Who Wrote The Twelve Steps?

The creation of Alcoholics Anonymous was already in motion as Bill Wilson realized alcoholism was to blame in the downfall of his career. As Wilson attempted to treat the disease through hospital stays, he knew he needed something more to achieve sobriety.

In 1935, Wilson was introduced to Dr Bob Smith and his life was changed forever as he finally overcame alcoholism. Smith and Wilson went on to form their own group: Alcoholics Anonymous. The first ever edition of the Alcoholics Anonymous guiding manual Alcoholics Anonymous was written by Wilson in 1939. The original “Big Book” outlines the program’s 12 principles and the 12 steps for achieving sobriety.

Why 12 Steps Work

Because of the anonymity of the program and lack of formal research available, it’s hard to tell just how effective the 12-Step model is. However, the prominence of this type of treatment, as well as success stories from recovering addicts, suggest it is effective.

At the very least, the 12-Step model provides support, encouragement and accountability for people who genuinely want to overcome their addiction. The sponsorship model, as well as regular meeting times, encourage the kind of social support that has helped countless people stay clean.

The Steps Summarized

Here are the 12 Steps as defined by Alcoholics Anonymous:

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 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.

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