What Is Step 8 of AA?

Step 8 of AA involves making a list of those harmed before coming into recovery. This can be challenging, but it can play an important part in the 12-step process.

January 17, 2025 · 7 min · 1367 words · Gloria Welch

Table of Contents

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Step 8 of AA?How Step 8 of AA WorksCategorizing Your List During Step 8Becoming Willing in Step 8Seeking Extra Help With Step 8Next in AA 12 Step Program GuideStep 9 of A.A.: Making Amends

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Step 8 of AA?

How Step 8 of AA Works

Categorizing Your List During Step 8

Becoming Willing in Step 8

Seeking Extra Help With Step 8

Next in AA 12 Step Program Guide

As people participate in this mutual support recovery program, they engage in a number of specific steps that help them work toward becoming free of alcohol and other substances. Each step plays an important role in helping people overcome their alcohol dependence.

Step 8 can be particularly important as a way to mend social relationships and rebuildsocial supportsystems. It also helps people in recovery recognize the damage their drinking has done, which can further motivate them to work toward sobriety.

At a GlanceAlcohol and substance use have devastating effects on families and relationships. Step 8 focuses on addressing these harms and making amends. During this step, you may apologize for your actions and work to rectify the people you’ve hurt. This can be challenging, and mixed reactions are expected. Humbling yourself, giving a sincere apology, and allowing them to decide if they can forgive are essential. This can not only heal the support systems that are important for staying sober, but it can also help you to be honest with yourself and with others about how drinking has affected your life.

At a Glance

Alcohol and substance use have devastating effects on families and relationships. Step 8 focuses on addressing these harms and making amends. During this step, you may apologize for your actions and work to rectify the people you’ve hurt. This can be challenging, and mixed reactions are expected. Humbling yourself, giving a sincere apology, and allowing them to decide if they can forgive are essential. This can not only heal the support systems that are important for staying sober, but it can also help you to be honest with yourself and with others about how drinking has affected your life.

According to Alcoholics Anonymous:

Step 8"Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all."

Step 8

“Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.”

Whether you’re working the12 stepsofAlcoholics Anonymous (AA),Narcotics Anonymous (NA),Al-Anon, or any other program, step 8 can be humbling, but it can also lead to growth.

The goal of this step is to end isolation from others. Not only is this an appealing goal, but it also targets one of the reasons why people often drink.

You’ll notice that the term “God” is used in the original 12 steps, and God is referred to as “he.” Today, these terms are redefined in whatever ways fit the person using them.For instance, some people substitute the word God for Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, or Higher Power, as well as remove the masculine pronoun.

What Are the 12 Steps?

According to Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12 steps are as follows:

If you’ve completed your4th step inventory, you’ll likely have most of your list. However, like most of the 12 steps, this is not necessarily a one-time event. It is a process that continues to unfold as more is revealed.

The list usually begins with friends and family you have harmed and, as recovery continues, grows to include others like neighbors and coworkers.

For many Al-Anon members, the first person on their list is a relative with analcohol use disorder. As they begin to put the focus on themselves and do their own inventory, many discover they owe amends to the family member in their lives with an alcohol problem who they’ve blamed for all of their family’s problems.

When creating your list, you need to include all people you may have hurt during active alcohol or drug use. Once you create this list (which may turn out longer than you expect), separate the names into one of four categories:

When you become “willing” to make the amends necessary, you don’t actually have to “do” anything in the way of amends just yet. But you do have to be honest with yourself.

Making a list of the persons you have harmed requires you to examine and face your behaviors without making excuses for them.

As you continue to compile your list, ask yourself the following questions:

By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to form a more complete list of those to whom you can make amends now or in the future.

For some people, step 8 can increase negative self-talk and emotions and bring on cravings of alcohol or drugs. If this happens, it’s important to seek help. Whether a friend or family member, sponsor, or mental health professional, lean on someone who can support you as you work through the steps and avoid relapse.

Takeaway

Like every part of a 12-step program, step 8 takes commitment as you journey toward lasting recovery. Step 8 forms the base for all future relationships with ourselves and others; if we can let go of our previous hurts to others, we can begin a new facet of sobriety.

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.

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.

Step 9 in AA Is Making Amends

5 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.Melemis SM.Relapse prevention and the five rules of recovery.Yale J Biol Med. 2015;88(3):325-332. Published 2015 Sep 3.Alcoholics Anonymous.Step eight.Greene D.Revisiting 12-step approaches: An evidence-based perspective.In: Addictions - Diagnosis and Treatment. 2021. doi:10.5772/intechopen.95985Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.Donovan DM, Ingalsbe MH, Benbow J, Daley DC.12-step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview.Soc Work Public Health. 2013;28(3-4):313-332. doi:10.1080/19371918.2013.774663

5 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.Melemis SM.Relapse prevention and the five rules of recovery.Yale J Biol Med. 2015;88(3):325-332. Published 2015 Sep 3.Alcoholics Anonymous.Step eight.Greene D.Revisiting 12-step approaches: An evidence-based perspective.In: Addictions - Diagnosis and Treatment. 2021. doi:10.5772/intechopen.95985Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.Donovan DM, Ingalsbe MH, Benbow J, Daley DC.12-step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview.Soc Work Public Health. 2013;28(3-4):313-332. doi:10.1080/19371918.2013.774663

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.

Melemis SM.Relapse prevention and the five rules of recovery.Yale J Biol Med. 2015;88(3):325-332. Published 2015 Sep 3.Alcoholics Anonymous.Step eight.Greene D.Revisiting 12-step approaches: An evidence-based perspective.In: Addictions - Diagnosis and Treatment. 2021. doi:10.5772/intechopen.95985Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.Donovan DM, Ingalsbe MH, Benbow J, Daley DC.12-step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview.Soc Work Public Health. 2013;28(3-4):313-332. doi:10.1080/19371918.2013.774663

Melemis SM.Relapse prevention and the five rules of recovery.Yale J Biol Med. 2015;88(3):325-332. Published 2015 Sep 3.

Alcoholics Anonymous.Step eight.

Greene D.Revisiting 12-step approaches: An evidence-based perspective.In: Addictions - Diagnosis and Treatment. 2021. doi:10.5772/intechopen.95985

Alcoholic Anonymous.The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Donovan DM, Ingalsbe MH, Benbow J, Daley DC.12-step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview.Soc Work Public Health. 2013;28(3-4):313-332. doi:10.1080/19371918.2013.774663

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