History of 12-Step Recovery: What are the 12 Steps?

The History of the 12-Step Program for Addiction Recovery

The 12-step program began in the 1930s with the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). AA was created in 1935 in Akron, Ohio, by Bill Wilson (Bill W.) and Dr. Bob Smith (Dr. Bob), two men struggling with alcoholism who found that sharing their experiences and supporting each other helped them stay sober. They believed that recovery required admitting powerlessness over alcohol, relying on a higher power for strength, and helping others who faced the same struggles.

In 1939, AA published Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism, often called “The Big Book.” This book laid out the original twelve steps as a structured path to recovery. The program quickly spread across the United States and then worldwide, offering people a peer-driven, community-based approach to sobriety that was free and widely accessible.

Over time, the 12-step model was adapted for many other addictions and behavioral health issues, including Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Overeaters Anonymous (OA), and others. Today, the 12-step philosophy remains one of the most well-known and widely practiced peer support frameworks for addiction recovery.

What Is A 12-Step Program?

A 12-step program is a structured approach to recovery from addiction, first developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and later adapted for many other substance use and behavioral issues. The program is built around twelve guiding principles or “steps” that help individuals work through their addiction by acknowledging their struggles, seeking support, making amends where possible, and committing to ongoing personal growth.

At the core of a 12-step program is the idea of finding strength through community and, for many participants, through a higher power. Meetings are typically peer-led, meaning people in recovery support one another by sharing experiences, offering accountability, and encouraging continued progress. Participation is voluntary and confidential, creating a safe environment for honesty and growth.

12-step programs like AA or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are widely available, often free to attend, and provide long-term support beyond formal rehab. They are considered a supplement to clinical treatment, offering fellowship, structure, and encouragement for maintaining sobriety.

A 12 step program is a mutual support organization that’s organized for the purpose of recovery from:

Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
Behavioral addictions
Substance use disorders (SUDs)
Compulsions

First developed in the 1930s, AA was the first 12-step program. Since then, dozens of other programs have evolved from their approach to address various other problems. All 12-step programs use a version of AA’s suggested 12 steps.

What Are The 12 Steps?

Although the original 12 Steps of AA have been modified over time, the basis for each step stays the same for all recovery programs that use a 12-step model. By thoroughly examining the steps and seeing how others have applied the principles to their lives, you can use them to:

gain an understanding of your own experiences
build strength to persevere
gain hope for your own recovery

The 12 steps are detailed below:

Admit powerlessness over addiction and that life has become unmanageable
Believe that a power greater than oneself can help restore sanity
Decide to turn one’s will and life over to the care of that higher power
Take a searching and fearless moral inventory of oneself
Admit to God, oneself, and another person the exact nature of one’s wrongs
Be ready to have God remove character defects
Humbly ask God to remove shortcomings
Make a list of people harmed and be willing to make amends
Make direct amends wherever possible, except when doing so would cause harm
Continue personal inventory and promptly admit wrongs when they occur
Seek through prayer and meditation to improve connection with God or higher power
Carry the message of recovery to others and practice these principles in all areas of life

How Do The 12 Steps Help People Overcome Drug and Alcohol Addictions?

The 12 steps offer a suggested recovery program that has worked for the early members of AA and has continued to work for many years, regardless of the type of addiction. It was created for alcohol or drugs addicts to help them learn how to cope with sobriety in a way that gives direction, structure, and support.

The 12-step meetings are the “fellowship” part of the AA mutual support groups. During the meetings, people come together to share their experiences and offer support to the other members. Generally, the purpose of a support group is to help individuals realize that they can’t do it alone.

Based on a design, the 12 steps are like a framework for personal change. Having an addiction can restrict a person from making the necessary changes in his or her life. However, by talking to others who have the same experiences, and have shared similar experiences in their lives, a way to make these changes takes place.

According to Psychology Today, “the 12 Steps program provides shelter for addicts who are adjusting to a new lifestyle.” They replace their old destructive lifestyles with new, healthier ones.

Encouraging Awareness

A 12-Step program also encourages awareness by:

Making people have an awareness of themselves. In other words, knowing your shortcomings and using them to improve yourself.
By providing a sponsor or therapist that makes sure that support is offered to members of the group.
Understanding the addictions and compulsive behaviors that lead to the harm of people’s health.
Providing knowledge of a more productive way to act, think, and live.

How Effective Are 12 Step Programs?

The effectiveness of 12 step programs has been studied for decades, and research shows that they can be very helpful for many people, though results vary depending on individual commitment and circumstances.

Long-term studies suggest that people who actively engage in 12 step programs have better outcomes. For example, regular attendance at meetings and working through the steps are linked to a higher likelihood of long-term sobriety. One study reported that participants who consistently attended AA were about twice as likely to remain abstinent compared to those who did not.

