AA/NA and the steps

I was wondering I have never been to an AA/NA meeting .I don't want to have this turn into a debate post over the good and bad parts off aa/na THATs NOT what I am asking , If it turns into an argument then I will have them remove the post.
I am just asking what is the big book?

What are the 12 steps ?
I am assuming they are there to help you in your recovery .I don't know what each one is and what you have to do to move on to the next step .I really would like like to understand alittle more if someone is willing to tell me,

[jstntime]

Hey Avis,

The 12 steps are the core of the program which are explained in the big book.  Just looking at the bare steps does not give you much detail and I surely am no expert despite going to quite a few meetings but the idea is to teach you a new way to live, a new way to look at things and a new way to act.   To teach you how to let go so you don't get dragged.

I found a great site that not only shows each step but also has a great description of how someone used them, how they "worked it" to get better.  They do it far more justice than I ever could (yet).

Go check it out at   http://www.the12steps.com/index.html

Hope this helps,

bob

[mikchez]

Hello avisg
I first went to  AA and NA meetings picked up a schedule,  and I went to allot of different meetings there is allot of different formats some I liked some I didn't. but I have found that I can meet people in recovery and go to meetings and have acquaintance's people that know my name and make me feel welcome. The way it works is one addict helping another. The big Book has some great history and story's go to a big book study meeting look up meetings on the internet or call your central office there is people available to explain and  pick you up if you need a ride its all about helping others. I think one of the best things about the steps is it becomes a way of life and I cleaned up my past I didn't have to wallow in my own crap any more check out 12 step.org. Go to a meeting get a home group and a sponsor and have fun because it can be very amusing and rewarding I feel I wouldn't be clean and sober  if it wasn't for those meetings and conventions and service to others. Not that theres any thing wrong with just quiting but the support of others is huge Good Luck My friend . Peace /Love

[Beccabeccalynn]

Step 1 : admitted we were powerless over alcohol/drugs and that our lives had become unmanagable.

[avisg]

I think it helps alot when people explain it more alot of time we here people are going too aa/na meeting and there is a big book and steeps but I dont think we ever have had posts that kind of tell you the reasoning's and how they help .I am sure they are not a perfect fit of every person right now I see a therapist but I think the more knowledge we have about are of our choices the better off we are

[dominosarah]

12 Steps of NA 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous
NA - How it Works
If you want what we have to offer, and are willing to make the effort to get it, then you are ready to take certain steps. These are the principles that made our recovery possible.

1.We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
2.We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3.We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4.We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5.We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6.We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7.We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8.We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9.We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10.We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11.We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12.Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

[ang_811]

what a great post. ive been seeing a addciton specialist but i want to get as much knowledge as possible about addiction and about how to continue to live clean again. i will do whateer i can to make sure that i dont go back to that lifestyle ever again. it took me getting clean and sober to make me realize how unhappy i was and how i wasnt living my life.

[avisg]

SARA ,THAT WAS GREAT THANK YOU IT REALLY HELPS ME UNDERSTAND ALOT MORE i HAVE ALWAYS KNOWEN THE BEAR BASICS BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD IT BROKE DOWN THE WAY YOU ALL HAVE ..

[freebird227]

Principles behind the steps......
1.Honesty/My name is Debra I an an addict
2 Openmindedness/I have been restored to right thinking
3.Willingness/I made a decision, not the drugs
4.Acceptance/of the damage I created while using
5.Trust/faith in another human being to know the truth about me
6.Surrender/Giving up what no longer serves me
7.Humility/ I can't on my own remove my shortcommings, I need help

8.Amends List/ Naming people places and things that suffered at the hand of my addiction
9.Faith/Cleaning up the wreckage of my past so I can live clean in Today
10.Discipline/Practice, practice practice
11.Openmindedness,Willingness/ Prayer and meditatiom
12.Serving others/ Giving back to others who suffer with addiction

The short version is 123,Give up  456 Clean up 789 Make up 10 11 12 Keep up
AS you can see a lot of these principles are repeated over and over because we as addicts really need a new road map, the one we get clean with is no longer working. We need a new way of seeing,beliving,experiencing.feeling...all is broken and we need healing........Every addict will have their own experience with applying the principles to their lives because we are not cookie-cutter addicts. Thats why we say Take What You Like and Leave The Rest........Gest keep comming back... because it works~

[Htownnofrown]

The 12 steps are in expansion of the founders original 3 principles which were trust god, clean house, and help others. In AA, The big book was written in the thirty's By co founder bill wilson. It was originally intended to help other alcoholics through the mail since AA at the time was pretty much word of mouth.