Table of Contents
Summary
- Step 8 of the 12-Step Program is a critical phase focused on accountability, where individuals identify the people they’ve harmed due to addiction and become willing to make amends, fostering emotional healing and deeper self-awareness.
- Using a printable step 8 AA worksheet can help organize and categorize the list of individuals harmed, allowing for a structured, thoughtful approach to making amends that reduces overwhelm and encourages follow-through.
- Support from counselors, sponsors, or sober peers is highly recommended during Step 8, as navigating painful memories and emotions can be challenging, and outside guidance helps provide clarity, accountability, and encouragement throughout the process.
Step Eight in AA: Making Your Amends List
Many people recovering from addiction work the 12-Step Program to facilitate healing, growth, and lasting change in their lives. The 12-Step Program is a popular recovery program in America, and most people work through the 12 steps alongside a group of sober peers or with the help of addiction treatment professionals. If you’re about to start working Step 8 of the 12-Step Program, we’re here to help. Use your Step 4 resentment list to build a clear Step 8 amends list.
In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at Step 8. We’ll offer a brief explanation of its purpose and provide helpful tips and worksheets to help you get started with it. If you’re ready to dive in deep, keep reading.
What are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
1st Step: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2nd Step: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
4th Step: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5th Step: Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6th Step: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7th Step: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8th Step: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9th Step: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10th Step: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11th Step: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12th Step: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Why Is Step 8 Of the 12-Step Program Important?
Step 8 of the 12-Step Program marks the beginning of the amends process by encouraging individuals in recovery to take responsibility for their past actions. It involves creating a detailed list of people harmed due to addiction and becoming willing to make amends. This step is essential because it helps individuals reflect on the damage caused, promotes accountability, and prepares them for meaningful reconciliation in Step 9. In early recovery, most people begin Step 8 only after the acute withdrawal phase has passed, when they are stable enough to reflect without being overwhelmed by physical symptoms.
Rather than skipping straight to apologizing, making a list ensures that each harm is thoughtfully considered, which leads to more sincere and effective amends. In situations where direct amends aren’t feasible, indirect actions like volunteering or charitable acts can still contribute to healing. Additionally, acknowledging complex emotions like resentment can help the individual gain emotional clarity and self-forgiveness.
Ultimately, Step 8 helps foster personal growth and emotional relief, even if others don’t respond as hoped. The goal is to demonstrate genuine effort to make things right and move forward with integrity.
Detox Safely in Austin Before You Start the 12 Steps
Medically Supervised Detox – Compassionate Care Starts Here.
If you live nearby, our Austin drug and alcohol detox center provides 24/7 medical care as you take your first steps into recovery.
What Is a Step Eight AA Worksheet?
A Step Eight AA worksheet is a simple written tool that helps you organize the people you’ve harmed, what happened, and how you might make things right.
How to Fill Out a Step Eight AA Worksheet
Begin by listing names only, then go back and briefly describe the specific harm and your part in it.
Step Eight Worksheet Example Columns
Many Step Eight worksheets include columns such as “Person,” “What I Did,” “How It Affected Them,” and “Possible Amends.”
How Should I Work Step 8 of the 12-Step Program?
If you’ve already worked steps one through seven, it’s time to get to work on step 8. Using a step eight AA worksheet can turn a vague sense of guilt into a clear, written plan for making amends. For those working through the 12-Step Program for the first time, it’s a good idea to seek help and support from a counselor, addiction treatment professional, or AA sponsor. These individuals will provide assistance and guidance as you start making your list. If you need to review what you shared earlier in the process, our AA Step 5 worksheet article can help you revisit your Step 5 work before you start making amends. Your Step Eight AA worksheet should include each person you harmed, what happened, and what a safe, realistic effort to make things right might look like. Here are a few additional tips that might help you work step 8 of the 12-Step Program:
- Acknowledge negative emotions but don’t let them hold you back from completing Step 8. While you’re working Step 8, you’ll face some unpleasant memories about things you did or said. This can be discouraging and may conjure feelings of sadness, self-pity, anger, or frustration. To work through these emotions, make sure you recognize and validate them but don’t allow them to take over and keep you from making progress in recovery. No one is perfect, but by making a list of people you’ve harmed, you can feel good knowing you’re taking steps toward changing your life and behaviors for the better.
