Twelve Steps

The Twelve Steps

The Twelve Steps provide a framework for examining your relationship with alcohol and a road to recovery, without it.

The AA program works by members sharing their stories on how they became a recovered alcoholic. Their personal recovery can be explained in the Twelve Steps which were introduced in 1946. Back in 1935, AA Founder Bill Wilson talked to another alcoholic Bob Smith about the nature of their problems and how they might solve them. AA was born and the rest is history.

Below are the original Twelve Steps.

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Incorporating the Twelve Steps into your recovery journey can be an effective strategy when seeking tips to give up drinking. These steps not only provide a structured approach but also offer valuable insights and ongoing support. To maximize the effectiveness of these tips to give up drinking, set realistic goals, track your progress, and celebrate small victories. Engaging with a supportive community, such as AA meetings, can significantly enhance your commitment to sobriety. The Twelve Steps guide you through self-reflection, accountability, and finding purpose in your life, which are essential for a lasting recovery. Embrace these principles fully to transform your relationship with alcohol and achieve a healthier, alcohol-free life.

The 12 steps are a suggested pathway for members to achieve sobriety, to be worked as best you can and as you understand them, at your own pace. We suggest keeping an open mind, attend meetings to listen to stories and read our literature.