Twelve Steps? How Does This Work?

Question by andria k: Twelve Steps? How does this work?
I looked up the 12 steps but it looks like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. How is appealing to a higher power gonna make me change something. I have been doing that unsucessfully for years. I know it works but I just don’t see how. I have an eating disorder and have checked OA but none in my area. I read the info on the 12 steps but just don’t get it. What am I not seeing? Please only answer this if you have actually used this type of program. Thank you

Best answer:

Answer by Warrior Poo Flinger
Well I have’t done it for eating disorder, but I suppose it’s the same. The first step is to “Let go and let God…” Which means you have to let go of the idea that you have control and therefore the power to stop what you’re doing (your disorder). Alcoholics have to accept that they cannot stop drinking by themselves and that they have to give the power, the control, over their lives to their higher power.

If there isn’t an OA meeting nearby, attend another anonymous meeting and ask for guidance. This program isn’t meant for you to go through by yourself, and I’m sure other recovered people will be glad to at least get you started on the steps until you can find an OA meeting.

I wish you well and may your higher power bless you greatly.

Answer by alohamalibu2000
to qualify, i am in AA and NA and have worked the 12 steps. They will only work if you are willing to work them (im sure you know that). It is not necessarily “appealing” to a higher power that makes you change, its actually opposite. The second step says “came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity”. Its not appealing too, but rather coming to believe that YOU can not do it, it has to be a power greater than yourself. If you go through OA you will use the big book of AA. Building on that step it goes on to detail that you have to believe that “no human power could relieve our alcoholism (substitute eating disorder)…”

So its not really about appealing too. The program really is not about stopping drugs/alcohol/eating, the book explains that is just a symptom of a bigger problem that they call a spiritual malody. The program is really about making a fearless and searching moral inventory of yourself (4th step) and then sharing that with another human being, usually your sponsor. Then there is nothing you have done, ever, that another human being does not know about and the god of your understanding (higher power).

Coming into AA/NA i had no religious beliefs and still dont. I do not believe in “God” as in the guy with the staff type of figure. All I know is that I did not create the planet, cant control everything (many people use the ocean and gravity as an example) and know that it was a power greater than me that did it.

Then 9th step is about making amends to anyone you have harmed ever. Theory being that even if you dont do it on a concious level you drink (or over/under eat) because you hold this anxiety/shame/remorse on some level and use alcohol/eating as a relief symptom. Once you make ammends your side of the street is clean and then 10,11, 12 are about staying spiritually connected and taking a new person through the steps.

Its wierd, I dont see how it really works, but I promise you it does.

If you go to OA you will be using the “big book” of AA. You should buy it and check it out. The chapter “how it works” will help explain it, but i recommend reading the preceeding chapters.

More importantly just go check out a meeting. If there are introductions you can just identify as “name, visitor”. Nobody will try to talk you into the program. Visitors are usually family members there for support. Listen to the meeting and see if it makes sense to you. Meetings and speakers almost always share on what you are asking about because meetings are supposed to be for newcomers to learn about the program. Email me if you have any other questions. But it works. Its really wierd but it does, and its life changing.

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