AA Step 1: Admit Powerlessness
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has helped thousands of people recover from alcohol use disorder (AUD), the clinical term for alcohol addiction, through addiction support groups since its foundation in 1935.1 The twelve steps as outlined must be completed in order and wholeheartedly to see results.1 Learn about Step 1 of AA, why it is important, how to get started, and how to use it to begin your journey to recovery.
What Is Step 1 of AA?
Step 1 of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is to admit complete powerlessness over your ability to control your drinking, and that your life has become unmanageable.1 Often, alcohol use disorder (AUD) can bring people to “rock bottom,” in which they begin to suffer consequences at home, school, or work due to their alcohol use.1 The first Step of AA emphasizes the importance of acknowledging one’s reality, a powerlessness to stop using alcohol without outside help.
What Is the Purpose of Step 1 of AA?
The purpose of Step 1 of AA is to bring the person struggling with alcohol use to a place of humility where they will be prepared to do what is necessary to heal fully.1 In Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, AA experts write, “Only through utter defeat are we able to take our first Steps toward liberation and strength. [The] admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built.”1
To admit one’s powerlessness allows a person to engage with the AA principles and program with “all the fervor with which the drowning seize life preservers,” knowing that treatment and commitment are necessary to secure a better future.1 Without a true belief that one needs help, people often do not have the motivation to continue with treatment or recovery when it becomes difficult.1
How to Complete Step 1 of AA
Completing Step 1 of AA can be as easy as believing you cannot control your alcohol use and asking for help. But, for many people, this can be difficult to admit. It’s humbling to recognize and demonstrate to others that you have lost control and to choose to see the damage your alcohol use is causing or has caused.
The completion of Step 1 of AA may look different for different people. Depending on a person’s personality and openness, they may begin Step 1 only after experiencing job loss and relational problems, while others may be able to honestly begin Step 1 after just a year of excessive drinking with no outside consequences.1 No matter your journey or the severity of your alcohol addiction, honesty and humility are necessary to begin a successful journey to recovery with AA.
How Step 1 of AA Fits Into Your Recovery Journey
People recovering from alcohol addiction must complete Step 1 of AA first, before being able to find success in the other 12 Steps of recovery. Step 2 is acknowledging that a power greater than oneself can restore them to sanity and health.1 Without first acknowledging one’s helplessness without outside intervention, many people cannot accept and submit to a greater power.
Each of the 12 Steps builds on one another, establishing a firm foundation for commitment to recovery. Some people learn about Step 1 of AA, but it takes years before they can accept it as truth. Others may recognize their powerlessness without having ever learned the 12 Steps, seek out a treatment program or AA group, and realize they have already completed AA Step 1 without knowing it. Each journey to recovery is unique.
How to Find a 12-Step AA Program
Since its foundation, AA has consistently grown and become established, currently offering over 100,000 meetings weekly.2 These meetings are often run by people who have made significant progress in their journey and wish to help others find their way.
You can find meetings on the AA website or through an app endorsed by AA, called Meeting Guide. Meeting Guide can help you find both in-person and online meetings.2 They show the time, location, and meeting name so that it is easy to find. Many cities or counties also have websites specific to their region with meetings and times listed with local contact people.
Meetings often occur in community centers or other public community spaces, but some also occur in rooms at addiction treatment centers. Many treatment centers incorporate 12-Step therapy into their individualized treatment planning, which may be attractive to those who wish to engage with AA and addiction treatment with professionals. Additionally, the 12-Step program founded by AA can be used as an ongoing support, or aftercare, for patients when they complete a formal treatment.
Start Your Recovery
If you or a loved one are interested in a 12-Step program or have already begun attending one, you may benefit from rehab as well. With access to mental health professionals, rehab centers offer multiple levels of care that can be adjusted to your needs.
Common levels of care include:3
- Medical detox.
- Inpatient addiction treatment.
- Intensive outpatient addiction treatment programs.
- Partial hospitalization programs for addiction.
- Outpatient addiction treatment programs.
- Aftercare programs, including sober living homes.
If you’re ready to change your life, talk to one of our compassionate admissions navigators today at . They are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have about treatment, life in rehab, or the cost of treatment. You can also take the next step by filling out the short form below to verify insurance and see what your health insurance coverage for rehab is. Contacting us and filling out the form is confidential and free, with no obligation to enroll in treatment.