Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as AA, is a free and effective resource for people whose lives have become unmanageable due to the effects of alcoholism. We know that intelligence, early successes, and the desire to quit are not enough to cause an alcoholic to stop drinking. For people who are willing to really put in the effort, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings provide the missing piece of the puzzle. Read on to learn more about the 12 steps of AA and our alcohol addiction treatment programs.
Community-Centered Alcoholism Recovery
- Admit Powerlessness: This step is about admitting that individuals struggling with addiction just don’t have control over their lives. From chaos can come recovery.
- Believe in a Higher Power: This is merely the belief that someone or something greater than ourselves exists in the universe. It can be spiritual rather than religious.
- Turn Control Over to That Higher Power: Next, individuals need to put control of their lives in the hands of a higher power. This means letting go of trying to know and manage everything.
- Conduct a Moral Inventory: This is all about taking a good, hard look at yourself and evaluating what you find within.
- Admit Wrongdoing: The 12 steps of AA hinge on being able to admit fault. This is important because it highlights personal responsibility.
- Be Ready to Make Positive Change: Next, it’s time to prepare for the new and positive changes to come.
- Ask a Higher Power to Remove Shortcomings: Whether through prayer or meditation, this step is all about trying to remove flaws and change negative behaviors. Often, these are the exact behaviors and actions that led to addiction in the first place.
- Make a List of People That Have Been Hurt: This can be a challenging step. It requires you to think back to your past and identify anyone you could have hurt. Addiction can impact many people, including those you care most about.
- Make Direct Amends Wherever Possible: Next, it’s time to apologize for the mistakes in your past. That means seeking out the people you have hurt and making amends, as long as it will be of benefit to them.
- Conduct an Ongoing Personal Inventory: This is a critical step for individuals. It is not just about admitting wrongdoing in the past, but admitting that you make mistakes all the time. Whenever you act or behave incorrectly, take the time to note it, apologize when necessary, and move on.
- Make Constant Improvements: For religious or spiritual people, this step is about an ongoing connection with a higher power. For others, it can mean acknowledging that recovery doesn’t happen instantly. It takes continuous effort and care to move toward a complete recovery that lasts for a lifetime.
- Share What is Learned With Others: The final step in the puzzle is sharing the experiences of recovery with others. Overcoming a drug and alcohol addiction is challenging, but paying it forward can help the next person achieve recovery. This can be done in alcohol rehab, 12-Step meetings, or mentorship programs.
Feeling Lost? Find a Portland AA Meeting
The 12 Steps of AA are only one element of substance abuse treatment and recovery. At Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, they are part of a comprehensive approach to sobriety. We use the 12 steps of AA to treat a variety of addictions, including:
- Alcohol addiction rehab
- Cocaine addiction rehab
- Heroin addiction rehab
- Benzo addiction rehab
- Adderall addiction rehab
Call Crestview Recovery at 866.262.0531 to learn more about our 12-step-informed portland addiction treatment programs. There is tremendous healing power in groups of people who have experienced similar setbacks and are committed to helping others. If you feel like you are out of options, the Alcoholics Anonymous program has been saving lives for almost a century.
