Recovery Is Possible
Join Us
Recovery Talk
The Latest News & Updates
100% Hope: Every Dollar’s Purpose in Supporting Recovery
Every dollar donated to our mission goes directly toward creating tangible support for individuals and families impacted by substance use.
Rebuilding Together: How WakeUp Carolina’s Community Empowers Recovery
Over the years, we’ve seen countless individuals and families rebuild their lives, supported by the strength of people who understand, uplift, and walk with them every step of the way.
Why Conversations Matter: The Power of Open Dialogue in Recovery
At WakeUp Carolina, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of one conversation on someone’s life—turning a moment of struggle into a breakthrough, a feeling of isolation into one of support.