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Tools for the First Step of AA

The first step of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program for recovery requires you to admit you have a problem and that you are incapable of resolving it on your own. As the AA resource website 12 Step notes, the official wording is, "We admitted we were powerless over our addiction---that our lives had become unmanageable." While it seems straightforward enough, this first step, largely a psychological one, can sometimes be the most difficult to accomplish.

  1. Literature

    • Reading about a disease--such as alcoholism--and its various symptoms and health impacts can help people better understand and come to terms with what they are suffering. In this regard, literature can be a powerful tool in helping an alcoholic realize that his drinking is a physiological condition, and not a behavior that he can control on his own. Fortunately, literature about reaching the first step and about AA strategies for understanding alcoholism abound, both on the Internet and on the bookshelves. One option is to visit the Minnesota Recovery Page, which provides links to helpful articles and information about books on recovery. There are worksheets to help you assess how drinking has affected your life and your relationships.

    Self-Diagnosis

    • If reading about alcoholism and completing worksheets don't help you reach that first step, an alternative strategy is physical self-diagnosis. According to the AA organization's recovery reference book, the AA Big Book, you can accomplish this by drinking a controlled amount of alcohol in a controlled environment, such as a bathroom. The objective is to limit yourself to a small quantity of alcohol, then to try to stop abruptly. If you are unable to do this, or if you begin to tremble or show other signs of physical distress, the experience may help you come to grips with the severity of your problem.

    Group Meetings

    • You can find AA support group meetings in communities nationwide. According to the health and lifestyle resource website Livestrong, these meetings allow you to talk openly about your experiences with drinking. They also let you learn about the experiences of other participants. Getting a new perspective on alcoholism in this way can help you reach that first step.

    Sponsor

    • As the recovery resource website Alcohol 411 notes, an AA sponsor is a person who has completed the 12 steps and gives back to the organization by helping new members achieve their goals. Consulting with a sponsor one-on-one, and learning about his own experiences with--and strategies for--completing the first step, can be a great tool for those who are struggling with it.

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