AA Steps 1, 2, 3: A Breakdown

Find Guidance on How to Complete The First Three Steps of AA

Alcoholics Anonymous is an important component of the recovery plan for many people, but you might be wondering about the framework of the first few steps. AA steps 1, 2, and 3 are arguably some of the most important steps as they lay the groundwork for everything to come.

Step 1 is all about admitting that you no longer have control over your alcohol use so that you can start the long process of turning your life around. Step 2 offers hope through a higher power that can assist you in restoring your sanity and life. Step 3 allows you to surrender your addiction to that higher power.

Changes Healing Center encourages clients to consider following the Twelve Steps through Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. We offer evidence-based treatments to help you get sober and stay that way. Keep reading to get more guidance on completing the first three steps of AA.

The First 3 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous in Plain English

Long before you take a fearless moral inventory and make direct amends with those you hurt through the course of your addiction, the first three steps of Alcoholics Anonymous require a spiritual awakening. The exact nature of how these steps play out is highly personal. Note that we recommend working through these Steps with a trusted sponsor to assist.

You might not yet be willing to make amends for things you have done in active addiction or come into conscious contact with God as we understand him. But there’s something in these first three steps for everyone entertaining the idea of following the Big Book.

If you’re starting the Alcoholics Anonymous program for the first time and want to follow the proven Twelve Steps, here is what you should know about the beginning of the process.

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

The first step in the Alcoholics Anonymous World Services literature is to simply admit that you have no control over your substance abuse. Once you can admit to the fact that you’ve lost control over your drinking, you can move ahead to the other steps. This step is designed to help you chart a new course forward.

When you come to your first Twelve Step meeting, you might not be sure about what you need to do to move past the difficult emotions that surround your alcohol use. Most people feel a mixture of shame, loneliness, regret, and overwhelming sadness for all they have lost to addiction.

In Step 1, you don’t have to take a personal inventory or apologize for a wrong promptly admitted. The only thing you have to do is acknowledge why you feel drawn to AA. This is your time to decide to turn your life around. It might not happen in your very first meeting, but it’s a crucial step toward recovery.

Step 2: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Once you encounter the complex emotions associated with Step 1, the spiritual program begins. Step 2 is about connecting to a higher power greater than ourselves. While this spiritual growth might not be a part of your addiction treatment program, many people find this essential in the Twelve Steps.

Why is it important to name a higher power in your Twelve Step recovery?

Your higher power gives you hope for the future. If you can believe that there is something greater than yourself out there in the universe, you’ll have an easier time accepting the help of others. You might find that your higher power is easy to tap into and doesn’t burden anyone else.

You’ll need this help to restore you to a place of sanity because it can be so challenging to turn your addiction over to someone else. An old timer knew that a higher power was crucial to getting an alcohol or drug addiction under control, and they should encourage new members to explore this concept.

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

We don’t need to name all these defects or get all our affairs in order before the healing process from alcohol addiction can begin. The third step is arguably one of the most important because it involves surrendering your life over to a greater power. In other words, it’s about acceptance of your position, even if you don’t want to be here.

In Step 3, you have already done the heavy lifting of ensuring that you know you can’t drink alcohol anymore and have come to believe in a greater power. Now, it’s time to let go of the burden you have been carrying so that you can let God (or your Higher Power) remove your shortcomings.

This is an important milestone for anyone who comes to Alcoholics Anonymous. Inviting a Higher Power to take control over your addiction and taking an honest look at your life is scary for most. But once you take the first step, it allows for healing and solution-oriented thinking.

Surrounding Yourself with a Support System

It’s important that you come into the community of such people who believe in the proven methodology of the Twelve Steps. Finding old timers (people with experience in the AA program) allows you to locate people who can offer guidance and support in taking these critical first three steps. An old timer walked this road ahead of you.

One of the problems for many people with substance abuse issues is the lack of healthy relationships. In Alcoholics Anonymous, everyone is in various stages of recovery. You’ll find like-minded people who understand what you’re going through.

If you’re worried that the program may not be for you, don’t base it all on one interaction. Come back to several AA meetings and listen to the stories shared in the circle. You’ll find encouragement and support from other people who understand. Most people take the AA Responsibility Statement seriously and will offer support whenever someone first makes contact.

Of course, the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions aren’t the only recovery options out there. You may also participate in SMART Recovery meetings with us at Changes Healing Center.

Additional Resources on Completing the Remaining Steps

At Changes Healing Center, we are dedicated to creating a robust set of resources related to recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders of all kinds.

Among our ever-expanding set of guides and worksheets are the following:

• A look at the various NA and AA meeting formats
• AA and NA Step 4 worksheets
• A guide to character defects
• And support for conducting a fear inventory
• Guidance on making amends
• An AA Step 6 worksheet
• Learning about the 7th Step prayer
• AA and NA Step 8 worksheets
• Details on how long the 12 steps take
• A look at candlelight meetings for AA and NA
• Breaking down the most common acronyms in AA
• and additional resources appear regularly on our blog as well!

Let Changes Healing Center Guide You Through the Twelve Steps

Changes Healing Center knows that a young woman’s or a young man’s decision to turn away from a drug or alcohol addiction is a step toward healing. We’ll help you create conscious contact with your higher power through regular AA meetings, individual therapy, complementary therapies, and more.

We can also help you with dual diagnosis. Alcoholics Anonymous is great for substance abuse, but you may need a different kind of help if it’s compounded with a mental illness. Our clinicians offer everyone a comprehensive assessment to ensure they get the help required to get sober.

Our enrollment team is available to answer your questions at any time and can verify your insurance benefits so that you know what to expect. We help you take your first steps toward recovery through the founding principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and more.

Reach out to us today to seek help for substance abuse and mental health!

References

1. Donovan, D. M., Ingalsbe, M. H., Benbow, J., & Daley, D. C. (2013). 12-step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview. Social work in public health, 28(3-4), 313–332.
2. Bogenschutz, M. P., Rice, S. L., Tonigan, J. S., Vogel, H. S., Nowinski, J., Hume, D., & Arenella, P. B. (2014). 12-step facilitation for the dually diagnosed: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 46(4), 403–411.