The Twelve Steps

Black Shadow of Girl

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become
unmanageable.

We admitted that when we drink, use drugs, or act out, our lives get out of
control.

We accept that our efforts to stop using mood-altering chemicals have failed.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to
sanity.

Came to believe that we could change with the help of others.

We believe that we must turn elsewhere to help.

3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as
we understood Him.

We made a decision to work with others to make changes in our behavior and
our value system.

We turn to our fellow men and women, particularly those who have struggled with
the same problem.

4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Made a list of behaviors we need to change and recognized the positive
strengths we have that will help us make these changes.

We have made a list of the situations in which we are most likely to use mood-
altering chemicals.

5. We admitted to God, ourselves, and to another human being the exact
nature of our wrongs.

Shared our list with another person.

We ask our friends to help us avoid those situations.

6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Were ready to leave those old behaviors, attitudes, and values behind.

We are ready to accept the help they give us.

7. We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

Became willing to work with others to change these old behaviors, attitudes, and
values.

We earnestly hope that they will help.

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

Made a list of people, including myself, that have been hurt by my behavior and
decided to make amends to them.

We have made a list of the persons we have harmed and to whom we hope to
make amends.

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

We took responsibility for our behavior and for forgiving ourselves by making
amends to people who have been hurt by our behavior.

We shall do all we can to make amends in any way that will not cause further
harm.

10. We continue to take personal inventory and, when we were wrong,
promptly admitted it.

We continue to take responsibility for ourselves and admit when we were wrong.

We will continue to make such lists and revise them as needed.

11. We 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.

Tried, with the help of others, to be a better person, someone we can be proud of
and live with, without using drugs or alcohol.

We appreciate what our friends have done and are doing to help us.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to
carry this message to people with alcohol use disorder and practice these principles in all of our
affairs.

Having been able to change our lives with the help of others, we offer our help to
others.

We, in turn, are ready to help others who may come to us in the same way.