Minimum 200 word with apa format a MUST
Check out the 12 Steps on the Internet and consider how they might be written differently today due to changes in our culture from the 1930s.
Compare the original 12 Steps with the 13 Steps from Women for Sobriety available at www.womenforsobriety.org.
What are the differences?
Has anything been lost?
Is anything gained in these new versions?
Is it right to tamper with something that has stood the test of time?
Let’s have a discussion after you check out the original 12 steps and the revised version of the “13 Steps from Women for Sobriety” based on the four short guiding questions above.
ANSWER
The original 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the 13 Steps from Women for Sobriety (WFS) are both structured programs aimed at helping individuals overcome substance abuse and addiction. While they share some similarities in their goals, they also have notable differences in their approaches and philosophies. Here’s a comparison of the two:
**Original 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous:**
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. 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 the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
**13 Steps from Women for Sobriety (WFS):**
1. We affirm that we have a life-threatening problem that once had no end.
2. We feel self-confident that we can learn and grow and change.
3. We believe deep within ourselves that we can handle whatever comes our way without using.
4. We admit that we are able to accept life as it presents itself to us—full of challenges and pain, as well as joy and fulfillment.
5. We admit we need ongoing support and reinforcement in order to remain sober.
6. We accept the fact that we must make a daily, personal commitment to follow through on this plan of action.
7. We learn to distinguish between actions that are proper and those that are not.
8. We offer our assistance and support to others on the same path.
9. We make a conscientious effort to breathe deeply when we feel the urge to use.
10. We accept responsibility for ourselves and for our actions and do not blame others for our problems.
11. We come to understand that we do not have the power to control and manage others.
12. We learn not to play games, and we do not play a role or manipulate others.
13. We learn that our higher power is capable of restoring our sanity.
**Comparison:**
1. **Higher Power:** The original 12 Steps prominently mention a “Power greater than ourselves” and invoke the concept of God. In contrast, the WFS steps do not focus on a higher power, making them more suitable for secular individuals or those uncomfortable with religious language.
2. **Gender:** The WFS steps are explicitly designed for women in recovery, whereas the original 12 Steps are gender-neutral. This reflects a specific focus on women’s issues and experiences.
3. **Number of Steps:** The WFS program has one additional step, which emphasizes the importance of deep breathing and self-control when facing the urge to use substances.
4. **Philosophical Approach:** The 12 Steps emphasize admitting powerlessness and relying on a higher power for recovery. WFS focuses on self-confidence, personal responsibility, and self-empowerment.
5. **Support and Community:** Both programs stress the significance of ongoing support and helping others in recovery.
Ultimately, the choice between the original 12 Steps and the 13 Steps from Women for Sobriety should be based on an individual’s personal beliefs, values, and preferences. Some individuals may find one program more suitable and effective for their recovery journey than the other.