The Twelve Steps Explained

The Twelve steps were originally written by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob in April 1939 as suggestions for a program of recovery from alcoholism. It was written within the Alcoholics Anonymous text book but more commonly called the Big Book to show how they recovered from alcoholism, and to pass it on to other struggling alcoholics.

The AA steps nor the first 164 pages of the Big Book have changed since published in 1939, although it is currently on the 4th edition with only the Personal Stories in the back changing. mainly to keep up to date so the stories can relate to people of this generation. That said it still contains the original stories, new stories have just been added.

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path (Alcoholic Anonymous pg 55). The steps have worked so well that many groups have followed suit and use them as a program of recovery for just about any addiction.Narcotics Anonymous, Over-Eaters Anonymous, and Gamblers Anonymous just to name a few. With the changing of very few lines the steps can be made to help many addicted groups.

Here are the 12 Steps as originally written on page 59 of the AA Big Book:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and 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 understand him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory or 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 all shortcomings

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to all of them.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them ot others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through pray and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

As most likely you will notice it does not take much to change these steps to fit any addiction someone may be struggling with. Since the first edition of the Big Book was written Alcoholics Anonymous it has an estimated 2 million members in 150 countries. That fact alone proves that these steps work for those who chose to use them and be honest with themself.