The 12 steps AA, the addiction recovery program

The 12 steps correspond to an action plan proposed by the Alcoholics Anonymous groups, to overcome a substance dependence or change harmful behavior. How does it operate? Why does it seem to be so effective? Let’s see it in this article.

The 12 steps to addiction recovery are a treatment plan postulated by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups. Currently, The same program is adopted by almost all support organizations that fight some type of addiction, even to change behavior such as conflict or procrastination, for example.

Day by day, more self-help groups and centers adopt this behavioral guide. In the AA tradition, the plan is made up of 24 fundamental principles known as Twelve steps and twelve traditionss, described in the book of the same name, published by the organization. The methodology is always linked to the presence of a companion or “sponsor.”

This person went through a similar process and their role is to support those who want to recover. In addition, The rehabilitation steps are carried out under the premise of “just for today”, that is, the commitment is made for 24 hours.

These are the 12 AA steps to overcome addictions

Along with other AA members, William Griffith Wilson established the 12 steps to quit drugs. This is a specific plan that we will review below based on the text edited by the institution. It is necessary to say that the organization as such is not affiliated with any particular religious cult, but it does admit a spiritual presence in the recovery plan. However, there are secular AA groups that prioritize other factors in rehabilitation charts, such as family and social support, to the detriment of figures that appeal to the divine.

1. Admit that we are powerless

In the first of the 12 steps of AA, it is essential that the person accept their problem and their inability to manage and control their consumption. Admitting helplessness and that life has become unmanageable is the main step in walking the path to recovery.

We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

2. Believe in a “higher power”

The concept of “Higher power” does not refer to a deity, but to transcendence beyond the control and will of the addict. Some examples are: nature, community, love, the universe and god.

Among all the 12 steps to quitting drugs, this one in particular is rooted in the idea that alcoholism is a disease of the body, mind and spirit. Recovery must therefore address all three aspects.

We come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

3. Leave your will and life in the care of God

In addition to the second step, this expresses the importance of to let go and stop controlling existence, to trust in the forces of that “higher power”. It consists of surrendering one’s will and one’s life to the care of God, as each person understands it.

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It is worth clarifying that the person must also do their part to change and not just delegate their responsibility to God or the “higher power.” All of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous require responsibility and will.

We decide to put our wills and our lives in the care of God, as we conceive Him.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

4. Take a moral inventory

The purpose of this step is for the person to be aware of their behaviors and thoughts., and identify the personality traits that influence your addiction. In this context, the moral inventory consists of reviewing the person’s behaviors, interpersonal relationships, and attitudes toward themselves and others.

The analysis carried out by the addict must be thorough and very honest. Sincerity, both with him and with others, is one of the cardinal values of the entire process.

We fearlessly took a thorough moral inventory of ourselves.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

5. Admit the nature of our defects

The fifth of the 12 steps to quit drugs requires the person to acknowledge their defects to themselves and others. It also implies assuming one’s own limitations and the importance of the help and support of others.

Accepting defects is not easy, but it is essential for the process, since it allows the subject to take responsibility for their life and the consequences of their actions. In addition, it helps you not feel so isolated and motivates you to open up to meeting others.

We admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our defects.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

6. Let God set us free

Among the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, this is based on making the alcoholic understand that he cannot get rid of his defects on his own. and that requires the support of others and God. For AAs the conception of a “higher power” is central to recovery.

Regarding the sixth step and God, the book highlights testimonies from individuals who, by putting their lives in order and asking this divine being to intercede in liberation to stop drinking, the obsession disappears completely.

We were entirely willing to let God free us from all these defects of character.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

7. Ask for liberation with humility

Once the defects are identified, It is crucial that the individual humbly ask for his release. Again, this step encourages the addict to abandon himself to the providence of the “higher power.”

8. Be willing to repair the damage caused

This step challenges the addict to identify those they offended and ask for forgiveness for the transgressions and injuries caused. The goal is for the person to take full responsibility for their actions and work to repair the damage. Briefly, the eighth step of the program requires the following from the person:

Identify the wrong committed. Repair the damage. Build better relationships.

The willingness to make amends for offenses entails the willingness to do what is necessary to make amends, whether by apologizing, offering compensation, or other measures. This step is essential to achieve a true transformation.

«We made a list of all those people we had offended and we were willing to repair the damage we caused them»

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

9. Correct the damage

Upon reaching this step, the addict learns to discriminate in What time is appropriate to make the repair and have the courage to carry it out?. Prudence is essential at this stage. Sometimes the repair must be done immediately or partially. In some cases, it is necessary to wait a little longer, and in others, direct contact is impossible. Whoever is going to make amends must keep these variables in mind.

We directly repaired the damage caused to as many as possible, except when doing so would involve harm to them or others.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

10. Admit mistakes

The tenth of the 12 steps of AA is an invitation to remain attentive to mistakes in the present and to be willing to admit the mistake when making it. The goal is to continue on the path to recovery by continually evaluating behavior.

By accepting the faults, the person repairs them immediately. Therefore, it is necessary that you begin to take measures to correct what was done and that you take responsibility for your actions in the present.

We continued to take our personal inventory and when we were wrong we immediately admitted it.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

11. Improve our conscious contact with God

The fundamental intention of this step is for the addict to have a deeper and closer connection with the “higher power.” Prayer and meditation are options to achieve this, but the person can practice any other activity that works for them.

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It is not about imposing a religion, but about allowing each addict to find and understand their own conception of the transcendent.according to your life history, experiences and personal beliefs.

We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we conceive Him, asking only that He let us know His will for us and give us the strength to fulfill it.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

12. Carry the message and practice these principles in all matters

The purpose of the last stage of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is to offer support to the addict in maintaining his or her recovery. Additionally, you are encouraged to help others achieve sobriety. The latter does not imply grand gestures, it is enough to bear witness, share strength and hope with those who are mired in addiction.

Having obtained a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we try to carry the message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

~ Twelve steps and twelve traditions ~

How AA was born and the 12 AA steps

Alcoholics Anonymous began in Akron, Ohio, in 1935.. This was made possible by the meeting between William Griffith Wilson (known as Bill) and Robert Holbrook Smith (known as Doctor Bob). Both were alcoholics with no hope of recovery.

Before establishing friendship, they were part of the Oxford Group, a society that applied spiritual values in everyday life. Through contact with this group, Through spiritual experience and the help of a friend, Bill managed to overcome his alcoholism.

However, for Bob, the group did not have the same effects. However, when he met Bill, the friendship he gave him and the recovery experience had a positive effect on overcoming his addiction.

Since then, The two began working with people addicted to alcohol, confined at the Akron Municipal Hospital. Through his interventions, one patient achieved sobriety. In this way the first AA group was born.

But it was not until 1939 that the AA community published its flagship book, setting out its philosophy and AA methods. The essence of this treatise is known as the 12 steps of rehabilitation. This book also includes stories of people who have overcome their addictions. From that year on and through the 12 AA steps, the community grew exponentially.

Is the twelve step program effective?

There is research that supports the effectiveness of the 12 steps of rehabilitation. However, other explorations cast doubt on it. For example, one study highlighted that the 12-step plan of Alcoholics Anonymous is positive as a treatment. On the other hand, Campbell Systematic Reviews points out that these approaches,…