The 12 Steps
The 12 steps. What are the 12 steps? The 12 Step Program is the most widely recognised and effective treatment for addiction challenges. It was established in 1935 when its founders, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, came together to create a support group for individuals struggling with alcoholism. Initially launched in Akron, Ohio, it has grown over the past 85 years, allowing those in need to find meetings in nearly every town and city across approximately 180 countries worldwide.
The 12 steps. Throughout the years, the 12 Steps have been embraced by various self-help and addiction recovery organisations, including Gamblers Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, as well as those facing different types of addiction. The essence of the program is based on the understanding that Alcoholism/Drug Addiction is a disease that cannot be cured but can be managed through abstinence, community support, and spirituality.
Step 1
We acknowledged our powerlessness over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
Step 2
Came to trust that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Step 3
Made a choice to surrender our will and our lives to the care of God as we understood Him.
Step 4
Conducted a thorough and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Step 5
Confessed to God, to ourselves, and to another person the true nature of our wrongs.
Step 6
We were fully prepared to have God eliminate all these character flaws.
Step 7
Humbly requested Him to remove our shortcomings.
Step 8
Compiled a list of all individuals we had harmed and became willing to make amends to each of them.
Step 9
Made direct amends to those people wherever possible, except when doing so would harm them or others.
Step 10
Continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted when we were wrong.
Step 11
Sought to enhance our conscious contact with God through prayer and meditation, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the strength to carry it out.
Step 12
Having experienced a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we endeavoured to share this message with alcoholics and to practice these principles in all aspects of our lives. Individuals in 12 Step recovery engage with these steps every day. This process is not merely an academic task; it is truly an emotional journey.