If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at That is, you can’t push it to the side or avoid it because of embarrassment. The problem is there, and that person is in front of you right now. Living amends involve this daily dedication to avoiding new wrongdoings as evidence of growth. It requires good judgment to navigate the intricacies of making restitution with a sense of responsibility and sensitivity to avoid causing further damage, lest we make the wreckage of the past worse. To act beyond our old patterns of behavior, many of us require guidance.
The AA Amends Script: A Full Breakdown and PDF
The guilt may have been real, but the apology didn’t come with lasting change. Bear in mind, you’re not alone while navigating living amends the process of making amends. Many have walked this path before, and their wisdom can provide valuable guidance.
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- It takes a certain maturity and level of respect for yourself and the person you’re hoping to reconnect with to get past any past issues.
- A complete answer to this question begins with a quick history of how these principles originated, who developed them, and why.
- Our team of experienced and compassionate therapists and counselors guides clients through every step of the recovery process.
- It’s about facing reality, acknowledging specific errors, and committing to change past behaviors.
This ongoing nature of making amends can lead to self-healing by alleviating the stress tied to previous behaviors, potentially averting relapse. Step 9 is about repairing relationships and includes actions such as apologizing to those harmed or making positive contributions to the community. It is put into practice through face-to-face interactions to address and mend the damages caused directly, head-on. The Twelve Step recovery process incorporates making amends as a crucial element. It’s about facing reality, acknowledging specific errors, and committing to change past behaviors.
What Does Step 9 (Making Amends) Have To Do With Sobriety?
Love is empathy and compassion, and Step 8 asks you to make a list of everyone you’ve wronged in your journey to where you are now. You also have to be willing to make amends, which shows that you truly care for the people on your list. The Big Book also outlines the 12 AA principles, which are single words encompassing the virtues needed to pass each step. He based his principles on that work and on his meetings with Smith, whom he also helped to achieve sobriety. He believed strongly that alcoholism affected the body, mind, and spirit. Although the organization grew slowly in those early days, it also grew steadily.
A complete answer to this question begins with a quick history of how these principles originated, who developed them, and why. You’ll then get to learn about each principle separately and what it means…. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the oldest, continuous organizations that have offered those struggling with alcohol addiction assistance in achieving and maintaining recovery. Their main methodology is known as the 12 Steps, and breaks down the path to recovery into regimented levels. At Silvermist Recovery Center, you can experience one on one care and a customized treatment plan.
- Even so, you will have done all that you can to take responsibility for the past—and there’s a level of peace and freedom in that as well.
- The idea of making amends can trigger anxiety and fear of rejection, but you can move through this process at your own pace.
- In step 4, you made a catalog of your past, and in step 6, you admitted them and released yourself from the guilt and shame.
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable. I tend to hide the memory of past transgressions under the ever-handy umbrella of “Didn’t do it if I don’t remember”. Since I spent years in a boozy haze all sorts of hurts were ignored. Making amends may seem like a bitter pill to swallow, but for those serious about recovery, it can be good medicine for the spirit and the soul. We are seeking accountability for our own actions and holding ourselves to the standards of our own values and our 12 Step program.
We provide a safe, nurturing, and non-judgmental space where clients can focus solely on their recovery journey. Our supportive community fosters trust and encourages open communication, allowing clients to share their experiences and grow together. To learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous, read why it still works all these years after its creation.
By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. I also realized that in my childhood, that I had blamed my Dad for things my Mom actually caused by trying to get him to stop drinking. For years he had been drinking and she started later in my life, so I also blamed his actions for making her drink.
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