Admit the problem: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Believe change is possible: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Choose guidance: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Take an honest inventory: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Share the truth: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Become ready to change: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Ask for help: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Identify harm: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Make amends carefully: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Keep taking inventory: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Practise reflection: 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.
Carry recovery forward: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practise these principles in all our affairs.
Step 01 / 12
Admit the problem
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Step 02 / 12
Believe change is possible
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Step 03 / 12
Choose guidance
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Step 04 / 12
Take an honest inventory
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Step 05 / 12
Share the truth
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Step 06 / 12
Become ready to change
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Step 07 / 12
Ask for help
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Step 08 / 12
Identify harm
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Step 09 / 12
Make amends carefully
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Step 10 / 12
Keep taking inventory
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Step 11 / 12
Practise reflection
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.
Step 12 / 12
Carry recovery forward
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practise these principles in all our affairs.
The Twelve Steps are spiritual peer-support principles used where appropriate. They do not replace medical or mental-health care. Aarambh is not presented as affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous.