The 12 Steps: How Two Men Changed Millions of Lives

In November 1934, a man called Ebby Thacher visited his old drinking companion Bill Wilson with unexpected news: he was sober. Thacher had found support through the Oxford Group, a Christian fellowship he'd been directed to by none other than the psychiatrist Carl Jung. That conversation would spark something that has since helped millions of people worldwide recover from addiction.

Wilson - or Bill W, as he came to be known - wasn't keen on religion. But Thacher's transformation made an impression. Wilson later described realising that recovery could be a spiritual experience without being a religious one. "It was only a matter of being willing to believe in a Power greater than myself," he wrote. "Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning."

During his own journey toward sobriety, Wilson became close friends with Dr Robert Smith - Dr Bob. The two supported each other, sharing ideas about what recovery might look like. On 10th June 1935, Dr Bob had his last drink. That date is now considered the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Over the following years, Wilson and Dr Bob developed six principles that governed their lives of sobriety. They attended Oxford Group meetings while building something new - a fellowship focused specifically on supporting people with alcohol problems. By 1938, they'd begun writing what would become known as the Big Book.

The book was redrafted many times. Early AA members all wanted input, and there were clashes - particularly around how religious the programme should appear. This is why the steps refer to "God as you understand Him" and a "Higher Power," making room for those who were agnostic or uncomfortable with traditional religion.

When the Big Book was finally published in 1939, it contained the twelve steps that would change the world of addiction treatment. Wilson reportedly wrote them in just thirty minutes, expanding those original six principles into something more comprehensive—leaving no wriggle room for excuses.

The steps begin with admitting powerlessness over addiction, then move through accepting wrongdoings, making amends where possible, and finally developing a practice of prayer or meditation to connect with one's Higher Power. Regular attendance at meetings is encouraged to maintain sobriety and connection with others who understand.

As AA's message spread, other groups emerged. Narcotics Anonymous started in 1953, Gamblers Anonymous in 1957, and Neurotics Anonymous in 1964. Today, 12-step programmes address everything from drugs and gambling to food, sex, and codependency. The framework has proved remarkably adaptable to all forms of compulsive behaviour.

What makes these programmes effective? Research increasingly points to the power of peer support and fellowship. Being around people who truly understand addiction - without judgement - provides something clinical settings often struggle to replicate. Members are encouraged to share the message with others still struggling, creating a cycle of mutual support that sustains recovery.

Recent studies have strengthened the case for 12-step approaches. A major 2020 review of 27 studies found that 12-step programmes led to higher rates of continuous abstinence than other established treatments. Research has also associated consistent AA and NA participation with abstinence lasting up to 16 years, along with improved wellbeing and self-efficacy.

Precise success rates remain difficult to pin down - the anonymous nature of these programmes makes comprehensive tracking impossible. But for those who engage consistently, attending meetings regularly and working through the steps with a sponsor, the evidence suggests genuine transformation is possible. All thanks to a spiritual rather than a medical approach.

Perhaps the most profound insight is also the simplest: one person helping another. Wilson and Dr Bob discovered that sharing their struggles with someone who truly understood made all the difference. Nearly ninety years later, that principle continues to save lives - one meeting, one conversation, one day at a time.