Dual
Recovery Anonymous™ is an independent, nonprofessional, Twelve Step, self-help membership organization for people with a dual
diagnosis. Our goal is to help men and women who experience a
dual illness. We are chemically
dependent
and we are also affected by an emotional or psychiatric illness. Both
illnesses affect us in all areas of our lives; physically,
psychologically, socially, and spiritually.
Dual Diagnosis
Chemical Dependence
Who are DRA Members
Dual
Recovery Anonymous™ is a Fellowship of men & women who meet to support
each other in our common recovery from two No-Fault
illnesses:
an emotional or psychiatric illness and chemical dependency.
No-Fault Illness
Dual
Recovery Anonymous™ is a 12 Step self-help program that is based on the
principals of the Twelve
Steps
and the experiences of men and women in recovery with a dual diagnosis.
The DRA program helps us recover from both our chemical dependency and our
emotional or psychiatric illness by focusing on relapse
prevention
and actively improving the quality of our lives. In a community of mutual
support, we learn to avoid the risks that lead back to alcohol and drug
use as well as reducing the symptoms of our emotional or psychiatric
illness.
There
are only two requirements for membership:
- A
desire to stop using alcohol or other intoxicating drugs.
- A
desire to manage our emotional or psychiatric illness in a healthy and
constructive way.
DRA
members are encouraged to build a strong personal support network. That
network may include support from chemical dependency or mental health
treatment facilities, medical or social service professionals, and
spiritual or religious assistance in addition to other 12 step or
self-help groups. DRA has no opinion on the way the other groups address
dual disorders or dual recovery. We do not offer advice regarding specific
forms of treatment for the various types of emotional or psychiatric
illnesses. However, we do share our personal experiences regarding the
ways that we have learned to cope with our symptoms by applying the 12
steps in our daily lives.
The Twelve Steps
Relapse Prevention
DRA is a
nonprofessional self-help program. There must always be a clear boundary
separating the work of DRA from the work of chemical dependency and mental
health professionals. The DRA Preamble and our Twelve Traditions are
designed to help guide our Meetings, Groups, Intergroups, and Service
Boards to operate in ways that best nurture the recovery of all members of
our Fellowship. Our Traditions are a set of suggestions that help DRA as a
whole keep on track to best fulfill our Primary Purpose and maintain our
Founding Vision.
DRA's
Twelve Traditions
The
Dual Recovery Anonymous™ approach to dual recovery is based on a simple set
of ideas and steps. They are suggestions for recovery rather than a set of
rules. They encourage us to find our own personal recovery, the one
that is most meaningful. They are meant to support those of us who wish to
bring a spiritual
dimension
to our dual recovery. The DRA program is worked on a day-by-day basis.
Here are the suggestions for dual recovery:
- Today,
I will be free of alcohol and other intoxicating drugs.
- Today,
I will follow a healthy plan to manage my emotional or psychiatric
illness.
- Today,
I will practice the Twelve Steps to the best of my ability.
Spiritual Dimension
The
primary purpose of DRA is to help one another achieve dual recovery, to
prevent relapse, and to carry the message of recovery to others who
experience dual disorders.
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