Step One

This pamphlet covers AA’s Step One, “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” This admission is the foundation of recovery, but it’s something we can’t do alone.

“The First Step is where what was impossible starts to become possible. For people with addiction, also called substance use disorder, the First Step is where the miracle of recovery begins. Step One is the essential key that unlocks the door to sobriety. It offers a choice. You can remain in your addiction, or you can walk through to a new life that begins with Step One.

In recovery from substance use disorder, the First Step is taken many times. People in recovery go back to it regularly to remind themselves how they’ve stayed in recovery and what’s at stake if they return to use. Step One is the bedrock of recovery.