Benefits of AA 12 Steps

The group called Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has become synonymous with the concepts of lasting sobriety and recovery while being instrumental in changing the conversation around addiction since its inception 80 years ago. As the psychology and science of addiction evolve, the central role of AA also changed. Nevertheless, it is still the cornerstone of many people's aftercare efforts, if not their complete recovery journey. 

What is AA

Alcoholics Anonymous is a community-based global program that was solely created to help those who are struggling with problematic drinking to get sober with the assistance and support of their peers through daily discussions and meetings surrounding addiction. AA also gives men and women a place to come together so they can share their journey, recover from alcoholism while maintaining sobriety. The concept is built around the premise that alcoholism is an illness that can't be controlled, but it can be managed.

There are special requirements to join the AA other than having a commitment to quit drinking, and the group isn't associated with any sect, institution, organization, denomination or politics. People who are attending AA join either voluntarily or as a continuation of therapy or via court-ordered rehab.

Purpose of 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

The primary purpose of 12 steps AA is to recover from out of control, compulsive behaviors and restore order and manageability to your life. It's a way of looking at your behavior as only a symptom, a sort of check engine light to discover what's really happening under the hood.

The 12 Steps of AA

AA's 12-Step program follows a set of guidelines that are commonly known as "steps" toward healthy recovery while members can revisit these 12 steps at any time. They are:

1. Admitting that we were helpless and powerless over alcohol-that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Believing that a Greater Power than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Decided to turn our lives and our will over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Composed a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to the Greater power(God), to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Completely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Modestly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Composed a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made concrete amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to uphold personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through meditation and prayer to enhance 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 deep spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in everyday matters.

Benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Steps

Encouragement and Support

Fellowship is a vital component of the 12 Step. Participating and contributing in a 12 Step program will give you full access to a group of people who want nothing more than to see you come out from your addiction. It also provides you with the opportunity to get a sponsor who will always be there for you whenever you need help.

Sense of Belonging