List of Twelve Step alternate wordings
This is a list of Twelve Steps alternate wordings of the Twelve Steps set of guiding principles for recovery from addictive, compulsive, or other behavioral problems that was originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous. The twelve-step method has been adapted widely by fellowships of people recovering from various addictions, compulsive behaviors, and mental health problems. Albert Lachance has even adapted it to dealing with "consumer addictions" such as shopping therapy.
In some cases, where other twelve-step groups have adapted the AA steps as guiding principles, they have been altered to emphasize principles important to those particular fellowships, to remove gender-biased or specific religious language.
Gamblers Anonymous has made significant changes to Steps 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 12 by reducing references to God, including a financial inventory, and eliminating "Spiritual Awakening".
Most of the alternate wordings are in Step 1 and Step 12:
| Program | Step 1 | Step 12 | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcoholics Anonymous | We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. | 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. | [1] |
| Al-Anon/Alateen | alcohol | others | [2] |
| Adult Children of Alcoholics | the effects of alcoholism or other family dysfunction | others who still suffer | [3] |
| Narcotics Anonymous | our addiction | addicts | [4] |
| Nar-Anon | the addict | others | [5] |
| Cocaine Anonymous | cocaine and all other mind-altering substances | addicts | [6] |
| Co-Dependents Anonymous | others | other codependents | [7] |
| Steps 3, 7, 11 - replace Him/His with God for gender neutrality | |||
| Dual Recovery Anonymous | our dual illness of chemical dependency and emotional or psychiatric illness | others who experience dual disorders | [8] |
| Overeaters Anonymous | food | compulsive overeaters | [9] |
| Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous | food | others | [10] |
| Debtors Anonymous | debt | compulsive debtors | [11] |
| Crystal Meth Anonymous | crystal meth | crystal meth addicts | [12] |
| Marijuana Anonymous | marijuana | marijuana addicts | [13] |
| Pills Anonymous | pills and all other mind-altering substances | addicts | [14] |
| Sexaholics Anonymous | Lust | Sexaholics | [15] |
| Sex Addicts Anonymous | addictive sexual behavior | other sex addicts | [16] |
| Steps 3, 7, and 11 replace "Him" with "God" and "His" with "God's" for gender neutrality
Step 12 replaces "in all our affairs" with "in our lives" due to multiple meanings of "affairs" | |||
| Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous | sex and love addiction | sex and love addicts | [17] |
| Steps 3, 7, 11 - replace Him/His with God for gender neutrality
Step 12 replaces "in all our affairs" with "in all areas of our lives" due to one meaning of "affairs", i.e. adultery | |||
| Sexual Compulsives Anonymous | sexual compulsion | sexually compulsive people | [18] |
| Gamblers Anonymous | gambling | Having made an effort to practice these principles in all our affairs, we tried to carry this message to other compulsive gamblers. | [19] |
| Celebrate Recovery | to control my tendency to do the wrong thing | others | [20] |