Twelve Steps to Recovery - The Ninth Step

This article summarizes the Ninth Step of the Twelve Steps to Recovery. Refer to the WUMC website for a summary of steps one through eight. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous lists the ninth step from the original Twelve Steps as, “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” The ninth step of the AA method of recovery is the actualization of the previous step. Here one actually makes amends using the list created in step eight.

Amends might include letters to those we harmed, phone calls, or a face to face meeting where you say you are sorry for what you did. Providing restitution for the harm done is possible in some cases. Sometimes the harm that has been done is an omission. Because of not being there the addict has a need to repair the past in some kind of way.

It is important to remember the last part of step nine, not to hurt or harm those you love. If telling your loved ones that you have been unfaithful to them would cause them great pain, don’t tell them. The key is to be willing. If you could go back in time and change what happened, you would be willing to change. Your amends must not be at the cost of other people’s security, dignity or well being. Step nine definitely requires the help and support of a sponsor. When the addict actually brings about, in a real way, some sort of reparation for past behavior there is a sense of returning to the person he/she was before falling into the abyss of addiction.

This summary was written by the Faith Partners group of WUMC as part of a continuing series of articles on each of the twelve steps. If you want to learn more about addictions, the church library has copies of a book and a CD titled Addiction by Dr. Kevin McCauley and Dr. Cory Reich.