Twelve-Step Programs

Since 1935, 12-step recovery programs have been a staple in the treatment of alcoholism. Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith founded Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), resting on the belief that people who shared the same problem could assist each other in overcoming that problem. In 1948, Al-Anon was established to support the spouses of alcoholics. In 1953, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) was founded upon the AA principles. Subsequently, Cocaine Anonymous, Pills Anonymous, and Marijuana Anonymous have emerged. The 12-step program model has been adopted By compulsive gamblers, overeaters, sex and love addicts, debtors, and codependents. Twelve-step groups maintain the AA format with minimal adaptations to address their specific issues. Overeaters, for instance, abstain from specific foods.

The original tenets of AA remain in practice as the 12 traditions. These traditions address how all 12-step programs operate.

• 1.
  Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.
• 2.
  For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
• 3.
  The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.
• 4.
  Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.
[Page 1315]
• 5.
  Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
• 6.
  An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
• 7.
  Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
• 8.
  AA should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
• 9.
  AA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
• 10.
  AA has no opinion on outside issues; hence, the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
• 11.
  Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
• 12.
  Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.