Editing Alcoholics Anonymous (section)

=== Twelve steps ===
{{See also|Twelve-step program#Twelve Steps}}
[[File:Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous exhibit A.A. Intergroup Akron OH March 2022.jpg|thumb|333x333px|Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Steps exhibit at AA Intergroup in Akron, Ohio.]]
AA's program extends beyond abstaining from alcohol.<ref name="HUMPHREYS1995">{{cite journal |last1=Humphreys |first1=Keith |last2=Kaskutas |first2=Lee Ann |year=1995 |title=World Views of Alcoholics Anonymous, Women for Sobriety, and Adult Children of Alcoholics/Al-Anon Mutual Help Groups |journal=Addiction Research & Theory |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=231–243 |doi=10.3109/16066359509005240}}</ref> Its goal is to effect enough change in the alcoholic's thinking "to bring about recovery from alcoholism"{{sfn|Bill W.|2002|p=[http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/en_bigbook_appendiceii.pdf Appendix II, p. 567]}} through "an entire psychic change," or spiritual awakening.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Alcoholics Anonymous |publisher=AA World Services |year=2002 |isbn=9781893007178 |edition=4th |location=New York |pages=xxix}}</ref> A spiritual awakening is meant to be achieved by taking the [[Twelve Steps]],<ref name="THISISAA">{{cite web |year=1984 |title=This is AA |url=http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-1_thisisaa1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325200905/http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-1_thisisaa1.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2009 |access-date=12 December 2009 |publisher=Alcoholics Anonymous Work Services, Inc}}</ref> and sobriety is furthered by volunteering for AA<ref name="QAonSpon">[[#QAonSpon|Questions & Answers on Sponsorship]]</ref> and regular AA meeting attendance<ref name="NEWCOMER">{{cite web |year=1980 |title=A Newcomer Asks.. |url=http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-24_anewcomerask.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315002719/http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-24_anewcomerask.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2009 |access-date=12 December 2009 |publisher=Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc}}</ref> or contact with AA members.<ref name="THISISAA" />

Taking AA's 12 steps are a "suggested", but not required, "program of recovery"—also called a "spiritual solution". They start with members admitting to being "powerless over alcohol" (which the Big Book calls an "Illness" or "malady", but never a "disease’’), and out of control—for which on going divining and following the will an unspecified [[Higher Power|'higher power']] ("God, as we understood Him") could restore them to "sanity". In the steps members acknowledge and make amends and seek to correct personal character defects aided by their higher power for guidance. Those "having achieved a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps" are suggested to carry AA's message to other alcoholics. This is often done through meetings of AA groups as well as with members taking on sponsees, although the Big Book makes no mention of the latter term. While taking care to avoid becoming affiliated, some AA members perform outreach to hospitals, treatment centers and correctional facilities.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=Bill |title=Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: A Brief History of A.A. Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing. |publisher=Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. |year=1957 |isbn=9780916856021 |edition= |location=St}}</ref>

==== Sponsorship ====
Members are encouraged to find an experienced fellow alcoholic, called a sponsor, to help them understand and follow the AA program. The sponsor should preferably have experienced all twelve of the steps, be the same sex as the sponsored person, and refrain from imposing personal views on the sponsored person.<ref name="QAonSpon" /> Following the [[Helper theory|helper therapy principle]], sponsors in AA may benefit from their relationship with their charges, as "helping behaviors" correlate with increased abstinence and lower probabilities of binge drinking.<ref name="ZEMORE2004">{{cite journal |author=Zemore, S. E. |author2=Kaskutas, L. A. |author3=Ammon, L. N. |name-list-style=amp |date=August 2004 |title=In 12-step groups, helping helps the helper |journal=Addiction |volume=99 |issue=8 |pages=1015–1023 |doi=10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00782.x |pmid=15265098}}</ref>