Dov has suggested that going to the Mikva could possibly be even detrimental in the early stages of recovery if it makes us lose sight of the ikkar, which is not just making ourselves "feel better" - (which was our motivation in acting out as well, BTW) but actually "getting better" - by accepting the truth about ourselves, changing our motivations, and taking the "actions" of real recovery...
This morning I was thinking about the mikvah thing, and admitted that if going to the mikkie would help someone feel cleaner and less guilty, and recognize that they are not disgusting but still Hashem's beloved sweet yingeleh, and thereby motivate them with hope to actually do the work to actually get better, it could be a great thing.
Giving up on ourselves is the greatest poison of all, and leads only downward. When they speak about "Hitting bottom" or finally "giving up" in the 12-Steps, they can't mean giving up on ourselves. For those very things are precisely what saved my life! Rather, they mean utterly giving up on doing it our way. And letting go of ourselves - cuz we failed miserably at the task of caring for ourselves - and letting a more qualified Driver into the seat, for real. Usually the first "trial by fire" for that is finally/actually getting the help we really need, come what may.