What Are The 12 Steps And How Do They Work?

The 12-step program is a well known and recognised treatment strategy for those suffering through alcohol abuse and addiction. However, while everyone is familiar with the term “12-step program”, not everyone is familiar with what these twelve steps entail. This article and those that follow are meant to provide more information about the 12 steps, more specifically why they were created, how they work, but also if there are alternatives for non-religious people. 

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

What Is The History Of The 12 Steps?

Alcoholics anonymous or AA was founded in 1935 by Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith and Bill Wilson in Akron, Ohio in the United States. This was the first 12-step fellowship, even though the famous 12 steps would not arrive until 1946. 

As the members of the fellowship increased over time, the group searched for clear steps that could be followed during addiction recovery. Evidently, these steps were developed to help its members cope with specific issues arising from addiction. 

Interestingly, the first AA groups did not include members suffering from drug addiction. However, members struggling from drug addiction were welcomed if they wished to stop drinking alcohol. 

Since the creation of AA, the foundation of the fellowship spread around the world. Of course, there have been different adaptations of the original 12 steps, mainly to make up for cultural differences or even specific problems that were more dominant in other areas of the world. As a result, you can now find alternatives (or different “wording”) to the original 12 steps, which we will elaborate on a little further in this article. However, the foundation of the twelve steps remains the same.

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.

What Do They Hope To Achieve?

Each of the twelve steps actually has a specific function. Below, we will list each of the goals the steps are trying to achieve.

1. Honesty: During this step, it is important to recognise the power alcohol had over your life and that of your family and friends. By admitting there is a problem, you work towards living your life honestly without denying the problem.
2. Faith: This goal is guided towards spiritual wellbeing. Of course, not everyone believes in God or has a unique religion that does not fall within this framework. Nevertheless, spiritual wellbeing can mean different things for different people. By working on spiritual wellbeing, you also work on your mental wellbeing.
3. Surrender: Spiritual wellbeing plays a role into this because this goal enables you to surrender to a higher power. Obviously, this higher power can be different for everyone and should fit with someone’s personal beliefs.
4. Soul searching: During this step, it is important to understand that recovering from addiction is a process and not a single event. It takes time for someone to be in recovery, and there are a lot of things that need to be addressed within your own body and mind. 
5. Integrity: Considering the specific behavioural problems accompanying addiction, this is one of the most difficult steps for many people in the program. However, it is also a beautiful step, because this one enables you to grow as a person. It is all about overcoming fear, pride and other dark secrets that plague the addiction sufferer.
6. Acceptance: Accepting the things about your character that are not perfect is something immensely powerful, especially if you can let them go. If you are able to let these defects go, you enable character growth and work on not letting those defects take over your life.
7. Humility: This is once again a step that is closely related to surrendering. It is about learning to accept that sometimes you need help, and that there are things you cannot tackle on your own. You can do this by trusting in a higher power, but also by seeking help from an appropriate professional if you need it. There are many ways to approach this step, depending on the overall beliefs of the person following them.
8. Willingness: Many people in recovery find this a difficult step because this is all about making amends for the things you did when you were in the throes of addiction. Of course, this is the step where you develop that willingness and where you discover how your surroundings were influenced by your decisions. It is a difficult step, but this one does lead to forgiveness and moving forward in your life.
9. Forgiveness: Getting forgiveness from those you have hurt because of your addiction can be the scariest step of all, but it is also the most freeing. Most people will be willing to accept your apology, which helps you start your internal healing process and works towards a clean slate and a happier life.
   
   Please note that the forgiveness step does come with an additional condition. Asking for forgiveness can only be done when it does not harm yourself or someone else. So, if you are unsure, always speak to your sponsor.
    
10. Maintenance: Another important part of recovery is being able to identify your triggers, which led to addiction in the first place. Being able to keep an eye out for these triggers and taking inventory at the end of the day can be the most important part of your recovery. 
11. Contact: This step is all about seeking guidance and taking care of your spiritual wellbeing. It teaches you how to seek comfort in other things than addiction and how to deal with your triggers by trusting in the right people or even a higher power. 
12. Service: Once you reach this step, you can help to spread the message to other people. It enables you to help others who are struggling, but also takes you back to the journey you made. It gives you purpose, but also helps you form connections with other people in the program. 

Should I Follow The 12-Step Program?

This is very much a personal choice. If you want to make a change in your life and want to seek help for addiction, the 12-step program could be right for you. Making the first step is always the hardest, but it is a step that is well-worth taking.