The Twelve Steps: Traditional and for Teens

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Traditional

  1. We admitted we were powerless over drugs/alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood him.
  4. Made a searching and moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. We’re entirely ready to have God remove our shortcomings.
  7. Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
  9. Made direct amends to such people, wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
  11. 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.
  12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

For Teens

  1. Admitted that when I participate in drinking, drugging, and acting-out behavior, my life becomes unmanageable.
  2. I came to believe that I could change with the help of other people.
  3. I made a decision to work with others to make changes in my behavior and values.
  4. I made a list of mistakes that I’ve made and a list of things that I like about myself.
  5. I shared my list with other people.
  6. I am ready to leave my old behaviors, attitudes and values behind.
  7. I began working with others to change these old behaviors, attitudes, and values.
  8. I made a list of people that I have hurt and decided to make amends to them.
  9. I took responsibility for my behavior and apologized to people I have hurt.
  10. I continue to take responsibility for myself and admit when I am wrong.
  11. I try, with the help of others, to be a better person and someone I can be proud of without using drugs/alcohol.
  12. I offer help to and share my stories with others.