Are 12 Step Programs Free?

Yes, 12 step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are free to join and attend. There are no membership fees, and anyone with a desire to stop drinking or using substances can participate. These programs operate on a tradition of self-support, meaning they rely on voluntary contributions from members rather than charging fees.

At meetings, it is common for a collection basket to be passed around, but donations are optional and usually small, often just enough to cover rent for the meeting space, coffee, or literature. This makes 12 step groups highly accessible, since cost is not a barrier to participation.

Are the 12 Steps Religious?

The 12 steps are spiritual in nature but not strictly religious. They were originally developed within Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s and include references to God and a “Higher Power.” For many participants, that higher power is understood in a religious sense, often within Christianity, since that was the cultural background at the time the steps were written.

However, the program is not tied to a specific religion and does not require membership in any faith. People are encouraged to define a higher power in a way that makes sense to them. For some, that might mean God, while for others it could mean the group itself, the collective strength of the recovery community, or even the principles of honesty and accountability.

Because of this flexibility, the 12 steps have been adapted into both religious and secular forms. While some groups keep the traditional spiritual language, others, like SMART Recovery, offer a non-spiritual alternative for people who prefer a completely secular approach.

How Have The 12 Steps Changed?

Even though the 12 steps being used today are based on the history of 12 step program, written by the founders of AA in the 1930s, the understanding of the term “God” has expanded to refer to God “as we understand Him.” Thus, God can be any “higher power” that an individual believes in. Regardless, believing in a higher power may help someone find meaning in life outside of addiction.

As a result of the spiritual nature of the 12 step program, a person may join a spiritual or religious group and find a stronger sense of community. A person might also take part in meditation and prayer. These can all be healthy coping methods that a person can turn to as he or she progresses in recovery.

Since the 12-Steps were first developed, they have been adopted by many organizations to deal with everything from narcotics addictions to emotional disorders and more. Typically each organization adjusts the steps slightly, just enough to indicate the relevant substance or affliction. Generally, but not always, these additional 12 step programs have the approval of AA.

Finding a 12-Step Program Near Me in Los Angeles, CA

Many treatment centers include 12-step programs or 12-step facilitation therapy in their services. Twelve-step groups are used in formal treatment programs such as residential treatment or outpatient treatment programs. Often, 12-step programs are used in continuing care or as a requirement for sober living residences.

12-step facilitation therapy helps encourage individuals to take part in mutual support groups by providing safe places to become familiar with the steps without the group setting. Programs organized in a treatment facility might use an individual therapy, group, or combination approach.

If you’re stepping down from formal treatment, it’s helpful to talk to your treatment team about which recovery support groups would be the most beneficial for you. Other things to consider when new to recovery include finding a recovery, support program that specializes in your specific addiction.

Some of the most common 12 step groups are:

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
Gamblers Anonymous (GA)
Overeaters Anonymous (OA)

Finding a local “12-step program near me” that isn’t part of formal treatment is easy. Each group has a website and a search tool to help you find local and online meetings.

12 Step Alternatives

There are several alternatives to the 12 steps for people who want recovery programs that are more secular, flexible, or based on different approaches. Here are some of the main options:

SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training): Uses cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational techniques to help people manage cravings, build coping skills, and focus on self-empowerment rather than a higher power.
LifeRing Secular Recovery: A peer support network that emphasizes personal responsibility and building a “sober self” through mutual support without spiritual or religious elements.
Women for Sobriety (WFS): A program created specifically for women that focuses on positive affirmations, self-worth, and emotional growth as tools for recovery.
Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist-inspired program that uses meditation, mindfulness, and the Eightfold Path to support healing from addiction.
Moderation Management (MM): A program for individuals who want to reduce and manage drinking rather than commit to total abstinence, with structured guidelines and peer support.
Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS): A network of groups that provides peer-led support meetings focused on sobriety without religious or spiritual content.

These alternatives give people different pathways depending on their beliefs, preferences, and recovery goals.

12 Step Program for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Near Me at Harmony Place

If the history of 12 step program got you thinking about finding help for an addiction, a comprehensive addiction treatment program should be your first step. Harmony Place Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles can provide you or a loved one, all of the services necessary to design a personalized recovery program. From an initial medically monitored detox to alumni and aftercare programs, our addiction specialists are experienced in the treatment of a range of substance use disorders and the mental issues that may co-exist.

You will have a treatment team to help you on your road to recovery. We know it’s a difficult path and are determined to provide you with everything you need to succeed.

Recovery from addiction is a complicated process. Just quitting is only the first step. Contact us today. Find out what we can do for you.