- Categorize your list. Once you have a general list of people you’d like to make amends to, you should also categorize it based on:
- Those you can make amends to now.
- Those you should make amends to later.
- Those you need to make partial amends with to prevent any further harm.
- Those you won’t be able to make direct amends with for various reasons.
Once you break your list down into these categories, you can decide how to handle each one without it feeling so overwhelming.
- Get help. As mentioned above, you should seek help to work Step 8. Whether you’re completing an outpatient rehab program or you’re attending 12-Step meetings independently, rely on others to help. You can get with your sponsor, therapist, or even a supportive sober friend to help. Their support will make the process easier and may provide you with more clarity than trying to do it on your own. Talking through your Step 8 list with a counselor or medical provider can also flag any situations where making amends might not be emotionally safe for you or the other person.
Printable AA Step 8 Worksheets
In addition to the tips above, you can use printable Step eight worksheets below to help you work through your list-making. When you feel stuck, returning to your Step 8 AA worksheet with a sponsor or counselor can help you stay grounded and accountable in recovery. When choosing a Step 8 worksheet online, look for resources recommended by your treatment team or established recovery organizations rather than random printables from social media. Here are a few online resources that may help. You can also request AA worksheets from your addiction treatment provider, counselor, or AA sponsor.
Step 8 Outcomes: Data & Statistics
- According to a 2022 study published in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 73% of individuals who completed Step 8 reported improved emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships after making their amends list.
- A survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 65% of people who thoroughly completed Step 8 felt it was a turning point in their recovery journey, helping them better understand the impact of their addiction on others.
- In a longitudinal AA study, those who actively engaged in Steps 8 and 9 had a 40% higher likelihood of maintaining sobriety at the 12-month mark compared to those who skipped or rushed through these steps. If you still have questions about withdrawal, you can read more about how long drug detox and withdrawal last in our detailed timeline guide.
Who Can Help Me Work the 8th Step of the 12-Step Program?
At Briarwood Detox Center, we help people start their new life in sobriety with safe and effective drug and alcohol detox programs. Our detox centers in Austin and Houston also provide one-on-one clinical support and access to 12-Step resources like H&I meetings.
During H&I meetings, you’ll hear from other sober people who have made the same journey you are. You’ll also have the chance to connect with sober peers and meet potential sponsors who can help and support you through the recovery process.
After you’ve completed your detox program, the Briarwood staff can help guide you into the next phase of your addiction treatment. Depending on your individual treatment needs, we might recommend completing a residential rehab program, online rehab program, outpatient rehab, or enrolling in a sober living program. If you’re not in treatment yet, you can learn what to expect from detox at Briarwood before you start working the steps.
When you’re ready to make a change, contact the compassionate team at Briarwood Detox Center. We work with many insurance providers to make sure detox is as affordable and convenient as possible. Please call (512) 262-4426 or contact us online to learn more about our individualized drug and alcohol detox programs. If cost is a concern, explore our in-network detox services in Austin to see how your insurance benefits might help.
When to Use Step Eight Worksheets in Treatment
In detox and early rehab, Step Eight worksheets are usually introduced once your medical team is confident you’re stable enough to handle emotional work.
Substance Abuse Trends in Houston, Texas
While these Houston statistics are concerning, there is hope for recovery through proper treatment and continuing care. After completing detox, many people in Houston choose an intensive outpatient program (IOP) to maintain momentum in sobriety. Nova Recovery Center’s intensive outpatient program in Houston provides structured therapy sessions, relapse prevention education, and peer support several times a week—all while you live at home. Participating in an IOP lets you rebuild your daily routine and practice sober living skills with professional guidance, without the need for a full residential stay. It’s a flexible option that keeps you connected with Houston’s recovery community and helps sustain long-term recovery beyond detox.