“The Big Book,” also known as “Alcoholics Anonymous,” is a foundational text in the recovery community. First published in 1939, the book outlines the principles and practices of the 12-step program, which is a widely-used approach to recovery from addiction.
12 Tips for Staying Sober Based on AA’s “The Big Book:
- 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 all 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.
12 Tips for Staying Sober Based on AA’s “The Big Book idea that addiction is a disease that requires ongoing recovery and support. The program promotes a holistic approach to recovery, encouraging individuals to focus on physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
