The Twelve Steps embody principles that lead to recovery and personal growth. Under them, there are various programs to help addicts and co-addicts, as well as self-help groups for addicts and co-addicts. The 12 steps apply to all types of addictions (substitute the relevant addictive substance or activity for the word “alcohol”):

1. We recognized that we were powerless against alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. We began to believe that a Power stronger than us could restore our sanity.
3. We decided to entrust our will and our lives to God as we understood Him.
4. We did a deep and fearless moral inventory.
5. We acknowledge the true nature of our offenses before God, ourselves and another person.
6. We were completely ready for God to remove all these character faults.
7. We humbly asked Him to free us from our shortcomings.
8. We made a list of all the people we had wronged and wanted to make it up to them all.
9. We compensated these people where possible, except where it could have harmed them or others.
10. We continued our personal inventory and when we made a mistake, we immediately admitted it.
11. We sought through prayer and meditation to perfect our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, asking only to know His will for us and the power to fulfill it.
12. After receiving the spiritual awakening these steps brought, we tried to bring this message to alcoholics and apply these principles in all areas of life.

Reference: www.aa.org.lv