Medically Reviewed by Annamarie Coy, BA, ICPR, MATS
In this article
The first of Alcoholics Anonymous’ 12-step program is: ‘We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.’
Each step aims to help people with substance use disorders (SUDs) on their road to recovery and sobriety. Because healing is not linear, AA encourages its members to revisit the steps at any point during recovery.
Many people consistently study and work on the first step throughout their journey. AA considers it the foundation for all positive changes in recovery.
The first step refers to accepting powerlessness over alcohol. Additionally, it urges people to accept that their addictions must be managed rather than controlled.
Many people return to this step if they relapse or experience a slip in sobriety. Others check it periodically to remind themselves that they will always be powerless over addiction. Revisiting the steps can help many people remember that they must constantly work to remain sober.
Over 3 million people use BetterHelp. Their services are:
Answer a few questions to get started
There are several ways to follow step one of AA. These include:
Many AA meetings allow members to speak about their experiences. Before speaking, you must give your first name and state that you are an alcoholic.
Speaking for the first time at an AA meeting can be daunting. However, each time you do, you admit to yourself and your peers that you have a SUD.
If you desire to drink, you may be inclined to keep it a secret because you feel ashamed. However, if you don’t share your feelings with others, you may increase the chances of relapsing.
Admitting to someone you are struggling with sobriety means following step one in AA. You cannot control your addiction. Therefore you have to manage it.
If you reach out to a counselor or seek addiction treatment for your SUD, you admit that you are powerless against your addiction. Your counselor can act as a confidant and help you learn methods and strategies to stop drinking.
Some people may prefer to rely on an AA sponsor. An AA sponsor is someone you trust will listen to you and help you when you have the urge to drink.
They are someone who has overcome alcoholism. They are also a resource to help you during recovery.
If you drink, always confide in someone, as it’s another way of admitting you are powerless against alcohol. While you may feel ashamed, keeping your relapse to yourself makes recovery harder.
When following step one of AA, there are several helpful questions to ask yourself:
They’ll connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor
Find a TherapistAnswer a few questions to get started
Only you can decide whether you would like to try the AA program. Before joining, determine if you feel alcohol has become a problem.
If you need help with your SUD and want to join AA, attend a meeting. AA meetings often take place in public buildings. These locations include:
Open meetings are open to anyone interested in the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program, whether or not they are struggling with addiction. Closed meetings are for AA members only who have a drinking problem.
There are various types of AA meetings, including:
BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat.
Find a TherapistAnswer a few questions to get started
Once you’re in AA and have completed step 1, it’s time to move on to step 2. Step 2 dives deeper into your identity, spirituality, and admissions.
The purpose of step 2 is to help people understand that you aren’t alone and that there is hope for your sobriety and future.
In this article