12 Steps of Recovery and What They Mean for You
As an alcoholic, you must make the necessary steps to overcome your addiction. If you don’t, you may be able to stay sober for some time, but there is a great probability you will relapse. If you want to create a successful, fulfilling recovering lifestyle, it might be helpful to follow the 12 Steps of recovery. Many recovering alcoholics have sworn by these Steps. They have raved about how the steps have helped them overcome their alcohol addiction. Learn more about the 12 Steps of recovery and how the steps can help you today.
12 Steps of Recovery: What Do You Need to Know?
When you have an alcohol addiction, you may find that guiding yourself with the 12 Steps of recovery could provide you with the most benefits. Chapter 5 of the Big Book states the 12 Steps of recovery include:
- We admitted we were power over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable. If you admit alcohol has power over your life, you can take the next step into recovery.
- Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If you see that something greater than you can help you overcome the addiction, you won’t feel as alone.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. If you are turn your will and life over to God as you understand him, you can see you don’t have to take this journey alone.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Taking a moral inventory will help you determine patterns you have followed. This step helps you repair relationships with yourself, others, and God as you know him.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Admitting these wrongs helps you to let go of the past and create an honest recovering lifestyle for yourself.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Allowing God to remove these defects of character lets you have the fresh start you need.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Allowing God to remove your shortcomings lets you create the recovering version of yourself. It allows you to forgive yourself and move forward.
- Made a list of all persons we have harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Doing this step gives you the chance to repair important relationships in your life. At the very least, it allows you to let others know you are sorry for the harm you have caused.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. In some cases, making direct amends is not a good idea. You don’t want to damage anyone else’s life or harm anyone further. If you can’t make a direct amend, journaling this amend could help you to move past it. Ask your God to forgive you as well.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Making the choice to continue taking your personal inventory will allow you to see if you are making healthier choices for your recovery. If you have made mistakes, admit it, and continue to do your best living in recovery.
- 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. Prayer and meditation are two very powerful tools for recovery. They allow you to continue getting the support you need to stay sober.
- 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. Helping other alcoholics see how beneficial the 12 Steps are is a fantastic thing. Also, by continuing to practice the 12 Steps in all areas of your life will allow you to create the best version of yourself.
These are the 12 Steps of recovery. The hope is that these Steps can give you the foundation you need to pursue a empowering, honest, and successful recovering lifestyle.
If you need to start your sobriety, call the alcohol rehab center at 888-992-7955 today! You can work on the 12 Steps and start your recovering lifestyle.
