Step 13 AA – What To Do After You Have Completed The 12 Steps?

Throughout the twelve steps, we mentioned that you never truly finish, you keep repeating the twelve steps as and when you need to long after you have “completed” the program. Obviously, this maintains the new skills you learned throughout the program and implements them in your new life. But for those of you looking for something a little more practical, here is what you should be doing after completing the twelve steps.

This post is part of a 15 part look into the 12 Step Program and how it can be used to help in alcohol addiction and recovery. The full 15 part book can be downloaded for free by Clicking Here

Summary of the 12 Steps

Before we move onto some of the other things to do after step twelve, let us explore a quick summary of the 12 steps you need to keep implementing in your life.

• Step 1: Admit you are powerless over your addiction and that your life became unmanageable
• Step 2: Trust in a higher power
• Step 3: Learn how to surrender to a higher power, relinquish control
• Step 4: Create your moral inventory
• Step 5: Reveal hurtful and distressing memories to someone 
• Step 6: Prepare to release your character flaws and be willing to recover
• Step 7: Be humble 
• Step 8: Make a list of those you have harmed
• Step 9: Make amends with those you harmed, unless you could injure yourself or others by doing so
• Step 10: Self-examination
• Step 11: Practice prayer and meditation
• Step 12: Pay it forward and continue to practice all twelve steps

Am I Cured?

You are in recovery, which means that you have undergone the program and remained sober. Of course, this does not mean you will not encounter any challenges. In the past, you became addicted for a reason. Therefore, refraining from drinking again is the right choice. It is all too easy to see someone else drinking responsibly and think “I can do that” then sooner or later you are right back to where you started from.

To remain in recovery, it is vital to keep repeating the twelve steps, but also incorporate a relapse prevention plan, which we will elaborate on next.

How Do I Create A Relapse Prevention Plan?

A relapse prevention plan is exactly what it says it is. It is a plan that is designed to help prevent you from relapsing, no more no less. These plans can come in a number of formats and different people will have differing needs and requirements in their plan. The relapse prevention plan that I am going to recommned consists of numerous parts – remember you are free to come up with your own parts. 

Below, we will explain each of these parts in more detail and how you can create your own relapse prevention plan for the future. 

Environment vulnerabilities and triggers: There can be a number of things in your immediate environment that make you vulnerable, so it is important to identify them. It could include the area where you used to purchase alcohol, the people you used to go out with, or certain social situations. 

Within this framework, you must also look at specific triggers. Maybe you are triggered by receiving bad news? Or maybe you find a night out with some friends a trigger? For some, it could be something as simple as being home alone? Evidently, these triggers must be identified before you can create a trigger treatment strategy. 

Trigger treatment strategy: Dealing with certain triggers can be unique to the person. For example, if going out with friends is a trigger and you feel uncomfortable about it, it could be best to avoid going out with friends until you feel strong and comfortable enough to do so. For others, distraction is the way to go, especially after a stressful work day. Of course, if you had some bad news and need someone to talk to, you can always call your sponsor as well.

Management of urges: You will still encounter urges after the twelve-step program, even if you have identified your triggers. New ones can always arise and present themselves, which is why you should have a management tactic for these urges.

Urges are commonly managed with distraction techniques. These distraction techniques are not solely used for recovering addiction sufferers, but also those suffering from panic disorders, eating disorders, and other mental health problems. 

There are many ways to deal with urges, ranging from contacting your sponsor to taking a walk or meditating. Of course, keep repeating the twelve steps to ensure they are fresh in your mind as well.

Get good support: Over time, you will be confronted with normal life again. Obviously, this can be daunting for someone who has recovered. A support network can help greatly with this challenge.

When building your support network, it is vital to evaluate who has your best interest in mind and who does not. Some people in your environment may not be supportive of your new sober life, which means you have to surround yourself with other people. If you struggle finding good support in the beginning, you can also find some help at your local AA meeting or even a therapist who can help you rebuild. 

Look at other aspects of your life: During the twelve-step program, you will focus on a lot of aspects of yourself. However, you will not look at absolutely everything in your life. First, you work on yourself during the program, and when you are strong enough, you look towards rebuilding other parts of your life that may have suffered.

Tackling some of the issues from the past, for example finances, can be a trigger on its own. It is therefore important to have a trigger and urge management in place before you even attempt to do this. 

For some people, this particular step of the relapse prevention plan can be quite dramatic. Some leave their previously stressful jobs behind completely, which made them unhappy in the past. Others return to school and consider a career change. In other words, this particular step does not have to be a bad one. 

At the end of the day, it is about evaluating what you would like to change in your life that will make you happier and therefore much less likely to relapse.

Repeat – Do Not Forget

We mentioned this numerous times before in the twelve-step program, but repetition of the steps you have learned is key to long-term sobriety. Even when you think you have mastered the program and you do not need to put any more time in it, this could become a bigger problem if you keep on ignoring this preventative aspect of your recovery. So, repeat often and keep being honest with yourself to maintain your sobriety long-term.