NA and AA 4th Step Worksheet

Getting Down the Bones and Working Your 4th Step Properly

Are you working through the steps of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous? As you arrive at the Fourth Step of the 12-step process, you will take any time necessary to reflect on past actions and relationships. This working step builds self-discovery.

It also sets you up for emotional healing as you move forward with the next steps. Our NA/AA 4th step worksheets can assist you as you start to confront the impact of your past mistakes.

Changes Healing Center, a leading provider of mental health care in Phoenix, knows that struggling with addictive behavior can last long after the last use of one’s drug of choice. Addiction is a disease. It lasts a lifetime and requires continuous care.

That’s why our Joint Commission-accredited treatment center recommends 12-step programs to provide guidance as you continue making positive changes.

Are you ready to learn more about the twelve steps and how to take a fourth step inventory? Please read on – remember to download our 4th step worksheets.

Recovery Process 4th Step: A Fearless Moral Inventory

The fourth step language in the AA Big Book says we:

“Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

-AA Big Book

Before sharing our PDF worksheet, let’s discuss the fourth step thoroughly. Step 4 is an “action step,” mandating that you confront and list the exact nature of your past behaviors and any character defects that led to them.

In other words, what caused the grudges, resentment, or shame holding you back from a better life today?

By writing them down on paper, you become comfortable turning the page on your past. Here are three reasons to take time you need to work on Step 4:

Build Self-Awareness Through Self-Discovery

When you recover from using drugs or alcohol, you create an opportunity to discover the reasons behind your harmful behaviors. Step 4 allows you to understand your behavioral patterns and the causes of your addiction. Self-awareness is key when you seek an understanding of what you must change.

Healing Emotions That Cause Harm

The work you do examining your attitudes and feelings allows you to process unresolved anger, guilt, or other feelings. An adage promises that sunlight is the best sanitizer – and this step seems to support that claim!

Accountability to Loved Ones

The self-reflection you do in this step of Alcoholics Anonymous provides you a foundation for several future steps. Recovery requires accountability to those who may have been hurt during active addiction, whether you inflicted harm intentionally or not.

Note About Triggering Language in AA and NA

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous support the recovery process by giving participants a guide on how to fix their lives after addiction. They are valuable resources.

However, we also acknowledge that some of the language, which was written in the 1930s, can feel triggering by today’s standards. Remember that in the context of AA/NA, words like “character defects,” “addicts,” “alcoholics,” or “alcoholism” were written in 1939 with only the best intentions.

While these words are outdated today, it’s worth setting those feelings about them aside and completing the 12-step journey.

Focus instead on the benefits you’ll reap from taking a moral inventory. Confronting your fears and asking questions about how you may have harmed others is part of an overall awakening process that will benefit you in the long run.

Our Previous Worksheets and Guidance on Working Steps 1 to 3

With our always expanding and updated resources, both on the 12-Steps and on the recovery process as a whole, Changes is committed to offering comprehensive guidance and support for those seeking freedom from alcohol and substance dependence.

Here is a current list of our worksheets and related topics:

• Fear Inventory Worksheet
• How Long Do the 12 Steps Take
• AA Amends Script Guidance
• Worksheets on recovery and spirituality
• Journal prompts on gratitude to start the day off right

Alcoholics Anonymous: The Intent of Step 4

The intent of taking a searching and fearless moral is not to churn up negative emotions or perpetuate character defects. Instead, the inventory process allows you to examine and process these emotions.

You set yourself up to let go of your fears, grudges, and other things that keep you mired in addiction and, eventually, release them to your Higher Power and fix things with your friends and loved ones.

Taking the Fourth Step Inventory: A Moral Inventory Worksheet

Are you ready for fresh hope and personal growth? Our 4th Step, 3-column moral inventory sheet can help you identify negative feelings. As you write them down, you externalize the feelings, allowing you to explain and eventually release them.

First Column: Identify Character Flaws

In the first column, you will identify your character flaws. To help you start, let’s look at the difference in AA versus modern language. In counseling, we’d refer to character defects or flaws as personal growth opportunities or challenges.

Regardless of the point of difference in the terminology, you will complete this column by assessing behavior that may have hurt yourself or another person. Consider your past experiences and find recurring patterns or attitudes that have hurt others.

