AA Step 12: 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

Alcohol addiction affects people from all walks of life. Many attend peer support groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), to overcome alcohol use disorder (AUD) and connect with others on similar paths.¹ The 12 steps of AA are guiding principles that promote spiritual growth and sobriety.² Step 12 of AA focuses on spiritual awakening and encouraging others battling addiction to seek help.³

The previous steps of AA help you relinquish control of your addiction to a higher power and accept help to gain sobriety.³ These steps take you on a journey of self-reflection, forgiveness, accountability, and acceptance as you recognize your faults and work to change them.³ Completing all 12 steps is essential, as each drives you to do the necessary work to grow spiritually, heal, and reach recovery.⁴

Keep reading to learn more about what AA Step 12 entails, how to complete it, and how to find 12-Step programs near you.

What Is Step 12 of AA?

Step 12 of AA is “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.”³ This final step is about transformation and continuously applying the 12 steps to sustain recovery.⁴ It also emphasizes spreading the message to others who are struggling with alcohol addiction.⁴

Participants discover a “spiritual awakening” by practicing all the steps.⁴ AA literature describes this awakening as “a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and being.”⁴ This concept encompasses carrying yourself in a new positive way and accomplishing your goals with help from a higher power.⁴ You learn to place your life in the hands of a source higher than yourself and use the strength you gain for long-term recovery.⁴

AA Step 12 also highlights the significance of completing every step for the best outcomes.⁴ It discourages the concept of “2-stepping,” or only following 2 of the 12 steps.⁴ Following just a few of the 12 steps can initially bring satisfaction as you feel the illusion of change.⁴ But as time passes, many feel their growth has stunted and question the effectiveness of AA.⁴ AA literature recommends completing all the steps in order and practicing them continuously in your daily life to avoid this.⁴

What Is the Purpose of Step 12 of AA?

The purpose of Step 12 of AA is to take action daily to sustain sobriety and spread the message to other people battling addiction.⁴ Practicing the 12 steps becomes a way of life, adding purpose and meaning.⁴ Each step pushes you to take responsibility for your emotional security with the help of your higher power.⁴

Step 12 of AA completes this transformation as you accept and adjust to life’s challenges.⁴ This step also highlights ongoing spiritual development.⁴ It promotes depending on your higher power for inner strength and peace instead of yourself and others.⁴

Along with achieving your own spiritual awakening, you’re tasked with freely giving what you have received.⁴ AA Step 12 literature states, “The joy of living is the theme of AA’s 12th Step, and action is its key word.”⁴ It encourages members to reach out to others who are still fighting addiction and selflessly support them with unconditional love.⁴

Step 12 of AA enables you to demonstrate how the 12 steps have changed you by helping others in any way you can.⁴ This fosters mutually beneficial relationships as you guide others with AUD while continuing the 12-Step way of life to sustain recovery.⁴

How to Complete Step 12 of AA

Reaching AA Step 12 is a powerful moment for many. This final step requires an everlasting commitment to achieve long-term recovery.⁴ Members accomplish this daily by regularly attending, volunteering, or speaking at AA meetings.⁴ Accepting simple duties, like organizing the meeting refreshments or reading the announcements, can lead you toward completing AA Step 12.⁴

Reaching out to others in distress is fundamental.⁴ Step 12 of AA emphasizes spreading the message to others who need help.⁴ You can do your part by speaking to newcomers, assisting long-term members who may be struggling, or introducing others with addiction to AA.⁴ Additionally, remembering that relapse is often a part of recovery is essential.¹ As you work to help fellow members, avoid discouragement if they experience a relapse, and do your best to continue spreading the AA message.⁴

Practicing the 12 steps daily is also vital to completing AA Step 12.⁴ Constant prayer, meditation, and self-reflection can strengthen relationships with your higher power, yourself, and others.⁴ Applying the 12-Step philosophy to every aspect of your life, such as marriage, relationships, and work, can aid in completing Step 12 of AA.⁴ By continuing to do the work, you can take life challenges as they come and transform them into demonstrations of faith.⁴

How Step 12 Fits into Your Recovery Journey

The preceding AA steps lead you through a process of self-discovery, healing, and spiritual growth.³ You recognize your wrongdoings, actively work to change them, and seek guidance from your higher power.³ Once you’ve reached Step 12, you’ve worked to develop unwavering faith in your higher power, a solid understanding of yourself, and stronger relationships.³ Step 12 of AA ties everything together with a new outlook on life.⁴ This step helps you continuously grow to sustain recovery.⁴

The AA prayer is the essence of the 12-Step philosophy. It states, “God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.”⁴ This prayer keeps members grounded in recovery, remembering that their higher power is at the forefront of their lives.⁴ You can look to this prayer when challenges arise, believing that your higher power will always provide the strength to stay on track with sobriety.⁴

AA promotes essential elements of recovery, like developing healthy coping skills, peer support, and self-efficacy.⁴ Studies link participation in AA to several positive outcomes. For example, researchers found that AA involvement was linked to higher well-being and life satisfaction.⁵ Another study showed that participating in AA led to higher rates of continuous sobriety than some clinical interventions.⁶

How to Find a 12-Step AA Program

People discover 12-Step programs in many ways. Some begin AA programs in group sessions as part of professional treatment.¹ Others may be introduced to 12-Step meetings as a form of addiction aftercare or attend meetings instead of rehab.¹

Many treatment centers incorporate 12-Step programs into alcohol addiction care.¹ Recovery looks different for everyone, so multiple levels of care are available.¹ Some may begin treatment in medical detox to withdraw from substances safely before transitioning to another level of care.¹ Inpatient drug and alcohol rehab is available for people who require medical supervision, while living in a treatment facility.¹ Several outpatient addiction treatment programs are available at different intensities for those who can live at home while completing care.¹

Treatment centers offer individualized therapeutic interventions, like therapy and addiction education, to help you recognize and change the behaviors contributing to addiction.¹ After completing treatment, addiction experts recommend remaining in aftercare programs, such as sober living homes, ongoing therapy, and peer support groups, to sustain recovery.¹

AA meetings are free and available worldwide.² You can search for local meetings near you on the AA website to find a 12-Step program.⁷ You can also find meetings and resources in your area with AA’s meeting guide app.⁸ Additionally, most cities and districts have AA websites to locate meetings.⁹

Start Your Recovery

If you’re interested in a 12-Step program or are already participating in one, rehab could also benefit your recovery journey. American Addiction Centers (AAC) can help you learn more about treatment options and find the right care for you. Our treatment directory tool connects you with rehab facilities nationwide. You can tailor your search based on your specific needs to find the best fit.

Professional addiction care utilizes evidence-based treatment to help you achieve your recovery goals.¹ A 12-Step program can complement professional care, helping you find meaning in recovery, foster relationships with others on similar paths, and achieve long-term sobriety.¹

Paying for rehab can be a burden for many, but it shouldn’t deter you from seeking this life-changing treatment. Contact AAC at or use our insurance verification tool to learn more about your health insurance coverage. If you don’t have insurance, our admissions navigators can help you explore other ways to pay for treatment. Starting the journey to recovery can open the doors to support and encouragement. Reach out to AAC to learn more about addiction, 12-Step programs, and how to start treatment.