The Twelve Steps Alcoholics Anonymous

Ultimately, everyone’s journey is unique and should be specialized according to what they believe. For many members of 12-step recovery programs, these steps aren’t merely a way to overcome addiction—they are a guide toward a new way of life. Some of the best-known 12-step programs include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA). Some complete the steps quickly, while others take longer based on their spiritual growth and willingness.

Alternatives to 12-Step Recovery Programs

We do not receive any fee or commission dependent upon which treatment or provider a caller chooses. Edmund has an extensive background in SUD research and medical writing, working collaboratively with doctors, substance use disorder specialists, and clinical experts across all content on Recovered. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Click on the preview image above to download our free PDF version of the Twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Book

Some AA members find they need or want to stay on one step longer than another; others may need to pause between steps before they are ready to move onto the next. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. Sharing this truth aloud, no matter how uncomfortable, frees us from the burdens we’ve been carrying and helps us face the reality of our actions with courage and humility. Whether the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 steps are right for you depends on your needs, strengths, and preferences. Mostly, the 12 steps work best when they are integrated into more comprehensive treatment involving detoxification (detox), psychotherapy, medication management, and social support.

Where do the 12 steps of AA come from?

• A 2020 review found that Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step facilitation treatments produced benefits that were similar to other treatments.
• Step 3 is where we make a life-changing decision—fully surrendering control over our will and our lives to the care of God as we understand Him.
• There is no direct timeline to the Twelve Steps and everyone goes through them at different speeds.
• NA also works out of the Basic Text of NA, while AA works from The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
• These steps are not just suggestions—they are a roadmap for profound change, rooted in spiritual principles like making conscious contact with God and taking honest personal inventory.

AA membership encourages working through the steps at a steady pace, guided by One Ultimate Authority—God as He may express Himself in our group conscience, and the principles in the Big Book. The focus is on progress, not perfection, while building a life of alcohol abstinence and personal recovery. No, the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are a spiritual program, not a religious one. Many AA members have achieved lasting sobriety by focusing on spiritual principles rather than specific beliefs.

Working Step 5 effectively means sharing your moral inventory with someone who understands the process. I’ll never forget sharing my Step 5 on the rims of Billings, Montana, in my sponsor’s 1983 mailman Jeep. I had never been that honest about my past, but the day after, I felt lighter, and the obsession to drink or used had lifted and has not returned in over seven years. The Big Book emphasizes being open-minded and setting aside preconceived judgments about spirituality. Many of us find this belief by the twelve steps alcoholics anonymous witnessing others in recovery who once felt just as lost but now live with peace and purpose. I didn’t have it all figured out when I started, but when I saw people staying sober and free, I was willing to trust the process—and you can too, no matter what you believe in.

Though the original Twelve Steps of AA have been adapted over time, the premise of each step remains the same for all recovery programs that use a 12-step model. Many AA members work with a sponsor who can guide them through putting the 12 Steps into practice. Sponsors have typically gone through the recovery program themselves and can lend firsthand insight and support. Indeed, members may wish or find the need to revisit the 12 Steps throughout their sustained recovery—rather than a one-time process, they simply become tenets of everyday life.

STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

The 12 steps of AA have been highly effective in enabling millions of members all over the world to achieve lasting sobriety. In fact, the Social Work in Public Health said that recovering alcoholics who attend 12-step recovery programs have more chances of achieving lasting sobriety than others who do not. Step 12 marks a profound shift in our recovery journey, where we move from personal healing to helping others.

• By working through each step in the program, individuals can experience significant personal growth and healing.
• The Big Book teaches that defects of character are the root causes of our addiction, and this step is about preparing to let them go, even when they feel familiar or comfortable.
• 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.
• The Big Book teaches that the list we create in Step 8 originates directly from the personal inventory we completed in Step 4.

The final stage helps us stay spiritually fit and continue growing long after we’ve experienced initial freedom from addiction. We learn to take daily personal inventory, promptly admit when we’re wrong, and stay connected to God through prayer and meditation. But we don’t stop there—these steps call us to carry this message to others, ensuring the same life-changing freedom we’ve found is shared with those still struggling. Just as the 12 steps outline the path to recovery for individuals struggling with addiction, there are also 12 Traditions that are the spiritual principles behind the 12 steps. They also address questions related to financing the group and managing public relations. Grounded in a spiritual approach, the 12 Steps serve as a roadmap for those battling alcoholism, not only on their journey to recovery but also throughout the rest of their lives.

The Big Book emphasizes that this process involves sincere action, not just words. When possible, direct amends are made in person, but if doing so would cause harm to the other person or someone else, we must pause and seek spiritual guidance before proceeding. This step is about true accountability—recognizing our past behaviors, accepting the consequences, and taking concrete steps to repair the damage we’ve caused without expecting anything in return. Step 7 brings us to a place of genuine humility where we stop trying to fix ourselves and instead ask for God’s help. After becoming entirely ready to let go of our defects of character in Step 6, this step calls us to take direct action by asking God to remove the patterns that no longer serve us.

What are the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions?

By writing a fearless moral inventory, we uncover the exact nature of our wrongs, including unresolved resentments, fears, and harms we’ve caused. 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. They are the directions meant to provide members a path to lasting sobriety and a substance-free lifestyle. Join our supportive sober community where each day becomes a step towards personal growth and lasting positive change. There are also Al-Anon Family Groups designed specifically to provide resources and support to the friends and families of those experiencing addiction. Even those not directly affected by alcoholism or addiction may find value in AA’s 12 Step approach to working through any struggle.

Some people require more intensive addiction treatment or may want to combine support groups with therapy, medication, or rehab. Others will want alternatives to 12 steps and may benefit from seeking out other support groups for people in recovery. Direct amends means facing the people we have harmed and doing what we can to make things right.

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we

It’s not enough to simply write out our inventory—this step asks us to speak it aloud to another person and to God, breaking free from the isolation and secrecy that fueled our addiction. Step 5 offers us the freedom that comes from being fully known and accepted, making room for genuine healing and spiritual growth. Step 3 is worked through action, specifically by saying the Step 3 prayer from the Big Book, which asks for guidance and freedom from the bondage of self. For me, this moment came when I finally stopped trying to control my addiction and surrendered fully.