The 12-steps to addiction recovery were initially formulated by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous as a process for beating alcohol addiction. These addiction recovery steps achieved enough success and popularity that other addiction treatment programs adopted the methodology. While the 12-steps are based on spirituality and religious principles, they remain general enough that people of all faith backgrounds can find them helpful.

Learn more about how 12-step programs are used in addiction recovery by calling 866.238.3154.

12-Steps to Addiction Recovery

While most people who engage with the 12-steps approach them sequentially, that is far from the only way. They are meant to build on each other, but people in recovery often find it necessary to revisit previous steps or tackle several at once to continue making progress.

The first three steps operate as the foundation to successful recovery using a 12-step program. Participants are told to practice those addiction recovery steps on a regular basis so as not to lose sight of the commitment they have made to overcoming addiction.

The 12-steps according to Alcoholics Anonymous, appear below:

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and, when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
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.
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.

Steps to Addiction Recovery

The efficacy of 12-step programs is based on the group structure. The 12-steps are individual commitments that connect to a larger collective of people in recovery trying to support each other. Steps to addiction recovery, much like the rest of the addiction field, understand that healing is best done in a community, not in isolation.

Addiction recovery steps offer participants the following benefits in their healing journey:

Community and mutual support
Accountability
Mentoring and mentorship opportunities
Practical actions to move toward sobriety

One benefit worth highlighting is the support and accountability present during addiction recovery steps. The group setting allows for building deep relationships with people who understand the struggle of addiction and seek to recover together. Furthermore, judgment-free, 12-step groups also provide accountability for staying sober.

Addiction Recovery at Santé Center for Healing

Santé Center for Healing’s addiction recovery services all have one goal for our clients: long-term recovery. The main program structures we offer are residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, and transitional living. Clients receiving outpatient treatment can take advantage of our exceptional telemedicine services.

Santé Center for Healing also emphasizes family programming as part of addiction treatment. The focus of family programming is to re-establish healthy lines of communication and emotional bonds between family members.

Start your addiction treatment journey by calling 866.238.3154.