All photography provided by Drew Lindsell

The 12 Steps of AA

AA’s 12-Step approach follows a set of guidelines designed as “steps” toward recovery, and members can revisit these steps at any time. The 12 Steps are:9

  1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—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 understood Him.

  4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of 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 our shortcomings.

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

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

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

  11. 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.

  12. 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. 

my recovery Mission

Recovery is a life long endeavor. People ask me, “Why do you go to meeting after 35+ years sobriety?” My reply is, “I like the fellowship, I love the community, and I need the support.”

“I try hard to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits. When brimming with gratitude, one’s heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion we can ever know.
Bill W.”
— Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous

What is Alanon Family groups

Alanon is a fellowship for the family and friends effected by the disease of alcoholism.

  • Alanon uses the 12 steps (slightly modified) of Alcoholics Anonymous.

  • One quote from the preamble is “changed attitudes can aid recovery.”

  • Detach with love means to not rescue or enable the addicted one and take care of yourself.

  • The fellowship teaches to avoid crisis centered living and to practice serenity.

  • Many members of Alanon discover their way of adapting to the addict was equally dysfunctional.

  • Co-Dependents Anonymous is a similar fellowship yet addiction need not be the the precipitating factor.