What Are the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous?

Updated

The 12 Steps and the 12 Traditions are two separate sets of guiding principles in Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12 Steps are the personal program members work through to maintain sobriety. The 12 Traditions are guidelines for how AA groups relate to each other, to members, to the wider Fellowship, and to society at large. The North Carolina Area 51 site (aanorthcarolina.org) links to both resources under its "Our AA Legacies" section, alongside a "What is A.A.?" explainer.

The 12 Steps: A Personal Program for Sobriety

The Steps are the core of an individual member's recovery work. As the AANC site puts it, "Members use the Twelve Steps to maintain sobriety." They are worked in order, typically with the help of a sponsor, and describe a process of honesty, reflection, making amends, and ongoing practice.

If you are new to AA, the Steps are not a prerequisite for attending meetings — you can walk into a meeting first and learn about the Steps over time. The site's "Find a Meeting" link and local helplines are the practical starting points.

The 12 Traditions: Guidelines for the Fellowship

The Traditions operate at the group and Fellowship level rather than the personal one. According to the AANC site, they "provide guidelines for relationships between the groups, members, the global Fellowship and society at large."

In other words, where the Steps govern how a member works on their own drinking problem, the Traditions govern how AA as a whole stays coherent, non-hierarchical, and focused on its primary purpose.

How the Two Fit Together on the AANC Site

Resource Scope What the site says
12 Steps Individual member "Members use the Twelve Steps to maintain sobriety."
12 Traditions Groups, members, global Fellowship, society "Provide guidelines for relationships between the groups, members, the global Fellowship and society at large."
What is A.A.? General explainer "A fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem."

All three are presented as entry points on the homepage under "Our AA Legacies" and "What is A.A.?"

Where to Go Next in North Carolina

  • If you think you have a drinking problem: the site's first prompt is "Do you have a problem with alcohol?" — followed by a "Find a Meeting" link and a list of regional helplines.
  • If you want to read the Steps and Traditions themselves: use the "12 Steps" and "12 Traditions" links in the "Our AA Legacies" section of aanorthcarolina.org.
  • If you are already a member: the site has a dedicated "AA Members" section, plus an "En Español" page and an events calendar (for example, the Spring Into Action Conference in Sanford and Freedom From Bondage in Aberdeen).

Regional Helplines Listed by AANC

The site publishes local numbers rather than a single statewide line. A few examples:

  • Charlotte Area (Mecklenburg County): (704) 332-4387
  • Triangle Area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill): (919) 783-6144
  • Asheville Area (Mountain Counties): (828) 254-8539
  • Winston-Salem Area (Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin): (336) 725-6031
  • Spanish-language Foothills Area (Burke, Catawba, Caldwell): (828) 291-8465

The full list covers Fayetteville, Wilmington, Boone, High Point, Wilson, West Jefferson, Wilkesboro, the Outer Banks, Beaufort, Pitt, Craven, Wayne, and Carteret counties. Pick the line matching your county, or use "Find a Meeting" if you would rather attend in person first.