What Is Step 3 of AA?

What Is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous is a self-help group that offers a 12-step program to people struggling with alcohol addiction. The third step of the AA program encourages those in recovery to turn their will and lives over to the care of a higher power.

This higher power can be anything the individual chooses, such as God, the universe, or a higher power of their own understanding. However, this God does not have to be a Christian God. AA considers itself a spiritual, non-religious program that anyone can join regardless of whether or not they have a religion.

The 12-steps of AA are a set of guiding principles that offer a framework for living a sober life. The steps include admitting that you have a problem, surrendering to a higher power, making amends to those you have harmed, and working towards spiritual growth.

The 12-steps of AA have helped millions of people recover from addiction. If you are considering completing the 12-steps, it is essential to do your own research and talk to someone who has experience with the program. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery, so find what works best for you.

What Is the Third Step?

The third step of AA says:

“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”

This step begins with a decision. It does not require perfect faith, complete certainty, or a fixed religious belief.

Step 3 asks you to become open to guidance, support, and a way of living that is not controlled by self-will. For people in recovery, this can mean pausing before reacting, asking for help, listening to others, and making choices that protect sobriety.

The wording can feel difficult for newcomers, especially those who are unsure about spirituality. AA gives each person room to define a higher power in a personal way. Hearing how others understand Step 3 in meetings can make the idea feel more practical and less intimidating.

What Could My Higher Power Be?

Your higher power can be anything you want it to be. People often recommend that your higher power be something more powerful than you. For example, it could be:

• Jesus
• God
• Allah
• The ocean
• Energy
• The Universe
• The rooms of AA
• A higher being

Why Is Step 3 Important in Recovery?

Step 3 is important because it helps people practice surrender instead of trying to manage recovery through willpower alone. In AA, surrender does not mean giving up. It means letting go of the belief that you must control everything by yourself.

Alcohol addiction often involves unhealthy attempts to manage emotions, relationships, situations, or outcomes. These patterns can lead to fear, shame, frustration, and repeated drinking.

Step 3 shifts the focus from control to trust, support, and healthier action. It can reduce the pressure to solve everything alone and encourage support from a sponsor, AA group, loved ones, or addiction treatment professionals.

How Can You Practice Step 3?

You can practice Step 3 by using it in daily decisions, especially when you feel overwhelmed, resentful, afraid, or tempted to drink.

A common way to practice Step 3 is through the Serenity Prayer:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.”

This prayer is often used in AA and other 12-step programs. It helps separate what you can control from what you cannot control.

You cannot control another person’s opinion, the past, or every difficult emotion. You can control your next action, your honesty, your willingness to ask for help, and your commitment to sobriety.

Step 3 can also be practiced by calling a sponsor, attending a meeting, speaking honestly in therapy, praying, meditating, journaling, or choosing not to act on a craving. The goal is to pause, let go of forced control, and choose the next right action.

Why Do I Need To Complete the Third Step?

During addiction recovery, the third step is crucial. By turning your will and life over to a higher power and accepting guidance, you can stop trying to manipulate things within your life. The result of this is feeling free and being guided by what your higher power wants for you.

As your higher power has a clearer understanding of your potential in life, this will give you a far better life than you would previously have had. Below are a few tips for how you might manifest your decision to navigate recovery.

• Select your higher power. The concept of a higher power is one that sometimes throws people off when they first start attending AA meetings. People often take most of the other teachings in meetings onboard but struggle with accepting a higher power. Remember, a higher power does not necessarily have to be God. People sometimes see their higher power as AA rooms, while others choose water as their higher power. The best thing you can do is select something that feels right for you.
• Recite the Serenity Prayer. The Serenity Prayer is recited at the start of all AA meetings, and it is also said in many other 12-step programs. It is a powerful prayer that helps you hand over things to your higher power, enabling you to be more aware of the things you can change. The Serenity Prayer does not have to be limited to meetings, though. You can say it at any point during your day, such as when you feel overwhelmed and want to feel closer to your higher power.
• Clarify what is in your control and what is not. Those recovering from alcohol addictions often spend time trying to control what is not possible, such as people, places, and things. Unfortunately, many elements are outside of our control. Once we accept this, we can “let go and let God.” When we can do this, our lives become more serene, and we regain a little more sanity.

Going through the steps only takes a short amount of time, but the real joy of the steps comes in living them. If you are able to take the lessons of step three and apply them to your everyday life, you will feel far more content. You might even include the prayer in your daily spiritual practice in the morning.

When AA May Not Be Enough

AA can be an important part of recovery, but it may not be enough for people with severe alcohol addiction, dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or complex mental health needs.

Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous without proper medical support. Medical detox and withdrawal management may be necessary before a person begins deeper therapeutic work.

A clinical assessment can help determine the right level of care and identify co-occurring mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or mood disorders. These conditions can affect drinking patterns and should be treated as part of the recovery process.

Professional alcohol addiction treatment may include medical detox, individual therapy, group therapy, trauma-informed therapy, medication-assisted treatment, relapse prevention, and aftercare planning. These services help people understand the causes of their drinking, build healthier coping skills, and prepare for long-term sobriety.

AA and professional treatment can work together. AA provides peer support, structure, and spiritual growth, while treatment provides clinical care, emotional support, and a personalized recovery plan.

Addiction Treatment for Alcoholism – Professional Treatment Advice

While Alcoholics Anonymous is an essential part of the recovery process for alcohol use disorder and is all some people use to recover from alcoholism, most people who have a severe alcohol addiction will need to explore additional treatment options to help them achieve sobriety from alcohol abuse.

Most people who suffer from severe alcohol addiction attend a specific rehab center to complete a recovery program and achieve sobriety. Here, substance abuse treatment often includes detox and relapse prevention. If you attend an addiction treatment center, you will also look into the reasons why you began drinking in the first place with an addiction recovery professional.

Treatment facilities also benefit from having medically peer-reviewed studies that show their efficacy. They also offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which can be vital during the detox period. Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal, but these medications can help keep you as safe and comfortable as possible.