Are the 12 Steps of Recovery Necessary to Curb Alcoholism?

AA meetings are seen as synonymous with practicing a substance-free lifestyle, and rightly so. Over many years, AA meetings have modelled their practice in the form of a 12-step-program. Before deciding on whether it is right for you, it is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of the program and discard any misconceptions. 

1. Admit your powerlessness over alcohol: You cannot reclaim your agency back from alcohol unless you acknowledge the dominating position it has held in your life. In any AA meetings near you, this is the primary step to recovery.
   
2. Believe in a higher power: Contrary to popular belief, this is not a religious procedure. A higher power simply denotes a spiritual term – it is not meant to deter away people who are not religious. An AA meeting is welcoming of people regardless of their gender, religious orientation, race, etc.
   
3. Surrender yourself to the care of a Higher Power: The self-destruction caused by alcohol can be obliterated or lessened by recognizing that you need help.
   
4. Undo your wrongs: This can be an excruciating step that can only become easier when done with others. If you want to be on the road to recovery, you can visit the AA meeting directory and begin the process!
   
5. Admit to the Higher Power the nature of your wrongs: This goes hand-in-hand with Step 4. Here, you hold yourself accountable for the harm you caused to yourself and others.
   
6. Look Back and Become Ready: This is where you go through the progress you have made and its ups and downs of its process.

7. Humbly request the Higher Power to remove your shortcomings: This stage helps you to incorporate humility within yourself and appeal to the Higher Power for a better version of yourself.
   
8. Make a list of the people harmed: This stage can be challenging, as this needs you to return to your past life and make a list of the people you have harmed.
   
9. Ask for forgiveness: In this stage, you choose to be accountable to the people you have harmed. If your loved one is going through a battle with alcohol, you can help them out too, by checking out the AA Meetings Locator.

10. Take a daily inventory to correct any wrongs: Correcting our wrongs is a
      lifelong undertaking, and we must follow that. This step keeps you in check
      with your actions. 

11. Pray and Meditate: This will improve your connection with the Higher
      Power, and help you to steer away from cravings and distractions. 

12. Carry this message to others: This step will equip you with the values
      to share these principles with other people facing a similar plight and become ready to aid others. 

A tiny spark of self-will in you can cause a lifestyle change for the better. If you want to set yourself on the trajectory to sobriety, you can visit aa-meetings.com and take the first step. All you have to do is enter your zip code and choose the distance that suits you!