A Study of Step 2

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Step 2 of AA?How Step 2 of AA WorksStep 2 for Agnostics and AtheistsHow to Complete Step 2 of AAWhy Step 2 Is Important for RecoveryNext in AA 12 Step Program GuideUnderstanding Step 3 of AA

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Step 2 of AA?

How Step 2 of AA Works

Step 2 for Agnostics and Atheists

How to Complete Step 2 of AA

Why Step 2 Is Important for Recovery

Next in AA 12 Step Program Guide

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a 12-step program centered on finding a higher purpose or power to recover from alcohol use disorder. While AA is non-religious, it utilizes a spiritual approach and references God and other religious themes frequently, including in Step 2.In step 2 of AA, people are encouraged to believe in a higher power greater than themselves that will restore them tosobrietyand wellness.

At a Glance

Step 2Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step 2

Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

This suggests your belief does not need to center on a supernatural being or force. Instead, your understanding of this greater power can refer to anything you believe is greater than yourself.

The 12 Steps of AA

According to Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12 Steps are:

The second step of the program is centered on faith. But before you can allow a higher power to help you recover from addiction, you must first find a belief in something greater than yourself. According to AA, accepting that there is a higher power that will help you heal can aid in your recovery.

Step 2 can be challenging for people who feeldisconnected from their faithor who lack belief in a deity. It is important to remember that this step is really about finding something outside of yourself that can inspire you to stay sober.

Even if you struggle with this step, staying open to finding your own “higher power” can help.

Your higher power can be a supreme being, deity, or God, but it can be anything that has a tremendous amount of meaning to you. It might be music, science, freedom, nature, love, art, or humanity itself.

RecapStep 2 is all about finding faith in something greater than yourself. By staying open-minded and being open to the idea of change, you’ll be better able to look outside of yourself for the things that will inspire you to stick to your recovery and sobriety goals.

Recap

Step 2 is all about finding faith in something greater than yourself. By staying open-minded and being open to the idea of change, you’ll be better able to look outside of yourself for the things that will inspire you to stick to your recovery and sobriety goals.

But, in a chapter entitled “We Agnostics,” the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”(also known as"The Big Book")says, “We beg you to lay aside prejudice…” and give the program a chance.

The 12-step programs are spiritual, not religious. There is no mention of religious beliefs, doctrine, or dogma in the meetings or the approved literature. Members are not required to accept someone else’s concept of God, only to trust that there is a power “greater than themselves” however they wish to describe it or understand it.

Buddy, Al-Anon memberMy suggestion to newcomers is the same that I received: Put your religious beliefs, or unbelief on hold and give the whole program a chance. Because Al-Anon is not a religious program, but a spiritual one.

Buddy, Al-Anon member

My suggestion to newcomers is the same that I received: Put your religious beliefs, or unbelief on hold and give the whole program a chance. Because Al-Anon is not a religious program, but a spiritual one.

It seems to be a spiritual truth, that before a higher power can begin to operate, one must first believe that it can. You have to believe it to receive it. Millions of program members through the years, who finally “came to believe” have found themselves amazed to find that power at work in their lives in seemingly miraculous ways.

There are many strategies that you can use to complete Step 2. Some ways that you can work through this step:

Remembering to let go of many of your preconceptions about spirituality, faith, and belief can also be helpful. Your higher power can take many forms; ultimately, you get to decide what it is and what it means in your life.

Where the first step of the program asks people to admit that they need help, Step 2 is about building a foundation that shows people that they can be helped. It encourages people to open themselves up to allowing a power outside of themselves to guide them toward a better, healthier, and happier life.

AA also suggests that this step fosters a sense of humility that may help people become more accepting of guidance and help. Instead of believing that they can manage on their own, people become more aware of their need for support.

Step 2 helps people see that they are not alone. It gives them hope and the strength to keep going as they face the challenges of overcomingalcohol use disorder.

Don’t worry if you struggle with this step and other quasi-spiritual elements of the program. While AA suggests that the spiritual elements of the program are key to success, research has found that the beneficial effects primarily stem from social, cognitive, and emotional factors.AA can be an effective tool for achieving and maintaining sobriety, but its success does not hinge on spirituality.

RecapStep 2 serves as the essential spiritual foundation that helps guide the rest of the recovery process. It creates a solid base of hope, strength, and support that people can rely on as they work toward recovering from their addiction.

Step 2 serves as the essential spiritual foundation that helps guide the rest of the recovery process. It creates a solid base of hope, strength, and support that people can rely on as they work toward recovering from their addiction.

Keep in Mind

Step 2 is an important part of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The belief in a higher power that Step 2 encourages plays a big role in the 12 steps, but you don’t need to be spiritual or religious to reap these benefits. By stayingopen-mindedand seeking your own belief in something greater than yourself, you’ll lay the foundation that can lead you toward recovery as you prepare for the next step.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Understanding Step 3 of AA

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Galanter M, White WL, Khalsa J, Hansen H.A scoping review of spirituality in relation to substance use disorders: Psychological, biological, and cultural issues.Journal of Addictive Diseases. Published online February 11, 2023:1-9. doi:10.1080/10550887.2023.2174785Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. 77th printing. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services.Nash AJ.The twelve steps and adolescent recovery: A concise review.Substance Abuse. 2020;14. doi:10.1177/1178221820904397Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book. 4th ed.Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.Alcoholics Anonymous.Step two.Kelly JF.Is Alcoholics Anonymous religious, spiritual, neither? Findings from 25 years of mechanisms of behavior change research.Addiction. 2017;112(6):929-936. doi:10.1111/add.13590

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Galanter M, White WL, Khalsa J, Hansen H.A scoping review of spirituality in relation to substance use disorders: Psychological, biological, and cultural issues.Journal of Addictive Diseases. Published online February 11, 2023:1-9. doi:10.1080/10550887.2023.2174785Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. 77th printing. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services.Nash AJ.The twelve steps and adolescent recovery: A concise review.Substance Abuse. 2020;14. doi:10.1177/1178221820904397Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book. 4th ed.Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.Alcoholics Anonymous.Step two.Kelly JF.Is Alcoholics Anonymous religious, spiritual, neither? Findings from 25 years of mechanisms of behavior change research.Addiction. 2017;112(6):929-936. doi:10.1111/add.13590

Galanter M, White WL, Khalsa J, Hansen H.A scoping review of spirituality in relation to substance use disorders: Psychological, biological, and cultural issues.Journal of Addictive Diseases. Published online February 11, 2023:1-9. doi:10.1080/10550887.2023.2174785Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. 77th printing. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services.Nash AJ.The twelve steps and adolescent recovery: A concise review.Substance Abuse. 2020;14. doi:10.1177/1178221820904397Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book. 4th ed.Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.Alcoholics Anonymous.Step two.Kelly JF.Is Alcoholics Anonymous religious, spiritual, neither? Findings from 25 years of mechanisms of behavior change research.Addiction. 2017;112(6):929-936. doi:10.1111/add.13590

Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. 77th printing. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services.

Nash AJ.The twelve steps and adolescent recovery: A concise review.Substance Abuse. 2020;14. doi:10.1177/1178221820904397

Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book. 4th ed.

Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous.Step two.

Kelly JF.Is Alcoholics Anonymous religious, spiritual, neither? Findings from 25 years of mechanisms of behavior change research.Addiction. 2017;112(6):929-936. doi:10.1111/add.13590

Kendra Cherry, MSEd

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At a Glance#

Step 2#

The 12 Steps of AA#

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