The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are famous throughout the world. They are regarded as proven formulas to recover from alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Each step is important. You need to perform each step and not miss any. You also cannot jump to another step without completing the previous one. The strictness followed in performing the steps contributes to the amazing recovery of participants.
When you join one of the local AA meetings, you must be ready to embark on a new journey sans alcohol. It may appear apprehensive in the beginning. You are not sure whether you can live without drinking. But as you start doing the steps, you realize your folly regarding alcohol as an important part of life.
Out of all the steps, step 8 holds particular importance.
About step 8 of AA
You have come this far in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and you are on the eighth step. Step 8 is all about forgiving others and yourselves in the process of recovery. It is about making a list of people you may have hurt during your active addiction days. Then, you must make amends with them.
It is not an easy step. Yet, this step can help you recover in leaps and bounds.
This is because you introspect and find incidents wherein you did wrong to people. You accept your mistakes. You ask for their forgiveness.
It is not necessary that the other person may forgive you or make amends with you. That’s okay. The main objective of step 8 is to dig into your mistakes, accept them, seek forgiveness and also to forgive yourselves, and move on.
Unless you don’t do this, you won’t recover fully because the past will nudge you. All that hurt and wrongdoings will burden you.
Before you search for “AA meeting near me,” you must be completely ready to surrender to your own self and a power higher than you. This is because meetings are not for playing the blame game. It is for self-reflection and to transcend yourselves to a higher level where you are better aware of yourselves. It is when you reach this level that you no longer, need alcohol as a crutch in life.
Examples of behaviors you may need to amend:
- Abusing your loved ones physically, mentally, or verbally (also financially).
- Showing irritation and/or anger at the slightest provocation.
- Drinking and driving.
- Becoming aggressive and engaging in fights or brawls with people.
- Becoming reckless and putting yourselves and others at risk.
- Neglecting your loved ones.
- Drinking secretively and deceiving your family.
- Putting the wrong number of days in Sobriety Calculator just to show off.
- Saying things that hurt or not communicating at all.
How to do Step 8?
- Look back in the past and recall the instances wherein you hurt people in any way.
- Make a list.
- Write down your mistakes.
- Accept the mistakes.
- Forgive yourselves.
- Now, call or meet the person whom you hurt and ask for forgiveness. Be ready for their reaction – positive or negative.
- Let go.
AA meeting in Connecticut will help you carry out this crucial step of recovery.