Example of Completing the 1st Section of the 4th Step

Follow the example of ‘Mateo,’ who is completing his moral inventory. Here are the first things Mateo listed:

• “Anger issues – I often lose my temper. I even cuss out other people around me when things stress me out. I cannot control what comes out of my mouth, even when I know it’s wrong.
• Lies – I sometimes lie, especially to my abuelita, who is everything to me.
• Impulsive – I often impulsively purchase things without any fears or concerns about how I might hurt my financial future.”

Second Column: Understanding the Causes

To achieve sobriety, you need to understand why you have been struggling with drugs or alcohol. The 4th step gives you space to examine the truth about the exact nature of your addiction.

For instance, do you have a pattern of lashing out at others because you feel anger or fear? Do you hold grudges against a once-trusted friend because of resentment about a past disagreement? Have you lied to loved ones because you feel ashamed of past actions?

A searching and fearless moral inventory requires you to answer these questions boldly and honestly. Fear holds you back from a sober life. Only telling yourself the truth about your fears will free you from their grip.

Example of 4th Step, 2nd Column

Mateo continued to write, exploring his anger issues, dishonesty, and impulsivity:

• “I’m angry when people don’t listen to what I say; my family often argues and I feel unheard.”
• I lie to avoid confrontation. I just don’t want to deal with people. I also fear my abuelita will stop loving me because of my drug use and binge drinking. She is devout and believes that alcoholism and smoking crack is sinful.”
• I’m impulsive in my purchasing behaviors because I want my way right now. Taking charge has always worked well for me, even when it bullied other people to comply with my wishes.”

Third Column: Examine How Addiction Has Hurt Yourself or Others

In the third and last column, you will commit possible harms you’ve done to the paper. As you write, imagine each person impacted by your past behaviors and the emotional toll it’s taken on them. Consider what impact addiction has had on these relationships.

The fourth step inventory will help you when it’s time to start a future section of the Big Book – complete it honestly.

Example of Moral Inventory Sheet, 3rd Column Information

Continue to follow Mateo as he starts to discover the impacts he’s made on the lives of those who care about him and on his own life:

“My outbursts have caused my friends to stop hanging out with me. They have also made my co-workers less trusting of my ability to work well with them; it has already cost me at least one promotion and more money.

The lies I’ve told are so out of control that I can no longer remember who I’ve told what! My family sees through the stories, and they fear for my well-being. I feel anxious and guilty, so I lay awake at night and cannot relax my mind. I’m constantly exhausted but don’t know how to come clean.

My impulsive behaviors have put my financial security at risk. I make impulse purchases and use my resources to gamble, buy alcohol or crack cocaine, and collect fine watches. At times, I’ve risked eviction from my apartment because of these life choices. My family has said that they live in constant fear about what I’ll throw my money away on next.”

The Importance of Self-Care After the Fourth Step Inventory

The information in this section does not come from the AA Big Book but directly from the Changes Healing Center team.

Taking the moral inventory to complete the 4th step of the AA recovery process is challenging. It does require courage and soul-searching, which can leave you drained from an emotional standpoint. The language on the page may feel stigmatizing or hurtful; still, doing the work is necessary for recovery.

Our treatment team knows that ending behaviors without learning to love and forgive yourself will not change long-term behavior. We’ve added a bonus page to help focus on your positive qualities and replenish your self-love.

The Power of Positive Affirmations and Thinking

These positive affirmations can help give you a “refill” of positive thinking after completing the 4th step of the Big Book. This little bit of self-kindness can help you replenish your positivity and inner strength as you celebrate completing the moral inventory.

Here are the affirmations:

• I am strong enough to admit when I’m wrong.
• I am no longer making excuses for my past behaviors.
• I am worthy of self-love and healing.
• I am clean and sober; I can stay that way.
• I am open-minded about the recovery process.
• I am learning new things about myself every day.
• I am replacing weakness with strength.
• I am looking forward to a sober life.
• I am deserving of sobriety.
• I am able to handle any challenges that lie ahead.

Print out this affirmation list, look yourself in the mirror, and recite these powerful words that celebrate your new life in recovery.

Changes Healing Center: Effective Addiction Recovery and Support

We invite you to connect with Changes if you are ready to get clean and sober but need more support than you’ll receive from Narcotics/Alcoholics Anonymous. Our compassionate team changes lives by treating each person with compassion and respect.

Are you ready to turn the page on struggling and find recovery? Our recovery center can help! We’re here to answer your questions (it’s confidential) or reserve a spot. We are confident our life-altering recovery plans will help you become clean and sober. Call us today.